What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin disease from which you normally suffer your whole life. It is a congenital disease. It sometimes only flares up when you are a little older. Psoriasis is therefore not contagious. You cannot contract or transmit it by touch.

What does psoriasis do to your skin?

Psoriasis makes your skin cells regenerate quicker than normal. That upsets your skin’s regeneration. Since the cells don’t get time to mature, they pile up. Your skin thickens and reddens at these spots and you will develop whitish skin flakes. These cause itchiness and a burning sensation.

Where do you get psoriasis?

Psoriasis mostly flares up on the elbows, knees, face, back, palms of your hands or the soles of one’s feet. But the disease also often occurs on one's scalp. Do you have red blotches on your joints? This may be an indication of arthritis psoriasis. Because psoriasis often occurs along with arthritis, but also with other diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

When does psoriasis flare up?

Psoriasis is unpredictable. What starts out as a little red spot, sometimes rapidly expands into a real psoriasis hub. There may be times when you are more sensitive to a sudden upsurge of the disease.

This usually depends on factors such as: 

	stress
	incorrect eating habits
	certain drugs and medication
	weather conditions