SULTAN IDRIS EDUCATION UNIVERISTY FIK 3042 ASSIGNMENT 3 ARTICLE 1 / 2 ARTICLE 1: PSORIASIS TIPS ARTICLE 2: PSORIASIS A COMMON SKIN

CONDITION

ARTICLE 1:
TITLE WRITER : Psoriasis Tips : Dr.Fox, MD, Dermatologist and Founder of Advanced Dermatology and the center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery. SOURCE : http://www.sooperarticle.com/health-fitness-articles/psoriasis-articles/psoriasis-

common-skin-condition/ TOPIC SENTENCE: Cigarette smoking increases the severity of psoriasis because it suppresses the immune system. These studies have shown that quitting or reducing cigarette smoking will significantly improve the patients ability to manage this disease . Dr. Fox recommends that psoriasis sufferers to follow the tried-and true management techniques: 1. Use moisturizing lotions .Dry skin will make psoriasis worse. Use a humidifier . It Is critical to keep your skin moist. Dry, cold air can make symptoms. 2. Never pick on lesion or scales. Picking can cause more psoriasis or make it worse. Epson salts and oatmeal may help reduce itching and remove scales. 3. Bathe carefully with soothing products such as tar treatment.

GIST Firstly, this article is mainly about tips for psoriasis sufferers in managing the disease. It even explains on techniques that sufferers could use to reduce the irritation due to the disease. Dr. Fox has stated that children whose both parents are having the disease are very prone to develop it .Secondly, according to Dr. Fox also, this disease is non-contagious and it also causes itchiness to the patches and red, cracking, painful and scaly skin that bleeds. Psoriasis sufferers are very prone to develop psoriatic arthritis which is a painful inflammatory condition that can cause severe joint damage and there is no cure for it. In addition to that, psoriasis sufferers who are smokers should quit smoking if they want to control the disease from flaring up . They could also go for new and improved treatments to control the disease and manage their lives better. Moreover, the psoriasis sufferers should keep their skin moist by using moisturizing lotions and not let it dry. This is because when the patches are very dry it causes itchiness, cracking and bleeding. They should also keep the habit of not peeling the skin on the patches as it could cause the skin to be red and bleed and also flare up , making the skin condition worse. In addition to that, Dr. Fox has also suggested that psoriasis sufferers could use topical ointments and vitamin D to help control the massive growth of the cells. He also said that Epson salts and oatmeal based lotions could help reduce the itch on the patches and remove the scales from it. Finally, sufferers should not bathe using normal soaps like other normal skin people because it could hurt the sufferers skin. They should use tar soap as it is good in improving and reducing the disease as well as it does not hurt the patches on the sufferers body.

REFLECTION/ DISCUSSION: I have read the article on the tips given or suggested by Dr. Fox for psoriasis sufferers in managing this disease and I agree to what he has said as I am also a psoriasis sufferer. I have tried many ways and techniques to cure and control it as it kept on flaring up very badly on my body and my face. But then , I consulted my dermatologist as I was very fed up and tired of trying every ways and ended up failing. I tried many types of medicines and ointments but yet those were the older treatments. As I grew older , I realized that whenever my skin is dry, it itches very badly and yes it bled when I scratch . I even discovered that the reason for the disease to flare up was my habit of peeling the skin on the lesion. I was also always stressed up and that was the biggest reason my skin disease to get more worse. I stopped using oinments and steroids for a while as I was always busy with work and personal matters. But after that, I went to a pharmacy and the pharmacist recommended me to apply a new ointment , Daivobet on my skin .I applied and there was a lot of difference on the patches. The patches became smooth and less scaly. I even started using moisturizing lotions, such as Nivea and Vaselin. Vaselin is more effective compared to Nivea. Just like what Dr.Fox said about oatmeal, the main ingredient in the Vaselin is oatmeal. Yet I always believe that if I keep using the same product for my skin, it may not be as effective so I even change my lotions after finish using the other. I even bathe with Sebitar soap. I cannot use any body shampoo because my skin itches after bathing. Dr . Fox when mentioned about Epson salts. It is very true that Epson salts are effective in improving the rough surface of the patches of psoriasis on the body. In connection to that, I have been using the Dead Sea salts for my skin . It improved my skin condition and I am using it every now and then. I even use

olive oil as I read in some medical journals and internet about psoriasis. Olive oil is also good because the oil absorbs into the skin and leaves the skin moist and soft. This is very important because when the skin is dry, it is very itchy .I even try my best to manage my stress level because it can cause this disease to get worse. Other than that I make it a point to at least sit under the morning sun for 20 minutes. A good friend of mine asked me to do it because the morning sun is good for psoriasis sufferers as the rays of the morning sun help to slow down the rapid growth of the skin cells. I have tried every methods and ways to manage and cope with my skin disease , but the best way that I have figured out other than oinments, lotions, morning sun and managing stress , is that to accept and live with it. Only then I really saw the result that healing process started. It takes a very long time and I still have it but yet, I have learnt to live with it and move on like a normal person.

