Psoriasis results from overactive immune signaling that speeds skin-cell production. Flares can come and go, and severity varies widely.
Red scaly plaques
BIMARIDUR HEALTH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease that causes inflamed, scaly skin and may also affect nails and joints.
Affected areaSkin, scalp and nails; joints can be affected in psoriatic arthritis.
ContagiousnessNot contagious and cannot spread by touching affected skin.
01 • QUICK UNDERSTANDING
What is Psoriasis?
02 • BODY & MECHANISM
What happens in the body?
What happens inside the body
Immune signals drive rapid turnover of skin cells, producing thickened inflamed plaques and scale.
03 • TYPES & CLASSIFICATION
Types and classification
Plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis are recognized clinical types.
04 • SYMPTOMS
Symptoms and warning signs
Itching or burning
Dry cracked skin
Nail pitting or thickening
Joint pain or stiffness
06 • CAUSES
What can cause this disease?
Immune-mediated disease involving genetic susceptibility and environmental triggers such as infections, stress, skin injury and some medicines.
07 • RISK FACTORS
Who may have a higher risk?
1
Family history
2
Smoking
3
Obesity
4
Certain infections
5
Some medicines
08 • DIAGNOSIS
How is Psoriasis diagnosed?
Clinical examination of skin, scalp and nails; biopsy when needed to distinguish other conditions.
Clinical evaluation
Skin examination
Scalp and nail examination
Joint symptom assessment
Laboratory tests
Selected baseline tests before systemic therapy
Infection screening when required by a medicine
Imaging and scans
Joint imaging when psoriatic arthritis is suspected
Special or confirmatory tests
Skin biopsy when diagnosis is uncertain
Joint assessment for suspected psoriatic arthritis
09 • DIFFERENTIAL CONTEXT
Conditions that may look similar
Seborrheic dermatitis
Eczema
Tinea infection
Lichen planus
10 • EXTENT / STAGE
Stages or severity
Psoriasis is generally described by type and severity rather than universal disease stages.
Important:
Staging or grading systems differ between diseases. The information here is educational and should be interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional in the context of the individual case.
11 • TREATMENT
How is Psoriasis treated?
Topical therapies, phototherapy, systemic medicines and biologic therapies are selected according to severity and patient factors.
Medicines that may be used
Topical corticosteroids when prescribed
Vitamin D-based topical therapy
Methotrexate or other systemic medicines in selected patients
Biologic therapies for appropriate disease
Medicine safety:
Medicines listed here are for educational information only. Do not start, stop, or change a medicine without professional medical advice.
12 • COMPLICATIONS
Possible complications
Psoriatic arthritis, cardiovascular risk, metabolic disease, eye inflammation and psychosocial effects can occur.
URGENT SAFETY INFORMATION
When should urgent medical help be considered?
Widespread redness with fever or systemic illness
Pustular or erythrodermic flare with feeling very unwell
Severe painful eye redness or vision change
If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening, seek emergency medical care immediately.
13 • OUTLOOK
Prognosis and recovery outlook
Symptoms often cycle between flares and quieter periods. Long-term treatment can control disease activity.
How to interpret these statistics
Survival statistics describe outcomes in groups of people and cannot predict exactly what will happen to one individual. Prognosis depends on factors such as cancer stage, tumor biology, treatment response, overall health, and follow-up.
14 • EPIDEMIOLOGY
How common is it?
Psoriasis affects people of all ages and both sexes; prevalence differs among populations.
15 • PREVENTION
Risk reduction and prevention
Flares cannot always be prevented, but trigger management, smoking cessation, weight management and adherence to treatment can help.
16 • PREPARE FOR YOUR VISIT
Questions you may ask your doctor
1
Which type of psoriasis do I have?
2
Do I need screening for psoriatic arthritis?
3
Which treatment is safest for me?
Important medical information
BimariDur provides educational health information to help people understand diseases, symptoms, tests, and treatment concepts. It does not replace examination, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Do not delay professional medical care because of information read on BimariDur.