For the millions who suffer from skin conditions, the discomfort caused by redness and itching needs to be treated as soon as possible.  Before you can treat it, however, you will need to know for sure which skin condition it is.  Psoriasis and eczema are frequently confused with one another.  Here are some things to help you know the difference in these two skin conditions.

Both psoriasis and eczema are words of Greek origin.  Eczema means “to boil out” and psoriasis comes from the word psoera, which means “to itch”.

Psoriasis appears more often in adults, while eczema is often experienced the most by children.  One survey has shown that eczema affects as much as 20% of children and only 5% of adults.

Eczema is often caused by skin irritants.  These would include detergents, perfumes and cosmetics.  Psoriasis, on the other hand, is believed to have a strong genetic component and is likely to have been developed by environmental irritants.

At first glance, the appearance of eczema and psoriasis may look the same.  And they are similar.  However, there are some differences that seperate the two from one another.  Those who suffer from eczema have dry skin with what appears to be small raised blisters.  They experience severe itching.  Psoriasis can cause itching as well, but the red patches are rough and covered in silvery plaques.

There are no absolute cures for eczema or psoriasis.  But there are treatments available that do a good job in alleviating symptoms.  Sufferers of eczema will have less serious symptoms that those who suffer from psoriasis.  Psoriasis of the skin can affect the joints of the body creating a condition known as psoriasis arthritis.

Eczema can be triggered by eating certain foods.  Keeping a diary to track your outbreaks, and what you had to eat that day, can help you to figure out what to avoid eating in the future to prevent more outbreaks.  No link seems to exist between food and psoriasis, but there are some experts who advise you to cut back on the fats and sweets.

Eczema and psoriasis can be difficult to tell apart, but getting the proper diagnosis for your skin condition is essential to correct treatment.  There are differences in the two that should enable a qualified physician to diagnose you properly and begin treatment.