Share
About Psoriasis
Knowledge Base
What is Psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a skin disease, which causes are not completely known. It is a chronic, non-infectious disease and it has tendency to spontaneously regress and reoccur. The disease usually appears between the ages of 10 and 40, and more often in older people.
The factors causing the disease and its relapses include acute bacterial infections, like streptococcal and viral infections like angina, measles, smallpox, shingles, rubella, but also chronic infections like sinusitis, cavities, recurrent UTI, adnexitis, cholecystitis, hypertrophy tonsils and chronic diseases like diabetes and gout.
Psoriasis can also be caused by stress – both acute and psychological shock.
In the properly functioning skin, the life cycle of the skin cells (development, maturation and death) lasts 26-28 days. In psoriasis, the immune system sends signals that shorten the entire process to about 4 days. New cells mature fast and the old cells do not keep peeling off. That is a reason why the skin of the people diagnosed with psoriasis becomes much thicker than healthy skin. A layer of dead cells is formed on the body in the form of hard scales.
Skin with psoriasis requires special care. Daily care should ensure proper hydration and lubrication of the skin and facilitate exfoliation of the callused epidermis. Particularly valuable to the skin are products containing urea, which help to retain water in the skin, and natural vegetable oils, which are rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
