BY: MELISSA JURADO

A NONCONTAGIOUS COMMON SKIN CONDITION THAT CAUSES RAPID SKIN CELL REPRODUCTION.

IS SEEN WORLDWIDE, IN ALL RACES, AND BOTH SEXES, IN APPROXIMATELY 125 MILLION PEOPLE.

THE EXACT CAUSE REMAINS UNKNOWN; THERE MAY BE A COMBINATION OF RISK FACTORS, INCLUDING GENETIC PREDISPOSITION AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS.

SKIN INJURY OR INFECTION, EMOTIONAL STRESS, CERTAIN MEDICATIONS, SMOKING OR DRINKING ALCOHOL

TYPICALLY STARTS AS A FEW RED BUMPS, MAY BECOME LARGER AND THICKER.. RASH CAN BE ITCHY

TYPICALLY LOOKS LIKE RED OR PINK AREAS OF THICKENED, RAISED, AND DRY SKIN.

THE MEDICAL NAME FOR THE MOST COMMON FORM. ABOUT 80% OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS TYPE

UNCOMMON FORM: CLEARLY DEFINED, RAISED BUMPS ON THE SKIN THAT ARE FILLED WITH PUS

LEAST COMMON TYPE: CAN BE QUITE SERIOUS

ABOUT 15% OF PEOPLE WITH PSORIASIS DEVELOP THIS: A PAINFUL AND SOMETIMES DISABLING INFLAMMATION OF THE JOINTS

DERMATOLOGISTS SPECIALIZE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS

CREAMS, GELS, LIQUIDS, SPRAYS, OR OINTMENTS, VITAMIN D-3 DERIVATIVES, COAL TAR, ANTHRALIN

THE ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT FROM THE SUN SLOWS THE PRODUCTION OF SKIN CELLS AND REDUCES INFLAMMATION

THEY TARGET THE OVERACTIVE IMMUNE SYSTEM

DRUGS MADE FROM LIVING CELLS; ALTER ACTIVITY OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

GOOD: NOT CURABLE, BUT CONTROLLABLE

SOAKING UP THE SUN: A TRIED-AND-TRUE REMEDY

FOR DECADES: PEOPLE HAVE CLAIMED THAT VISITING THE dEAD sEA IN iSRAEL IS A POWERFUL TREATMENT

STRESS TENDS TO WORSEN PSORIASIS: YOGA, DEEP BREATHING, LONG WALKS

ISOLATION CAN LEAD TO STRESS AND DEPRESSION: STAY CONNECTED TO PEOPLE YOU TRUST