About psoriasis

Understanding psoriasis

Psoriasis can affect anyone: men, women, children and people of all races. It’s an autoimmune disease, which means it’s caused by an overactive immune system. This happens when the immune system automatically launches an inflammatory, or “fight response” against your own body.^1,2

In this case, the immune system attacks healthy organs and tissues, instead of attacking viruses and bacteria. Psoriasis is mostly hereditary, and environmental factors like an infection, stress, certain medications or even diet can be triggers and cause flare-ups.^3,4

This chronic condition causes the rapid build-up of skin cells, which then causes scaling on the skin’s surface.⁵

Inflammation and redness around the scales is fairly common.
Typical psoriatic scales are whitish-silver and develop in thick,
red patches. Sometimes, these patches will crack and bleed.⁵

A sped-up skin production process

Psoriasis is the result of a sped-up skin production process. Typically, skin cells grow deep in the skin and slowly rise to the surface. Eventually, they fall off. The usual life cycle of a skin cell is one month.⁵

But in people with psoriasis, this production process may take place in just a few days. Because of this, the skin cells don’t have time to fall off. This rapid overproduction leads to the build-up of skin cells.⁵

Scales most often form on joints, such elbows and knees, but they may develop anywhere on the body, including:⁵

Different types of psoriasis

There are 5 different types of psoriasis, each with their own characteristics. Understanding your unique type of psoriasis will help you manage and treat your condition in the right way.⁶

Plaque Plaque: Most common
Appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white build-up of dead skin cells, mostly on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back. Can be itchy, painful and can crack and bleed⁶

Guttate Guttate: Second most common
Appears as small, dot-like lesions, often starting in childhood or young adulthood. Can be triggered by a Streptococcal infection⁶

Inverse Inverse:
Appears as very red, smooth and shiny lesions in body folds such as behind the knee, under the arm or in the groin. Could occur with another type of psoriasis at the same time⁶

Pustular:
Characterised by white pustules (blisters of noninfectious pus) surrounded by red skin, and can occur anywhere on the body, most often on hands or feet⁶

Erythrodermic: Rare/ severe
Severe form of psoriasis that leads to widespread, fiery redness over most of the body, causing severe itching and pain. This form of psoriasis can be life-threatening and should be seen by a doctor immediately⁶

Understanding psoriasis

Plaque: Most common
Appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white build-up of dead skin cells, mostly on the scalp, knees, elbows and lower back. Can be itchy, painful and can crack and bleed⁶

Understanding psoriasis

Guttate: Second most common
Appears as small, dot-like lesions, often starting in childhood or young adulthood. Can be triggered by a Streptococcal infection⁶

Understanding psoriasis

Inverse:
Appears as very red, smooth and shiny lesions in body folds such as behind the knee, under the arm or in the groin. Could occur with another type of psoriasis at the same time⁶

Understanding psoriasis

Pustular:
Characterised by white pustules (blisters of noninfectious pus) surrounded by red skin, and can occur anywhere on the body, most often on hands or feet⁶

Understanding psoriasis

Erythrodermic: Rare/severe
Severe form of psoriasis that leads to widespread, fiery redness over most of the body, causing severe itching and pain. This form of psoriasis can be life-threatening and should be seen by a doctor immediately⁶

HANDS	FEET	NECK	SCALP	FACE