The psoriasis disease is a chronic skin condition which affects over four million people in the United States. Psoriasis disease is not catching or contagious, but it can be quite problematic for people who have it. In about 80% of psoriasis disease cases, symptoms are somewhat mild and not overly bothersome. In rare cases however, psoriasis disease can be quite uncomfortable and even debilitating at times.

Psoriasis is not technically a disease though. It's a skin condition which is believed to be caused by an over reaction of the body's immune system. When the body is functioning normally, new skin cells develop and mature deep below the surface of the skin. Over a period of about 30 days, these new skin cells rise to the surface. Once they reach the surface, older skin cells which are dying off, are ready to shed and make room for the new ones.

With psoriasis disease however, our body's immune system is generating new skin cells at a faster rate, and pushing those new cells to the surface in just a few days instead of over a thirty day period. Since these new skin cells are surfacing so rapidly, the existing surface skin has not yet had time to die off completely, and it's not yet ready to be shed. So the new skin cells create a pile up with the old ones, and this creates the psoriasis disease.

In most people who have psoriasis, patches of skin turn red and dry, and white colored scales and flakes are developed in the affected area. Usually psoriasis patches show up on the elbows, knees, and in the scalp, but it can occur anywhere on the body. Other types of psoriasis disease can develop too: Some show up as small white blister like puss pockets on red and inflamed skin, and some psoriasis develops all over the body, and looks almost like burns.

Psoriasis disease is believed to be triggered when something major happens to your body, that causes the immune system to kick into overdrive. Some common triggers that can cause flare ups of psoriasis include severe illness, infections, and major stressful events in your life.

Psoriasis is chronic, which means it usually stays around for long periods of time or comes back frequently. It's not contagious though, since the problem seems to be caused by your own immune system.

Mainstream medical professionals and researchers treat psoriasis disease in several ways. Mild cases of psoriasis are usually treated with topical creams and ointments that are rubbed on to the affected area of your skin. These creams often contain steroids, though some have a derivative of Vitamin D in them. Some also attempt to suppress new skin growth, and some attempt to suppress or inhibit the body's immune system so that excess skin won't be generated.

For moderate psoriasis and cases that don't respond well to the topical treatments, some medical professionals use special UV light therapy to treat psoriasis disease. It's thought that the UV light kills skin cells more rapidly, which helps the excess skin to shed and make room for new skin cells. Often UV light therapy is used in combination with ointments and creams.

The most drastic treatment for psoriasis disease is the use of medications that must be given by IV or injection. These suppress or inhibit the body's immune system, which slows down the new skin cell generation.

Note: Statements in this article are not approved by the FDA, and should not be considered as professional medical advice.