What Causes Psoriasis
Although no one is exactly sure what causes psoriasis, researchers believe it is a problem with the immune system. For some reason, the immune system becomes overactive and prompts the body to make too many skin cells. In healthy people, skin cells usually mature and then shed from the surface of the skin every 28 to 30 days. In people with psoriasis, skin cells mature in three to four days and don’t shed, but continue to pile up. This causes the scaly, thickened look of psoriasis. It’s essentially too much skin.
Psoriasis:
- Affects approximately 7.5 million Americans.
- Is most common in Caucasians.
- Has a genetic component – about a third of the people who have psoriasis have at least one family member with it.
- Occurs mostly in adults – people usually first get symptoms when they are between 15 and 35 years old, but about one in 10 develops it during childhood.
- Is typically mild to moderate in severity.
- Can occur with another condition called psoriatic arthritis – the condition, which affects one-third of people with psoriasis, inflames the joints and can cause disability if not treated.
Psoriasis tends to come and go, sometimes clearing (known as remission) and other times becoming worse (flare-ups). A number of things can cause flare-ups, including:
- Stress
- Injury to the skin
- System-wide infection – such as strep throat, thrush, boils, certain upper respiratory infections and HIV.
- Some medications – such as anti-malaria drugs, beta blockers, heart medication, corticosteroids, indomethacin and lithium.
- Dry weather
Next: Types of Psoriasis
