Psoriasis

Psoriasis: Putting It All Together

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to psoriasis.

• Psoriasis is a chronic skin disorder that affects both men and women.
• Psoriasis is not an infection and it is not contagious-you cannot “catch” it from anyone.
• The severity of psoriasis varies widely. The most common pattern is for the disease to be limited to certain parts of the body but to recur frequently.
• Treatment can often control the disease for long periods. However, none of the available treatments is a cure. The disease can come back when treatment stops.
• In about one-third of cases, psoriasis is inherited. If both of a child’s parents have psoriasis, the child’s chances of getting the disease are about 50-50.
• Skin injury, climate change, infection, drug reactions, and stress can all cause psoriasis to flare up or worsen.
• Treatment for psoriasis varies depending on
  • the type of psoriasis
  • the extent and severity of the disease (how much of the skin is affected and how badly)
  • the age, sex, and lifestyle of the affected person
  • how the affected person has responded to treatment in the past.
• In general, doctors treat psoriasis in three ways.
  • medications applied to the skin (topical therapy)
  • treatments that use ultraviolet light (phototherapy)
  • medications given as a pill or injection (systemic therapy)
• Biologic agents, administered through injection, are being introduced for the treatment of psoriasis and have substantial advantages over previously used systemic therapies because they have fewer risks and side effects.
• Treatments can be combined in various ways to try to get the best outcome. Finding the most effective treatment for an affected individual can involve a lot of trial and error.