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Psoriasis
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What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease affecting nearly 7 million Americans. Psoriasis is not contagious. There is no cure for psoriasis.
Normally, skin cells grow deep in the skin and slowly rise to the surface. Usually this movement (also called turnover) takes about a month, but in psoriasis it may occur in only a few days, where the skin cells rise up too fast and pile up on the surface before they have a chance to mature, causing the skin in that area to become thick.
In the most common form of psoriasis, called plaque psoriasis, there are patches of thick, red (inflamed) skin covered with flaky white, silvery scales. These patches, which are sometimes referred to as plaques, usually itch or feel sore and may crack and bleed. They most often occur on the elbows, knees, other parts of the legs, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet, but they can occur on skin anywhere on the body.
Psoriasis may also affect the fingernails, the toenails, and the soft tissues of the genitals and inside the mouth. While it is not unusual for the skin around affected joints to crack, approximately 1 million people with psoriasis experience joint inflammation that produces symptoms of arthritis. This condition is called psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Healthy Skin
Psoriasis
Infographic: FDA/Renee Gordon
References:
1) National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) - May 2008 - www.4woman.gov
2) U.S. Food and Drug Administration - FDA Talk Paper - January 2003 - www.fda.gov
3) U.S. Food and Drug Administration - FDA Consumer Magazine - September - October 2004 - www.fda.gov
4) National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) - Information Clearinghouse - National Institutes of Health - May 2003 - www.niams.nih.gov
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