What is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic skin disease that effects more then 7 million people in the United States alone. There are several different forms of psoriasis and varying levels of severity. The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder in which the T-cell receive faulty signals and as a result cause inflammation. As a result the immune system accelerate the growth of skin cells, which pile up on the surface because the body can't shed them as quickly as they are produced. A normal skin cell matures in 28 to 30 days, while a psoriatic skin cell matures in 3 to 4 days. Psoriasis generally appears as a patch of red skin covered by flaky white build up. The most frequent form of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis, which occurs in approximately 80% of people with psoriasis. This form of psoriasis can appear on any skin surface, although it is more commonly found on knees, elbows, scalp, trunk and nails.

Types of Psoriasis >