If you are always dealing with itchy, red, and flaky skin, you are not alone. Many people in Kedah face this problem and keep buying different moisturisers, but nothing works. At Loh & Celine Skin Specialist Clinic, we see many patients who are frustrated with their skin. Very often, what looks like “very dry skin” or a bad allergy is actually psoriasis. Psoriasis is a long-term problem with your body’s immune system, and you need proper medical care from a specialist to manage it.
What is Psoriasis?
To easily understand what is going on beneath your skin, let’s use a simple picture.
The “Little Soldiers” Analogy
Imagine your immune cells are like a group of brave little soldiers inside your body. Their only job is to protect you from bad guys like viruses or bacteria. But when you have psoriasis, these little soldiers get completely confused. They misrecognise your own healthy skin cells as dangerous enemies.
Because of this mistake, they start to attack your skin and “set fire” to the area, which causes the intense redness and burning inflammation. To protect itself from this fake danger, your body starts working in emergency overdrive to grow new skin cells at super-speed. Because they grow too fast, the dead skin cells have no time to shed normally. They pile up heavily on the surface, creating those thick, itchy, and silvery flaky patches.
Deep Dive: What You Need to Know
First of all, you must know that psoriasis is NOT infectious. You cannot catch it from someone else, and you cannot give it to your family by sharing towels or holding hands. It is entirely an autoimmune disease, which means your body is technically fighting against itself from the inside. Because the root cause hides deep in your immune system, normal skincare creams or over-the-counter beauty products cannot solve it. You need medical treatments that target these confused little soldiers.
Signs and Symptoms: How to Spot It
Psoriasis is not the same as ordinary eczema or dry skin. In our hot and humid Malaysian weather, sweating can make the itchiness and irritation feel much worse. Look out for these signs:
- Thick, red patches covered with silvery, flaky skin scales (plaques).
- Scalp Psoriasis: Very thick, heavy flaking on your head. Many patients mistake this for standard dandruff, but normal anti-dandruff shampoos won’t clear it because the cell buildup goes much deeper.
- Nail Symptoms: Dented (pitted), heavily thickened, crumbling, or yellowing fingernails and toenails, often misdiagnosed as a stubborn fungal nail infection.
- Joint Problems: Stiff, swollen, or painful joints, especially in the mornings. This can mean the inflammation is attacking your joints, a condition called Psoriatic Arthritis.
- Increased Cardiovascular Risk: Because psoriasis causes constant, hidden inflammation throughout your whole body, it doesn’t just stay on the skin. This systemic inflammation can damage your blood vessels over time, significantly increasing the risk of serious heart issues like heart attacks or strokes if left untreated.
More info: NHS UK (Psoriasis Overview & Clinical Guide)
How Do We Treat It? (Calming the Soldiers)
We cannot completely change your genetics, but modern medicine gives us amazing ways to calm your immune system down and fully clear your skin.
1. Creams and Ointments (The Local Handbrake)
For mild cases, we start with creams applied directly to the skin. These include medical steroid creams, coal tar, or Vitamin D creams. They act like a temporary handbrake to calm down the specific spots where the skin is flaring up.
2. Phototherapy (Medical Light Therapy)
This treatment uses a special, safe medical UV light machine. Think of it like giving your skin a controlled, healthy dose of sunshine that tells the overactive skin factory to slow down its production line.
3. Traditional Systemic Pills (The Master Switchboard)
When creams cannot control the flare-up because it is too widespread, we use oral medications:
- Methotrexate: A reliable, long-standing medicine that stops skin cells from multiplying too fast.
- Apremilast: A newer pill that targets specific chemical signals inside your cells to turn down the inflammation.
4. Biologic Injections (The Precision Smart-Bombs)
If your psoriasis is moderate to severe, biologics are absolute game-changers. If traditional pills are like turning off the electricity to the whole factory just to stop one machine, biologics are like hiring a high-tech technician to turn off only that one broken switch. They specifically block the exact proteins causing the skin cells to go into overdrive.
- IL-23 Inhibitors (e.g., Risankizumab, Guselkumab): These target the main “boss” protein that starts the inflammation. They give very long-lasting clear skin, requiring an injection only once every 2 to 3 months.
- IL-17 Inhibitors (e.g., Secukinumab, Ixekizumab, Bimekizumab): These block the immediate proteins causing the skin redness and flaking, clearing skin remarkably fast.
