Psoriasis:
The name psoriasis is from Ancient Greek, meaning roughly "itching condition" (psora "itch" + -sis "action, condition").Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin. It occurs when the immune system mistakes the skin cells as a pathogen, and sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious. However, psoriasis has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, and treating high blood lipid levels may lead to improvement.There are five types of psoriasis: plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic.
Signs and symptoms of psoriasis :
- Plaques of red, inflamed skin, often covered with loose, silver-colored scales. These plaques may be itchy and painful and sometimes crack and bleed. In severe cases, the plaques will grow and merge into one another, covering large areas.
- Disorders of the fingernails and toenails, including discoloration and pitting of the nails. The nails may also begin to crumble or detach from the nail bed.
- Scaly plaques on the scalp.
- Small areas of bleeding where the involved skin is scratched.