Article: You should look for any red patches of skin on your body, including your genitals and the inside of your mouth. The red patches may look like they are covered with silvery scales and may only appear in a few spots on your body or in large areas on your body. If you notice these symptoms, you may have a type of psoriasis called plaque psoriasis. This is the most common form of psoriasis.  You should also check along your hairline for red, itchy areas that have silvery-white scales. This is often a symptom of scalp psoriasis. You may also notice that you have flakes of dead skin in your hair or on your shoulder, especially after you have scratched at your scalp. Never treat plaque psoriasis with oral prednisone, because that leads to an increased risk of pustular psoriasis. You should look for smooth patches of inflamed skin on your armpits, your groin, under your breasts, and around your genitals. This is a symptom of inverse psoriasis. This type of psoriasis often gets worse due to friction and sweating.This type of psoriasis is often triggered by fungal infections. You can contract a fungal infection through contact with someone who has a fungal infection or through exposure to the infection in public showers, locker rooms, and pools. The blister may appear to be filled with pus and the skin around the blisters may appear red and tender. These are symptoms of pustular psoriasis, a less common form of psoriasis. If you have this type of psoriasis, you may also experience fever, chills, diarrhea, and severe itching. These are symptoms of nail psoriasis. If you have this type of psoriasis, you may also notice your nails are discolored and growing abnormally. Your nails may also become loose and separate from the nail bed, or it may crumble. The National Psoriasis Foundation developed this screening tool to determine if you’re at risk. If you answer yes to three of the following five questions you may have psoriasis arthritis: Have you ever had a swollen joint? Has a doctor ever told you you have arthritis? Do your fingernails/toenails have holes or pits? Have you ever had pain in your heel? Have you ever had a finger or toe swollen or painful for no reason? Most types of psoriasis will flare up for a few weeks or months and then go into remission. You may notice your symptoms appearing in cycles, with a flare up and then a remission, where your symptoms subside for a time.  You may keep a journal of your symptoms to track how often your psoriasis flares up. You may also note when or if your psoriasis is in remission in your journal. If you feel your symptoms continue to flare up and then subside on a consistent basis, you likely have a form of psoriasis and should be examined by your doctor to confirm your diagnosis.

What is a summary?
Look for red patches of skin that appear scaly. Look for smooth patches of inflamed skin. Examine your hands, feet, and fingertips for blisters. Check to see if your nails are thickened, pitted, or ridged. Ask yourself questions to determine your risk for psoriasis arthritis. Determine if your symptoms flare up every few weeks or months.