Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a skin disorder, which produces red raised skin with flaky white scales. These scales are essentially dead skin cells. Psoriasis occurs when skin cells multiply faster than normal, which creates a build up because your body cannot shed them as fast as it is growing them. These underlying skin cells eventually reach the surface of the skin and die. The volume of this build up and the swollen blood vessels underneath creates the red raised plaques of skin, and the flaky white stuff that falls off, are the dead cells.

There are a few different kinds of psoriasis and symptoms vary depending on the type: plaque psoriasis, scalp psoriasis, nail psoriasis, guttate, inverse, pustular, or the rare erythrodermic. It can be irritating, very uncomfortable and unattractive. It usually collects on the elbows and knuckles of the hand, the scalp, and knees but it has also been found on the torso and soles of the feet. Coming and going in unpredictable cycles, what causes psoriasis is unknown but research has shown the immune system and genetics have strong factors on psoriasis on the skin. There is no completely sure, but medication and therapies are available.