Guttate psoriasis, from the Latin for “raindrop shaped,” causes small, dot-like spots on the body. These lesions frequently appear on the upper arms, trunk, thighs, or scalp.

Often, this form of psoriasis starts in childhood or young adulthood.

Guttate psoriasis can be triggered by a strep infection, tonsillitis, stress, a skin injury, or certain medication (such as beta-blockers). Sometimes genetic factors are to blame.

Some patients may experience guttate psoriasis just once, while others may find it leads to plaque psoriasis.

This uncommon form of psoriasis most often affects adults.

The bumps may cause soreness and pain and can appear on any part of the body. When the bumps dry out, they can leave behind brown dots or scales on the skin.

Some triggers may increase your risk of developing this form of psoriasis. These include:

• Systemic steroid medication
• Suddenly stopping the use of certain medication
• Pregnancy
• Infection
• Stress
• Too much exposure to UV light
• Medications such as hydroxychlorquine

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  and certain antibiotics

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Symptoms of generalized pustular psoriasis include:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Joint pain
• Severe itching
• Loss of appetite
• Fast heart rate

Spesolimab (Spevigo) is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat generalized pustular psoriasis in people 12 and up. Spesolimab is a powerful medication that typically works in one or two doses.

With inverse psoriasis, people develop smooth, shiny lesions in body folds. On skin of color the lesions may be purplish, brown, or darker than the surrounding skin, while on white skin the lesions are bright red.

These lesions typically appear on creased areas of the body where skin meets skin, such as the underarms, behind the knees, under the breasts, near the buttocks and genitals, or on the groin.

This condition can cause sore skin, which may worsen if you sweat or rub the area.

It’s sometimes triggered by a buildup of yeast.

This type usually occurs in people who have uncontrolled plaque psoriasis.

Symptoms include:

• Burning
• Peeling
• Severe itching
• Pain
• Fast heart rate
• Change in body temperature

Erythrodermic psoriasis may be triggered by:

• A severe sunburn
• An allergic reaction to a medicine
• Suddenly stopping psoriasis treatment
• Abrupt withdrawal from certain medications like corticosteroids or immunosuppressants
• An infection

When psoriasis affects the fingernails or toenails, it’s known as nail psoriasis.

This type can cause symptoms such as:

• Discoloration of nails
• Red or white spots underneath the nails
• Abnormal nail growth
• Pitting (small pinprick holes) on nails
• Ridges or grooves in your nails
• Lifting of the nail away from the skin
• Crumbling of nails

Many people with plaque psoriasis also have nail psoriasis. For some, however, a single nail involvement may be the only form of psoriasis they develop.

Managing nail psoriasis involves both medical care and self-care. Topical treatments and good nail hygiene can help in milder cases but more severe cases may require treating the underlying inflammation with a systemic drug.

Scalp psoriasis shows up as itchy, scaly patches on the scalp that may bleed if you try to remove them.

At the onset, scalp psoriasis often is confused with seborrheic dermatitis (aka dandruff). Dandruff is a flaky, itchy scalp without signs of inflammation (such as discoloration or swelling).

Scalp psoriasis can spread beyond the hairline and affect the forehead, back of the neck, and areas around the ears.

• Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition with several distinct types, including plaque, guttate, pustular, inverse, and erythrodermic.
• Each type appears differently, from raised patches to small dot-like spots, impacting areas like the scalp, nails, and body folds.
• To manage your specific type of psoriasis effectively, consider working closely with your healthcare provider to tailor an approach that's best for your symptoms.

Additional reporting by George Vernadakis.