Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inherited disorder of the skin, which causes red,
scaling bumps and patches on the skin. It is a chronic disorder, which means
that the symptoms come and go throughout a person's life.
What is going on in the body?
Psoriasis is an inherited disease that causes an increase in skin cells on the
outer layer of the skin. In a healthy individual, skin cells mature and shed
from the surface of the body about every 28 days. People with psoriasis shed
skin
cells every 3 to 4 days. The excess skin cells build up and form the skin
lesions
of psoriasis.
What are the causes and risks of the disease?
The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but it is commonly
believed that the body's immune system triggers the rapid growth and shedding
of skin cells. Several genes have been linked to psoriasis, which tends to run
in families. However, many people with psoriasis have no family history of the
disease.
Certain factors seem to trigger plaque development in people with psoriasis.
Suspected triggers include the
following:
agents that damage the skin, including chemicals, electricity, and
infectious agents such as bacteria
alcohol
bodywide infections, including
HIV
excessive scratching
hormonal changes
injuries to the skin, including
sunburn
seasonal changes in climate
smoking
some medicines, including beta-blockers, antimalarials, and NSAIDs
strep throat
stress
A person can develop psoriasis at any age. However, it most often develops in
two age ranges. The first is between 16 and 22 years of age, and the second is
between 57 and 60 years of age. It affects men and women equally and is seen in
all races. However, psoriasis is more common in people of Western European and
Scandinavian ancestry.
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