REFRENCE: : 1. http://www.sooperarticle.com/health-fitness-articles/psoriasis-articles/psoriasiscommon-skin-condition/

ARTICLE 2

ARTICLE 2:
TITLE WRITER SOURCE : Psoriasis A Common Skin Condition : Bruce Adams : http://www.sooperarticle.com/health-fitness-articles/psoriasis-articles/psoriasis-

common-skin-condition/ TOPIC SENTENCE: Psoriasis is a very common and chronic skin disease. Psoriasis is not an infection and touching an affected person will not give you the disease. Psoriasis is a non-contagious chronic skin condition that occurs when there is rapid skin cell growth. Normally, the cells of the skin grow in weeks allowing the body to shed excess skin. In the case of psoriasis, skin cells grow within days inhibiting skin shedding and causing piling on the skin surface. Psoriasis is a very common occurring skin condition in which the skin is most affected. This skin disorder can effect mny different people of different cultures and ages , but the age group most effected is from 15-35 years .

GIST Firstly, the article is mainly about psoriasis. According to the writer Bruce Adams, psoriasis is a very common skin disease that is not contagious . He stated that those who are in contact with the psoriasis sufferers need not worry as the disease only spreads within the body of the sufferer. Bruce even mentioned that this disease may be passed down from generations to generations. According to him also , psoriasis occurs when the bodys immune gets confused between the healthy cells for dangerous substances develops new skin cells faster than the normal skin cells. The time frame for the developing of normal skin cells take about a month , but in the case of psoriasis , it only takes about two weeks for the cells to develop. This causes the dead skin cells to built up on the surface of the normal skin. The writer even mentioned that bacterial or viral infections or even excessive intake of alcohol , too much sunlight or too little sunlight , sunblocks , injury on the skin ,or even dry skin could trigger the psoriasis to develop. He even added that this disease occurs when the sufferer s immune system is low or weak.In addition to the disease sufferers are also very prone to develop psoriatic arthritis. Moreover, according to the writer that this disease could occur suddenly or slowly and it depends on the immunity of the sufferer.There is no cure for this disease. It could go and come at any time.

REFLECTION/DISCUSSION: I have read the article about psoriasis . I strongly agree with the writer when he said that psoriasis is a very common and chronic disease. But yet there are many people who do not understand that the existence of this disease does not effect them at all. Psoriasis is a disease

that has a great impact on the sufferers life as well as brings down his / her self confidence. This is due to the scaly and flaky white or red patches that occur on the body. I am also a psoriasis sufferer. I developed this disease since the age of 14. Just like what the writer Bruce Adam mentioned, that psoriasis could occur suddenly on the body. The very same thing happened to me. It started as a small patch of dry scalp on my head. It itched very badly and bled whenever I scratched it. Then the disease spread on my whole scalp, thighs, upper and lower back, legs , face , neck ,and even my hands. As a young girl at that age, I could not face public. My friends deserted me due to my skin condition. My self esteem went low and I faced embarrassment everyday due to situations wherever I sit, my skin drops and no one dared to sit next to me . I started seeing the dermatologist and she advised me not to be sad or distressed about my skin condition. That was when I found out that this disease is purely harmless to those who come in contact with me. I started educating myself about this disease before I started to do the same to others. There is a main reason for the disease to flare up badly on the sufferer, and the reason is that wherever the sufferer is in public, people tend to stare at them. It causes discomfort and that is when the sufferer gets stressed up and the skin itches and bleeds when the sufferer scratches. My dermatologist always reminds me never to use my nails on my skin or even pick the dry skin. The only person who dared to share my towel is my grandmother. Not

knowing the effect or consequences of coming in contact with me, she slept with on one bed and shared my towel. She told me that she wanted know if this disease is contagious. Well, I know about it more than anyone else, that psoriasis is a non-contagious skin disease. Over the years, sice I developed this disease, I have educated myself well to face the community and people who do not understand it. A friend of mine developed psoriasis four years ago. But now he has to go through psychiatric treatment because his wife left him as well as his three children. He could not take it that they left because of his disease. I have been motivating him till today and making a mentally strong person. Since I developed this disease, I have learnt to be strong , motivated and full of courage. I know for the fact that if I do not keep my emotions strong , I would end up in the psychiatric ward because this disease really could have a great impact in ones personal life. My husband is a very understanding person when it comes to my disease. He married me though he knew about my skin and I have a son who is only 6 years old and I am educating him about my condition. I am very proud to say that my child understands and accepts my disease easily. If I have the chance, I would like to be a motivator to other psoriasis sufferers that it is not the end of their lives if they develop the disease. It is just that God wants them to be more strong mentally and emotionally.

REFRENCE: : 2. http://www.sooperarticle.com/health-fitness-articles/psoriasis-articles/psoriasiscommon-skin-condition/