All you want to know about psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes scaly red patches on your skin. There's no cure for psoriasis, but there are treatments that can help.

Psoriasis causes scaly red patches on your skin.

Our skin is made up of several layers of cells. The top layer is called the epidermis. All the time, new skin cells form inside the epidermis. Then they slowly move to the outside of your skin. When the cells reach the surface of your skin, they fall off. This turnover of skin cells usually happens over three to four weeks.

Those with psoriasis, this  happens much faster. The new skin cells take only three or four days to reach the surface. So the extra cells on your skin’s surface build up and make flaky patches. Sometimes the extra cells cause bad dandruff on your scalp.

the cause of psoriasis is not known as to why it happens to only some people. The genes you get from your parents may play a part. About one-third of people with psoriasis have a relative with the condition. ¹

About half of people with psoriasis have markers on a particular chromosome, where seem to be associated with psoriasis. It isn't necessary that genes may start psoriasis, it may happen when the immune system over-reacts to something or goes hay wire. Some medicines, like lithium salts, beta blockers can also start this condition.

This over-reaction by the immune system seems to cause the inflammation and the quick turnover of skin cells that cause psoriasis symptoms. Hence treatments for psoriasis include drugs that affect the immune system as well as steroid creams that dampen down inflammation.

Some people with psoriasis find that their symptoms come and go. Others have flare-ups, when their symptoms get worse. There’s some evidence that flare-ups of psoriasis may be linked to: 

• Something stressful happening in your life
• Your habits, such as cigarette smoking
• Being overweight
• Not eating enough fruits and vegetables.

You can get different types of psoriasis.  

It's important to know that psoriasis is:

• Not infectious. This means you can't catch psoriasis and you can't pass it on to anyone else
• Not caused by poor skin hygiene
• Not a form of skin cancer.