PSORIASIS | A closer look

What it is

Some 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis, a chronic, relapsing disease that causes rashes and painful inflamed thick, scaly skin patches called plaques, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.

These patches often occur on the elbows, knees, legs, scalp, lower back, face, palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

About 15 percent of patients develop psoriatic arthritis, causing pain in their joints, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Causes

Psoriasis is a skin disorder triggered by the immune system. The body’s t-cells, which normally fight infection, mistakenly become overactive and trigger the condition. Often, there is a family history of the disease. Stress, infections, climate changes and some medicines, such as beta blockers taken to control high blood pressure, also can contribute.

Treatment

Doctors use what is referred to as a three-step approach:

1. Topical medicines.

2. Light treatments, known as phototherapy.

3. Systemic drugs taken by mouth or injection.

The approaches may be used in combination. Doctors advise seeking therapy when the disease affects 10 percent or more of the body or is itchy or bothersome.

Source: Mayo Clinic