- TNF-Alpha Inhibitors (e.g., Adalimumab, Infliximab): Excellent if you suffer from both skin psoriasis and painful, swollen joints.
Further reading: Mayo Clinic (Psoriasis Diagnosis & Treatment Guide)
Want to know which biologic injection schedule suits you best? Read our detailed guide on biologic treatment for psoriasis in Alor Setar for the full list of injection options and dosing schedules.
Stress: The Skin’s Biggest Enemy
When you are stressed, your body releases stress chemicals like cortisol. These chemicals act like pouring petrol onto a fire—they trigger a massive wave of inflammation that orders your skin factory to speed up even more. Taking care of your mind through relaxation techniques, gentle movement, and 7 to 8 hours of good sleep is just as important as putting on your creams.
To learn more about how stress directly impacts your immune system, read this WebMD guide on the stress impact on psoriasis.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Is psoriasis contagious? Can I catch it from someone else?
A: Not at all! Psoriasis is 100% not contagious. It is an internal problem with your own immune system and genetics. You cannot pass it to anyone else or catch it by touching, sharing clothes, or swimming together.
Q2: How do I know if my condition is severe enough for biologics?
A: If your psoriasis covers a large part of your body (more than 10%), makes you feel very down or embarrassed to go out, or if normal creams are not helping anymore, you should talk to a skin specialist about upgrading to systemic pills or biologics.
Q3: Are biologic injections safe for my body?
A: Yes, they are highly targeted. Because they only block the specific “broken switch” instead of lowering your whole body’s defences, they are very safe for long-term use. We will always run comprehensive blood tests first.
Q4: Does our hot Malaysian weather make psoriasis worse?
A: A little bit of morning sun can actually help. However, excessive heat that causes heavy sweating can trap moisture in your skin folds (like underarms or groin), leading to friction and painful flare-ups. Try to stay cool and wear light clothing.
Q5: How can I tell the difference between Eczema and Psoriasis?
A: Eczema patches are usually intensely itchy, dry, bumpy, and look raw or “weeping” when scratched, mostly happening at the inner folds of the elbows and knees. Psoriasis patches are thicker, have very clear boundaries, feature silvery flakes, and usually pop up on the outside of elbows, knees, and the scalp.
Q6: Can I cure my psoriasis by changing my diet?
A: There is no magic diet or food that can cure psoriasis. However, eating healthy foods (like fish rich in Omega-3, vegetables, and whole grains) helps lower overall body inflammation, which naturally keeps your skin happier.
Q7: Will my psoriasis ever go away forever?
A: Psoriasis is a long-term chronic condition, meaning the genetic tendency stays. However, with modern treatments like IL-23 or IL-17 biologics, we can now help patients achieve 90% to 100% completely clear skin for many months or even years at a time.
Q8: When should I book a visit to Loh & Celine Skin Specialist Clinic?
A: You should come see us if your skin is constantly painful or bleeding, spreading quickly, affecting your daily confidence, or if your finger and toe joints are starting to feel stiff and painful in the morning.
About the Author
Dr. Loh Ken Chen — M.B.B.S (Malaya), M.R.C.P (UK), Advanced Master of Dermatology (UKM)
Dr Loh Ken Chen is a highly accomplished Consultant Dermatologist registered on the National Specialist Register (NSR) of Malaysia. With over 20 years of dedicated medical experience, he stands as a trusted authority in both clinical and aesthetic dermatology, having previously served as the Head of the Dermatology Department at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Kedah. Today, he channels his extensive clinical expertise into managing his specialised medical facilities, Loh & Celine Skin Specialist Clinic in Alor Setar and Liv Skin Specialist Clinic in Sungai Petani, alongside providing care as a visiting consultant at premier regional medical centres.
Dr. Loh’s practice is anchored in a firm commitment to evidence-based, personalised medicine, specialising in the management of complex conditions like eczema and advanced psoriasis through targeted biologic therapies, as well as high-performance medical laser systems.
Beyond his clinical practice, he is a dedicated medical educator and a prominent voice in the international dermatology community. He actively mentors medical students and accredited trainees, and regularly shares his clinical insights as an international speaker at major medical summits, including AMSC and AMCADS. Beyond the clinic walls, Dr. Loh is a prominent medical influencer, actively producing educational content across Instagram and TikTok under the handle @dr.kcloh.skin to demystify complex skin conditions for a growing audience of over 170,000 followers.
Take Control of Your Skin Health Today. Contact Loh & Celine Skin Specialist Clinic to schedule your expert consultation!