by: christian choi daniel golland paul hwang. chronic non-contagious skin disorder which affects...

BY: Christian ChoiDaniel Golland

Paul Hwang

Chronic non-contagious skin disorder which affects the skin and joints

Causes red scaly patches to appear on the skin

Red scaly patches are caused by psoriasis, called psoriatic plaques, and are areas of inflammation and excessive skin production.

Skin rapidly accumulates at these sites and takes on a silvery-white appearance. Plaques frequently occur on the skin of the elbows and knees, but can affect any area including the scalp and genitals.

Cause not known

Believed to have genetic link

Several factors are thought to aggravate psoriasis: ◦ stress ◦ excessive alcohol consumption◦ smoking

Psoriasis affects both sexes equally and can occur at any age, although it most commonly appears for the first time between the ages of 15 and 25 years

Other statistics of prevalence imply the effects of age and genetics

It is believed that there is a genetic component involved with psoriasis.

Approximately one-third of people who develop psoriasis have at least one family member with the condition.

If one twin has psoriasis, then there is a 70% chance that the other twin is diagnosed with psoriasis.

Different types of therapies, including:◦ Topical treatment◦ Phototherapy◦ Photochemotherapy◦ Systemic treatment

Alternative Therapies

Due to various reasons, psoriasis can lead to other illnesses such as depression, congestive heart failure, and type-II diabetes

Due to its effect on the body, quality of life is often difficult to maintain