Psoriasis:

• Can manifest in many forms
• Can appear at any age
• Approximately 1 million Canadians and 10 million Americans have psoriasis
• The cause of psoriasis is not known; however, recent discoveries point to an abnormality in the functioning of certain white blood cells that trigger inflammation in the skin
  • The inflammation causes the skin grow and shed rapidly, every three to four days
• There is a strong genetic component to the cause of psoriasis
  • Thirty per cent of patients with psoriasis have someone else in their family with psoriasis
• The most common form, plaque psoriasis, begins with little red bumps that gradually grow larger and form scales
  • The scales on the surface of the skin flake off easily and often, whereas scales below the surface stick together and commonly form lesions that are tender and likely to bleed
• It rarely involves the skin of the face
• It most commonly affects the scalp, elbows and knees
• Less commonly it can affect palms, soles, nails, groins, underarms, genitals or any area with skin
  • To learn more about psoriasis of the nails, please click here
• It will often appear in the same place on both sides of the body
• Up to 30% of patients with psoriasis may have symptoms of arthritis and 5–10% may have some functional disability from arthritis of various joints
• The duration of active psoriasis flares can range from weeks to months to years depending on severity and treatment plan
• Is typically worse in the winter and better in the summer
• Usually gets better with sunlight
• Is not due to poor diet or poor hygiene
• Is not contagious
• Does not scar, leave permanent marks or cause hair loss