Telling Guttate Psoriasis And Acne Apart

Health & Medical Blog

Red outbreaks on the face are often severely embarrassing, particularly if they refuse to go away over time. While acne is among the most common of these outbreaks, there is also a chance that guttate psoriasis may be the culprit. Here's how to tell the two apart and how to treat the latter condition.

The Causes Are Quite Different

While these two outbreaks may look similar, their causes are quite different. Guttate psoriasis is usually caused by an outbreak of strep throat or other forms of bacterial infections. It usually doesn't occur concurrently with strep throat but typically occurs a few weeks after this disease has already cleared up in the body.

Acne is caused by blockage in skin cells, including instances caused by excessive oil production, dead skin cells, clogged pores, and even bacteria. The easiest way to tell the two apart is to gauge if a person suffered from strep throat before their outbreak or if it was unrelated to any infection.

Telling The Two Apart

Telling acne and guttae psoriasis apart is a relatively easy task. Most cases of guttate psoriasis appear on the arms, legs, and torso and look like small red dots or "tear drops" on the skin. They are often somewhat itchy and even painful to the touch.

Acne typically shows up on the face, though it can appear anywhere. It has no uniform look but often looks like big red scars on the face. The exact appearance will vary depending on the severity of the case: most will be easily treatable with over-the-counter medications. Guttate psoriasis may require more serious treatment.

Treating Guttate Psoriasis

While psoriasis of this type will often go away on its own after just a few weeks, it isn't a bad idea to treat the problem as it occurs. This can help alleviate any severe pain caused by the condition and stop it from spreading. Typical topical treatments include steroid creams, moisturizing creams to keep the skin soft, and other over-the-counter medications.

However, severe cases may require the use of antibiotics to eliminate the strep throat infection that causes this outbreak. Phototherapy (heavy doses of concentrated UV rays) can help break apart this type of psoriasis and make the skin clearer again.

By understanding the differences between these two diseases, it is easier to manage skin outbreaks properly and effectively. It is important to talk to a doctor if either of these conditions refuse to go away over a period of time.

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