Understanding Psoriasis

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a noncontagious, skin disease that has been diagnosed in 4.5 million adults in the United States. About 10 percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints.

No one knows exactly what causes psoriasis, but it is believed to be an auto immune disorder that also has a genetic component. The majority of researchers agree that the immune system is somehow triggered, which speeds up the growth and life cycle of skin cells. Normally, a skin cell matures and falls off the body’s surface in 28 to 30 days. However, a psoriatic skin cell takes only three to four days to mature and move to the surface. Instead of falling off (shedding), the cells pile up and form the lesions.

Psoriasis occurs when faulty signals in the immune system cause skin cells to grow too quickly. Usually every three to four days instead of the usual 30-day cycle. Extra skin cells build up on the skin’s surface.