Psoriasis Links

Latest News
Psoriasis Often Improves During Pregnancy (05/20/2005, Reuters Health)
From the National Institutes of Health
Questions and Answers about Psoriasis (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Overviews
JAMA Patient Page: Psoriasis (American Medical Association)
Psoriasis (Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash PlayerAlso available in: Spanish
Psoriasis: More Than Cosmetic (Food and Drug Administration)
What Is Psoriasis? (American Academy of Dermatology)
Treatment
Goeckerman Treatment for Psoriasis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Methotrexate (American Academy of Family Physicians)
Psoriasis Treatment (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Psoriasis Treatment (American Academy of Dermatology)
Psoriatic Arthritis Treatments (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Coping
Social Factors (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Specific Conditions
Psoriasis FAQs (American Academy of Dermatology)
Psoriasis Triggers (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Psoriatic Nails (American Academy of Dermatology)
Related Issues
Camouflage & Cover-ups (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Psychological Aspects of Psoriasis (American Academy of Dermatology)
Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov: Psoriasis (National Institutes of Health)
Genetics
Genetics of Psoriasis: Basic Facts (American Academy of Dermatology)
Role of Genetics in Psoriasis (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Research
Biologic Advances in the Treatment of Psoriasis (American Academy of Dermatology)
Genetic Site Suggests Psoriasis Susceptibility (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Scientific Advances Show Promise for People with Psoriasis (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)
Dictionaries/Glossaries
Glossary (American Academy of Dermatology)
Directories
Find a Dermatologist (American Academy of Dermatology)
Organizations
American Academy of Dermatology
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesAlso available in: Spanish
National Psoriasis Foundation
Statistics
Statistics (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Children
Effects on Children (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis (Arthritis Foundation)
Psoriasis Information for Kids (National Psoriasis Foundation)
Teenagers
Teens (National Psoriasis Foundation)

Psoriasis Statistics

The numbers tell the story about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
National health concern:
About 2.1 percent of the U.S. population has psoriasis
More than 4.5 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with psoriasis
Age:
Often appears between the ages of 15 and 35, but can develop at any age
Some infants have psoriasis, although this is considered rare
Severity of psoriasis:
Three percent to 10 percent of the body affected by psoriasis is considered to be a moderate case. More than 10 percent is considered severe. The palm of the hand equals 1 percent of the skin. However, the severity of psoriasis is also measured by how psoriasis affects a person's quality of life. Psoriasis can have a serious impact even if it involves a small area, such as the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
About 30 percent of people with psoriasis have cases that are considered moderate to severe (generally meaning it covers more than 3 percent of their body)
More than 1.5 million Americans have moderate to severe psoriasis
Severe types of psoriasis can compromise the skin's ability to control body temperature and prevent infections
Quality of life impact:
75 percent of people with moderate to severe psoriasis report that their disease has a moderate to large impact on their everyday lives:
26 percent alter their normal daily activities
21 percent stop their normal daily activities
40 percent say their psoriasis affects their clothing choices (avoiding dark colors, covering up arms and legs)
36 percent say it affects how they sleep
36 percent report bathing more than normal(based on results of National Psoriasis Foundation 2001 Benchmark Survey on Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis)
Facts:
Psoriasis may disqualify a person from serving in the U.S. military
Psoriatic arthritis
About 1 million people in the U.S. population have psoriatic arthritis; that equals about 0.5 percent of the country
Between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can develop at any time
Generally psoriasis appears before the psoriatic arthritis, but it can develop without the characteristic skin lesions
There are five types of psoriatic arthritis
Psoriasis patients:
Psoriasis patients make nearly 2.4 million visits to dermatologists each year
Overall costs of treating psoriasis may exceed $3 billion annually
150,000 to 260,000 cases of psoriasis are diagnosed each year
Genetic
If one parent has psoriasis, children have a 10 percent to 25 percent chance of developing psoriasis
If both parents have psoriasis, children have a 50 percent chance
Worldwide:
Psoriasis affects an estimated 1 percent to 3 percent of the world's population

Defining Inverse Psoriasis

Inverse or Flexural psoriasis is localized in the flexural surfaces of the skin, e.g., armpit, groin, under the breast, and other skin folds. Typically, it appears as smooth inflamed lesions without scaling and is particularly subject to irritation due to rubbing and sweating.This type of psoriasis is often white in color, appears softened as if soaked by water, and may resemble a fungal infection. There is very little scaling, although the patches are inflamed and can be very sore. Appearing as it does in the folds of the skin, it is moister than other forms of psoriasis, and can be more uncomfortable physically.Flexural psoriasis rarely occurs by itself. It is more likely to accompany common plaque psoriasis.Psoriasis sufferers in their middle years or old age are more susceptible to this type of psoriasis as are people who are overweight and have more folds of skin.

What is Psoriasis of the Nails?

