What is Psoriasis ?Psoriasis is a chronic, life-long, inflammatory skin disease in which skin cells replicate at an extremely rapid rate. New skin cells are produced about eight times faster than normal--over several days instead of a month--but the rate at which old cells slough off is unchanged. This causes cells to build up on the skin's surface, forming thick patches, or plaques, of red sores (lesions) covered with flaky, silvery-white dead skin cells (scales).
Rarely life-threatening, at its mildest, psoriasis can be itchy and sore. At its worst, it's painful, disfiguring, and debilitating. Approximately two-thirds of the people with psoriasis have a mild form of the disease. About one-third have moderate or severe psoriasis. Psoriasis can affect people at any age, but it most often strikes those between the ages of 15 and 35. Males and females appear to be affected equally. There are five forms of psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is the most common--affecting 4 out of 5 people who have psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis may start with small red bumps and progress to larger lesions. The plaques of psoriasis occur most frequently on the elbows, knees, other parts of the legs, scalp, back, face, palms, and soles of the feet. Psoriasis can also affect the fingernails and toenails, causing pitting, discoloration, or tissue buildup around the nails. About 15 percent of people with psoriasis also get psoriatic arthritis, which can be progressively disabling if untreated.
Other forms of psoriasis include:
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