psoriasis
Sign in to savePsoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small localized patches to complete body coverage. Injury to the skin can trigger psoriatic skin changes at that spot, which is known as the Koebner phenomenon.
AI overview
Psoriasis is a long-term autoimmune condition that causes patches of abnormal skin—typically red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly—and is not contagious. It matters because it can range from affecting small areas to covering the entire body, and skin injuries can trigger new psoriatic patches to develop.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Medical condition.name
- Psoriasis
- Medical condition.image
- Psoriasis on back1.jpg
- Medical condition.caption
- Back and arms of a person with severe psoriasis
- Medical condition.specialty
- Dermatology, immunology, rheumatology
- Medical condition.symptoms
- Red (purple on darker skin), itchy, scaly patches of skin
- Medical condition.complications
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Medical condition.onset
- Adulthood
- Medical condition.duration
- Long-term
- Medical condition.causes
- Genetic disease triggered by environmental factors
- Medical condition.diagnosis
- Based on symptoms
- Medical condition.treatment
- Steroid creams, vitamin D3 cream, ultraviolet light, immunosuppressive drugs such as methotrexate and biologics
Article
46 sectionsContents
- Signs and symptoms
- Plaque psoriasis
- Other forms
- Pustular psoriasis
- Inverse psoriasis
- Napkin psoriasis
- Guttate psoriasis
- Erythrodermic psoriasis
- Mouth
- Seborrheic-like psoriasis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Nail changes
- Medical signs
- Causes
- Genetics
- Lifestyle
- HIV
- Microbes
- Medications
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnosis
- Classification
- Morphological
- Pathogenetic
- Severity
- Co-morbidities
- Cardiovascular complications
- Depression
- Type 2 diabetes
- Management
- Topical agents
- UV phototherapy
- Systemic agents
- Surgery
- Diet
- Prognosis
- Cardiovascular disease
- Other diseases
- Epidemiology
- History
- Society and culture
- Cost
- Research
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, noncontagious autoimmune disease characterized by patches of abnormal skin. These areas are red, pink, or purple, dry, itchy, and scaly. Psoriasis varies in severity from small localized patches to complete body coverage. Injury to the skin can trigger psoriatic skin changes at that spot, which is known as the Koebner phenomenon.
The five main types of psoriasis are plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic. Plaque psoriasis, also known as psoriasis vulgaris, makes up about 90% of cases. It typically presents as red patches with white scales on top. Areas of the body most commonly affected are the back of the forearms, shins, navel area, and scalp. Guttate psoriasis has drop-shaped lesions. Pustular psoriasis presents as small, noninfectious, pus-filled blisters. Inverse psoriasis forms red patches in skin folds. Erythrodermic psoriasis occurs when the rash becomes very widespread and can develop from any of the other types. Fingernails and toenails are affected in most people with psoriasis at some point in time. This may include pits in the nails or changes in nail color.