What is Psoriasis?
Answer… Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease characterized by scaling and inflammation. Scaling occurs when cells in the outer layer of the skin reproduce faster than normal and pile up on the skins surface. Psoriasis affects between 1 and 2 percent of the United States population, or about 5.5 million people. Although the disease occurs in all age groups and about equally in men and women, it primarily affects adults. People with psoriasis may suffer discomfort, including pain and itching, restricted motion in their joints, and emotional distress. In its most typical form, psoriasis results in patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales. These patches, which are sometimes referred to as plaques, usually itch and may burn. The skin at the joints may crack. Psoriasis most often occurs on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet but it can affect any skin site. The disease may also affect the fingernails, the toenails, and the so
PSORIASIS IS A CHRONIC DISEASE of the skin. It may range from just a few spots anywhere on the body to large areas of involvement. It is not contagious or spreadable from one part of the body to another or from one person to another. The diagnosis is done by observation and examination of the skin. Sometimes microscopic examination of the skin (biopsy) is helpful where the changes are not typical or characteristic.
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease that affects the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that cause overproduction of new skin cells.
Psoriasis is a genetic chronic disorder (often called immune-mediated) of the skin and scalp that affects approximately 5 million people in the US. Psoriasis is basically an inflammation of the skin. The skin is scaling with white, silvery flakes covering red inflamed spots that can appear all over the body. The parts most affected are usually the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back and heels. The flakes are excess skin tissue that are being produced too fast by the body and now “pile up”. The skin starts itching and burning. Psoriasis may even restrict motion in people as it also affects the joints. In fact almost 30% of all people suffering from psoriasis develop a certain form of arthritis, called psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis mainly affects adults and is not contagious.
Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, genetic disease manifesting in the skin and/or the joints. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. In plaque psoriasis, the most common type, patches of skin called “lesions” become inflamed and are covered by silvery white scale. Psoriasis can be limited to a few lesions or can involve moderate to large areas of skin. The severity of psoriasis can vary from person to person; however, for most people, psoriasis tends to be mild.
