Affecting around one out of every fifty adults, psoriasis is a physical condition that can cause considerable mental suffering. Clinical research has concluded that although psoriaisis shows itself as a skin condition, the actual cause is rooted in the immune system of the body.

There are a number of assorted symptoms connected with a flare up of psoriasis including salmon colored skin which becomes cracked, flaky and irritated. One of the more common types is called plaque psoriasis where the afflicted area develops eliptical, circular or odd formed patches covered with scaly, silvery colored skin. The shape and sizes of the patches vary widely and individual smaller areas can merge together to form one bigger shape of irritated scaly skin. Besides being unsightly, these larger areas tend to crack and start bleeding.

The area of affected skin can become really tender and feel as though it is burning. There are no hard and fast rules as to how long any specific flare-up will last. It could last a week to twleve days or you may have to suffer it for several weeks. because psoriasis is classified as a lifelong condition, the chances of recurring flare-ups in the same or different area of the body are very high.

Body areas that are most often affected include the torso, scalp, elbows and knees although any part of the body can develop symptoms of psoriasis. Flare-ups are inclined to be symmetric, meaning that both sides of the body will experience flare-ups in identical areas at the same time.

Genetic factors play some role in psoriasis meaning that those individuals with parents or grandparents who have had psoriasis have a greater risk that they will develop it as well. For some unknown reason, T-cells, which are necessary to make the white blood cells that assist our bodies to fight infection, cause the skin to become inflamed. T-cells also somehow set off the production of an overabundance of skin cells. Since these skin cells are surplus to requirements, they just pile up on top of each other and in turn create the telltale raised areas on the skins surface. The red look is caused by the increased blood supply that is necessary to nourish these skin cells.

Although not the causes of psoriasis, frequent triggers include sunlight, streptococcal infections and injuries, both past and present, to the skin Changes in the bodies hormone levels as well as stress and anxiety can also trigger outbreaks. Individuals with early stages of HIV seem to have higher instances of psoriasis as well. Folks who smoke cigarettes who also consume alcohol increase their chances of developing psoriasis.

In the absence of any known cure for psoriasis, there are various effectual treatments that can at least ease the symptoms. Resisting the temptation to scratch the affected area and keeping it damp is a good start.

The initial line of treatments are topical and are applied directly to the affected area with the ultimate aim of trying to stem the production of excess skin cells. Coal tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac and anthrallin are common localized treatment options as are specially developed bathing products and moisturizers. Systemic medications are prescribed to address more serious cases. Phototherapy, where patients are exposed to medically-supervised ultraviolet radiation is also effective in treating psoriasis.