Psoriasis

Description

Introduction

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid build-up of skin cells. This build-up of cells causes scaling on the skin’s surface. Inflammation and redness around the scales is fairly common.

Psoriasis is a common skin condition that speeds up the life cycle of skin cells. It causes cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin. The extra skin cells form scales and red patches that are itchy and sometimes painful.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious, chronic skin condition that produces plaques of thickened, scaling skin. The dry flakes of skin scales result from the excessively rapid proliferation of skin cells. The proliferation of skin cells is triggered by inflammatory chemicals produced by specialized white blood cells called lymphocytes. Psoriasis commonly affects the skin of the elbows, knees, and scalp.

Causes

Psoriasis occurs when skin cells are replaced more quickly than usual. It's not known exactly why this happens, but research suggests it's caused by a problem with the immune system.

Your body produces new skin cells in the deepest layer of skin. These skin cells gradually move up through the layers of skin until they reach the outermost level. Then they die and flake off. This whole process normally takes around three to four weeks.

In people with psoriasis, this process only takes about three to seven days. As a result, cells that aren't fully mature build up rapidly on the surface of the skin, causing red, flaky, crusty patches covered with silvery scales.

Symptoms:

The hallmark symptoms of psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, are plaques composed of thick, scaly skin. These are typically reddened in appearance with silvery scales that have sometimes been said to resemble ashes.

The elbows, knees, and scalp are common sites of involvement, although other areas of skin can be affected, as well. The condition can start as a few red bumps on the skin, and in mild cases, small areas of dry skin may be the only symptoms. Itching and burning sensations can be associated with the lesions on the skin.

The nails may be affected, and psoriasis of the nails causes ridged, thick, or pitted nails and can ultimately lead to separation of the nails from the nail bed. Symptoms of arthritis, including stiffness, pain, and swelling of the joints, occur in some people with psoriasis.