Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes scaling and swelling. Skin cells grow deep in the skin and slowly rise to the surface. This process is called cell turnover, and it takes about a month. With psoriasis, it can happen in just a few days because the cells rise too fast and pile up on the surface.
Most psoriasis causes patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. These patches can itch or feel sore. They are often found on the elbows, knees, other parts of the legs, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet. But they can show up other places such as fingernails, toenails, genitals, and inside the mouth.
Anyone can get psoriasis, but it occurs more often in adults.
Sometimes there is a family history of psoriasis. Certain genes have been linked
to the disease. Men and women get psoriasis at about the same rate.
Psoriasis begins in the immune system, mainly with a type of white
blood cell called a T cell. T cells help protect the body against infection and
disease. With psoriasis, T cells are put into action by mistake. They become so
active that they set off other immune responses. This leads to swelling and fast
turnover of skin cells. People with psoriasis may notice that sometimes the skin
gets better and sometimes it gets worse. Things that can cause the skin to get
worse include:
Psoriasis can be hard to diagnose because it can look like other
skin diseases. The doctor might need to look at a small skin sample under a
microscope.
Treatment depends on:
All treatments don’t work the same for everyone. Doctors may
switch treatments if one doesn’t work, if there is a bad reaction, or if the
treatment stops working.
Topical Treatment:
Treatments applied right on the skin (creams, ointments) may help.
Treatments can:
Bath solutions and lotions may feel good, but they rarely make the
skin better. They are often used along with stronger treatments.
Light Therapy:
Natural ultraviolet light from the sun and artificial ultraviolet
light are used to treat psoriasis. One treatment, called PUVA, uses a
combination of a drug that makes skin more sensitive to light and ultraviolet A
light.
Systemic Treatment:
If the psoriasis is severe, doctors might prescribe drugs or give
medicine through a shot. This is called systemic treatment. Antibiotics are not
used to treat psoriasis unless bacteria make the psoriasis worse.
Combination Therapy:
When you combine topical (put on the skin), light, and systemic
treatments, you can often use lower doses of each. Combination therapy can also
lead to better results.
Doctors are learning more about psoriasis by studying:
For More Information on Psoriasis and Other Related
Conditions:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS
Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892–3675
Phone: 301–495–4484 or 877–22–NIAMS
(226–4267) (free of charge)
TTY: 301–565–2966
Fax:
301–718–6366
E-mail: [email protected]
www.niams.nih.gov
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