Psoriasis is known as a reoccurring condition of the skin characterized by reddish, scaly patches of inflammation. Psoriasis is usually located on the arms, legs, trunk, nails, or scalp, but it can be found on virtually any part of the skin. By far the most commonly affected areas will be the knees and also elbows.

Psoriasis is an immune system affliction that affects both men and women. Estimates vary but somewhere between 4.5 and 7.5 million people in the U.S. have already been diagnosed with psoriasis. 150,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Psoriasis isn't contagious. It is not something you may "catch" or that other people might catch from you. Psoriasis lesions are not infectious.

Thick, scaly, red plaques are the hallmark of psoriasis. In psoriatic skin, the cells belonging to the outer layer (epidermis) multiply too rapidly, which causes skin to thicken. Additionally, they stick to each other more strongly and for longer than normal skin cells do, causing scaliness. The skin is infiltrated by white blood cells, causing inflammation, redness, and infrequently pustules.

Exactly why this happens is not yet well understood, but genetics are clearly involved. Genealogy and family history can affect who's diagnosed with psoriasis - if a parent has psoriasis, a child carries a 10 percent chance of developing it as well. However, the correct psoriasis triggers must exist before symptoms begin to appear.

Researchers now believe that there may be an ethnic connection to Psoriasis, because it is most common in Caucasians throughout the US and Northern Europe. Furthermore, genetics apparently plays a role. Researchers have shown that one-third of people clinically determined to have psoriasis have at least one near relative with the condition. A study conducted in the US found the prevalence of psoriasis was 2.5% in Caucasians and 1.3% in African Americans.

Psoriasis can be mild or severe. When it's severe, it can detrimentally affect functions of daily life including work and social activities.

There is as yet no complete cure for psoriasis. The treatment of psoriasis will depend on its severity and location. Medical treatment options range from local (cortisone treatment application, emollients, coal tar, anthralin formulations, and sun exposure) to systemic (internal medicines, which includes methotrexate and cyclosporine).

In addition, there are many natural and alternative medicine treatments based on psoriasis natural treatment which have proved to work well. Every psoriasis sufferer is different. What is the best psoriasis treatment for one may not work at all for another.