What are the signs and symptoms of psoriasis?
Following are the five major types of psoriasis, each with its own characteristic skin lesions: • erythrodermic psoriasis, which causes reddening and swelling of large areas of skin • guttate psoriasis, which causes small skin lesions that look like drops of fluid • inverse psoriasis, which causes smooth red lesions in the folds of the skin • plaque psoriasis, the most common type, which causes raised red skin lesions that develop silvery-white scales • pustular psoriasis, which forms blisters filled with thick white material Other symptoms of psoriasis are as follows: • crumbling or abnormal fingernails and toenails • itching • thickening, cracking, and blistering of the palms or soles of the feet The severity of symptoms may range from a mild cosmetic problem to a disfiguring, disabling condition. What are the causes and risks of psoriasis? The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but it is commonly believed that the body’s immune system triggers the rapid growth and shedding of skin
