What is Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease which manifests itself mainly as a skin disease, but also in the joints (as a form of arthritis).
It is estimated that up to 8 million Americans (or 2% of the population according to other sources) suffer from psoriasis, varying from very mild cases to severe.
The causes of psoriasis are not entirely known, and neither is the exact progress of the disease. But most researchers agree that there is a strong genetic component to the disease, and that for some reason the body mistakenly speeds the growth cycle of skin (instead of a normal cycle of 28-30 days the skin matures and moves to the surface in 3-4 days). This rapid growth of skin results in skin layers piling on top of each other, and manifest themselves as the psoriasis lesions that are visible on the skin.
Even if a person has the genetic makeup to have psoriasis it is unclear what triggers the disease the first time, and what controls the remissions and flaring up of the disease. Although there is no scientific evidence, many people believe that one’s diet/nutrition is partially responsible, as well as stress, injury, and maybe even certain immunizations. A lot is not known about the disease at this point, but many researchers are optimistic that current research might provide better answers in the coming years.
We do know that psoriasis is not contagious, and that right now there is no cure. There are many different treatments trying to control the symptoms of the disease, and most patients cycle through the different therapies and medications, trying to find the right solution for them, and switching to something new once (and if) the body no longer responds well the a certain drug/therapy. Treatments include topical medicines, light therapy, injections, etc., each trying to tackle different aspects of the disease.
Some treatments are “vacations” - the Dead Sea in Israel is considered to be a great place to get relief from flare-ups: the combination of the minerals and salt in the mud and the fact that it is the lowest point on earth (that is lowest point which is not under water) contribute to its appeal (being low apparently results in less harmful sun rays when one sunbathes and more of the beneficial light treatment). Another destination is a place in Turkey where psoriasis sufferers go into a pond (or pool, I am not sure) in which a very unique type of fish nibbles on the lesions — seriously, search the web using the keywords Psoriasis and Fish to find more information !!!
This site is not intended to provide all the medical information about psoriasis. Much more information about psoriasis, its manifestations, psychological impact, and treatments is covered in length in medical and other sites, such as:
WebMD
National Psoriasis Foundation
Psoriasis Connections
What I hope to do in this site is to provide some of my own experiences and get comments from others about this disease.