About 50 percent of people with active psoriasis have psoriatic changes in fingernails and/or toenails. In some instances psoriasis may occur only in the nails and nowhere else on the body. Psoriatic changes in nails range from mild to severe, generally reflecting the extent of psoriatic involvement of the nail plate, nail matrix (tissue from which the nail grows), nail bed (tissue under the nail), and skin at the base of the nail. Damage to the nail bed by the pustular psoriasis can result in loss of the nail.

Nail changes in psoriasis fall into general categories that may occur singly or all together:
The nail plate is deeply pitted, probably due to defects in nail growth caused by psoriasis.
The nail has a yellow to yellow-pink discoloration, probably due to psoriatic involvement of the nail bed.
White areas appear under the nail plate.
These are air bubbles marking spots where the nail plate is becoming detached from the nail bed (onycholysis).
There may be reddened skin around the nail.

The nail plate crumbles in yellowish patches (onychodystrophy), probably due to psoriatic involvement in the nail matrix.The nail is entirely lost due to psoriatic involvement of the nail matrix and nail bed.

Psoriatic Arthritis Can Have Many Symptoms

Psoriatic arthritis occurs in less than 10% of people with psoriasis. Its treatment often requires consultation with a rheumatologist in addition to treatment of the skin lesions by a dermatologist. It occurs most frequently in psoriasis patients whose disease is active, especially in persons with the pustular type of psoriasis.
Occasionally it appears in a person who has no dermatologic signs or symptoms of psoriasis, in which case it must be diagnosed by its unique laboratory test results.
Psoriasis of the fingernails and toenails is associated with a higher incidence of psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis resemble those of rheumatoid arthritis, although the diseases are otherwise quite different.
Arthritis changes cause deterioration and pain in small joints of the hands and feet, large joints of the legs and spine, and tendons.
Nonspecific foot pain or "tennis elbow" may be an early symptom to appear and may be overlooked if not associated with psoriatic skin or nail lesions.

What is Pustular Psoriasis

This type of psoriasis usually appears as a large red area covered with yellow-green pustules. They tend to be one to two millimeters in diameter and are quite tender. The yellow color is caused by masses of white blood cells (polymorph leucocytes), which flood into any part of the skin that is damaged or infected, in order to fight infection and aid recovery.
After seven to 10 days, the pustules become dispersed and a brown scale appears. This scale will start to shed as new pustules develop in other areas, often in a continuous cycle. The most common type of pustular psoriasis affects the palms and soles. It isn't normally itchy however it can be sore or uncomfortable to use either your hands or feet, for example if you are writing or walking.

Psoriasis in greek Mythology

Psoriasis has been around since the days of Greek mythology, more than 2,500 years ago. It was considered a curse from the gods.The Bible refers to psoriasis but mistakenly calls it leprosy. For hundreds of years, people with the disease were ostracized and forced to wander as homeless beggars. Some had to wear warning bells so others could avoid their paths. Some suffered the same fate as lepers, who were burned at the stake in the 14th century."Amazingly, psoriasis was a disease that had been misunderstood for more than 2,000 years before it was clearly defined (in the early 1800s) and named what we know it as today."

Psoriasis is a Chronic Condition

Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated chronic skin disease that comes in different forms and varying levels of severity. Most researchers now conclude that it is related to the immune system (psoriasis is often called an "immune-mediated" disorder).It is not contagious. In general, it is a condition that is frequently found on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet or lower back. Many treatments are available to help manage its symptoms. More than 4.5 million adults in the United States have it. Between 10 percent and 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop a related form of arthritis, called psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis Facts

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition affecting approximately 4.5 million people in the United States.
New skin cells grow too rapidly, resulting in inflamed, swollen, scaly patches of skin in areas where the old skin has not shed quickly enough.
Psoriasis can be limited to a few spots or can involve more extensive areas of the body, appearing most commonly on the scalp, knees, elbows and trunk.
Psoriasis is not a contagious disease.
The cause of psoriasis is unknown, and there currently is no cure.
Psoriasis can strike people at any age, but the average age of onset is approximately 28 years. Likewise, it affects both men and women, with a slightly higher prevalence in women than in men.
Approximately 30 percent of people with psoriasis are estimated to have moderate-to-severe forms of the disease.
Psoriasis can be a physically and emotionally painful condition.
Psoriasis often results in physical limitations, disfiguration and a significant burden in managing the daily care of the disease.
Psoriasis sufferers may feel embarrassed, angry, frustrated, fearful, depressed and, in some cases, even suicidal.

The International Eczema-Psoriasis Foundation

The International Eczema-Psorasis Foundation is an organization whose mission is to gather in one place, available information found on the web, in books and articles concerning the often confusing terms dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. Our goal is to assist others in learning about these chronic conditions. The information provided by this site should not be considered medical advice, nor is it intended to replace consultation with a 'qualified physician'. The various dermatitis conditions and treatments may vary substantially from one patient to another, and treatment must be tailored for each individual case.