Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease which affects the skin and joints.

It commonly causes red scaly patches to appear on the skin.

The scaly patches caused by psoriasis are often called psoriasis plaques or lesions.

Psoriasis plaques are areas of excessive skin cell production and inflammation.

Skin rapidly accumulates at these sites and sometimes takes a silvery-white appearance.

Plaques frequently occur on the skin of the elbows and knees, but can affect any area including the scalp and genitals.

Psoriasis is not contagious; it cannot be passed from person to person..

For more information about the topic Psoriasis, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:

Rash — A rash is a change in the skin which affects its appearance or texture. A rash may be localised to one part of the body, or affect all the skin. ...  > read more

Arthritis — Arthritis is a group of conditions that affect the health of the bone joints in the body. One in three adult Americans suffer from some form of ...  > read more

Dandruff — Dandruff is the excessive flaking of dead skin that forms on the scalp. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of ...  > read more

Itch — An itch is a sensation felt on an area of skin that causes a person or animal to desire to scratch that area. It is a distressing symptom that can ...  > read more

Related Stories

Search ScienceDaily

Healing Rosacea