Skin Diseases: Eczema, Psoriasis and Related Conditions

The conditions that affect the skin are called as skin diseases. There are various types of skin diseases and disorders, such as acne, eczema, alopecia areata, epidermolysis bullosa, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), ichthyosis, pachyonychia congenita, etc. Eczema and psoriasis are common chronic inflammatory skin diseases. Both psoriasis and eczema result in red, itchy scaly patches on the skin. Psoriasis is related to rheumatologic (psoriatic arthritis), cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatic, and psychiatric diseases whereas eczema is related to higher rates of mental health symptoms and disorders that include depression, anxiety, attention-deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, and sleep dysregulation. Both are caused by a complex interplay between skin-barrier disruption, immune dysregulation, host genetics and environment triggers. Common treatment options for eczema and psoriasis include topical treatments often used as monotherapy in mild to moderate disease. In moderate to severe cases, topical treatment is combined with systemic, biologic, or phototherapy. This book unravels the recent studies on skin diseases. It will serve as a valuable source of reference on eczema, psoriasis and related conditions for graduate and post graduate students.