Psoriasis is in fact an immune system disorder...

Psoriasis is a common skin condition where the skin develops areas that become thick covered with silvery scales. It is a common problem, and millions of people in the United States have psoriasis. The course of psoriasis is quite variable, but in most sufferers it is a chronic problem that continues for years. The presence of psoriasis can cause emotional distress. Psoriasis is considered a skin disease, but really it is the result of a disordered immune system. The T-cells, a type of white blood cell, become over-stimulated. They then direct the skin to try and "heal" a non-existent injury. The skin reacts the same way it does when it has a fungus infection; it grows very fast, trying to "grow" the infection off the skin. These areas become the reddened, inflamed, patches with white scale on them.

There are several ways psoriasis can start. In most sufferers, the tendency to get psoriasis is inherited. It is not passed on in a simple, direct way like hair color, but involves multiple genes. For this reason, it is not always clear from whom one inherited it. Inherited psoriasis usually starts in older childhood or as a young adult. Sometimes, especially in children, a virus or strep throat triggers brief attacks of tiny spots of psoriasis. In middle-aged older adults, a non-hereditary type of psoriasis can develop. This changes more rapidly than the inherited form, varying in how much skin is involved more unpredictably. Most types of psoriasis show some tendency to come and go, with variable intensity over time.

Psoriasis flare-ups may be triggered read more