What is psoriasis?


Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid buildup of skin cells. This buildup of cells causes scaling on the skin’s surface.

Inflammation and redness around the scales is fairly common. Typical psoriatic scales are whitish-silver and develop in thick, red patches. Sometimes, these patches will crack and bleed.

Psoriasis is the result of a sped-up skin production process. Typically, skin cells grow deep in the skin and slowly rise to the surface. Eventually, they fall off. The typical life cycle of a skin cell is one month.

In people with psoriasis, this production process may occur in just a few days. Because of this, skin cells don’t have time to fall off. This rapid overproduction leads to the buildup of skin cells.

Scales typically develop on joints, such elbows and knees. They may develop anywhere on the body, including the:

  • hands
  • feet
  • neck
  • scalp
  • face

Less common types of psoriasis affect the nails, the mouth, and the area around genitals.

01. Symptoms

Psoriasis symptoms differ from person to person and depend on the type of psoriasis. Areas of psoriasis can be as small as a few flakes on the scalp or elbow, or cover the majority of the body.

The most common symptoms of plaque psoriasis include:

  • red, raised, inflamed patches of skin
  • whitish-silver scales or plaques on the red patches
  • dry skin that may crack and bleed
  • soreness around patches
  • itching and burning sensations around patches
  • thick, pitted nails
  • painful, swollen joints

Not every person will experience all of these symptoms. Some people will experience entirely different symptoms if they have a less common type of psoriasis.

Psoriasis isn’t contagious. You can’t pass the skin condition from one person to another. Touching a psoriatic lesion on another person won’t cause you to develop the condition.

What causes psoriasis?

Doctors are unclear as to what causes psoriasis. However, thanks to decades of research, they have a general idea of two key factors: genetics and the immune system.

Immune System

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune conditions are the result of the body attacking itself. In the case of psoriasis, white blood cells known as T cells mistakenly attack the skin cells.

In a typical body, white blood cells are deployed to attack and destroy invading bacteria and fight infections. This mistaken attack causes the skin cell production process to go into overdrive. The sped-up skin cell production causes new skin cells to develop too quickly. They are pushed to the skin’s surface, where they pile up.

This results in the plaques that are most commonly associated with psoriasis. The attacks on the skin cells also cause red, inflamed areas of skin to develop.

Genetics

Some people inherit genes that make them more likely to develop psoriasis. If you have an immediate family member with the skin condition, your risk for developing psoriasis is higher. However, the percentage of people who have psoriasis and a genetic predisposition is small.

Why Vasu Eye institute & Skin Centre for Psoriasis?


Dr. Ruchi Mangla is a dermatologist(skin specialist). After MBBS, she done DVD and have 16+ years experience in dermatology. She handeled thousand of Psoriasis cases. Before joing Vasu Eye Institute & Skin Centre she worked in many prestigious hospitals as a skin specialist.