Psoriasis is an inherited disease and can begin at any age. It’s been known to start in people who are 100 years old, or in the early months of infancy, but most often arises around age 27. It is non-contagious and equally affects males and females.

The immune system, for unknown reasons, speeds up the production of skin cells. Normally it takes a month for newly made skin cells to rise from the deepest layer of skin to the skin surface. In psoriasis, they rush to the surface in a matter of days. The result is a patch of red skin that often is covered with silvery scales. Any part of the body can break out with such patches, but the most common sites are the elbows, knees, palms, soles and scalp.

There are different forms of psoriasis, and each form differs in appearance, severity, duration, location and size of the area involved. The most common form, called plaque psoriasis, leaves patches of red, scaly skin, usually on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet and lower back.

Guttate psoriasis is often triggered by upper respiratory infections (such as strep throat) and is characterized by small, red, drop-shaped lesions that appear on the trunk, limbs and scalp.

Medications, infections, stress or exposure to certain chemicals may trigger pustular psoriasis. This form of psoriasis appears in the form of blisters of non-infectious pus.

Inverse psoriasis occurs in the folds of the skin under the armpits, near the genitals or under the breasts. It appears as smooth, red patches that may be worsened by friction or sweating.

Erythrodermic psoriasis may be a reaction to taking certain medications or to severe sunburn. It is evidenced by periodic, widespread, fiery redness of the skin.

As many as 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop a related form of arthritis, called psoriatric arthritis.

Individuals with psoriasis should be very careful not to injure their skin or nails and sunburn should be avoided, as it worsens the condition.

More information can be found at the National Psoriasis Foundation site at: http://www.psoriasis.org/facts/psoriasis/

There are no proven cures for psoriasis and eczema, however there are natural alternative products available that can provide effective relief for these symptoms. We offer two natural product lines that are excellent, give them a try and let us know how they worked for you.