If you have psoriasis, it’s possible that someone in your family may have had it too. That’s because there appears to be a genetic link for psoriasis.
One out of 3 people with psoriasis reports having a relative with the disease. And researchers say that up to 10% of the general population may inherit one or more genes that predispose them to psoriasis, though only 2% to 3% of people with the gene actually develop the disease.
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Some triggers known to impact psoriasis symptoms include:
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Injury to skin (cuts, scrapes, bug bites, severe sunburns)
Infection (such as strep throat or thrush)
Certain medications (including lithium, antimalarials, quinidine, indomethacin)
Your immune system is meant to protect you when an “intruder,” like a cold virus, enters your body. But sometimes the immune system mistakes your body’s heathy cells for intruders and attacks them. While the exact cause of psoriasis isn’t fully understood, scientists believe psoriasis is the result of several factors, including the immune system.
When you have psoriasis, your immune system is overactive. This creates inflammation inside the body, which is a cause of the symptoms you see on the skin. More healthy cells are produced than normal. Those excess cells get pushed to the surface of your skin too quickly. Normally, it takes about a month for your skin cells to cycle through your body. With psoriasis, it takes days.
Your body simply can’t shed skin cells that quickly, so the cells build up on the surface of your skin. The thick, red patches you see on your skin (called plaques) are actually a buildup of excess skin cells.
When a person has two or more diseases at one time, these are called “comorbidities.”
Comorbidities associated with psoriasis include other immune conditions such as psoriatic arthritis and Crohn’s disease.
It’s important to keep your doctor informed about any symptoms you may be having so the two of you can decide how to possibly avoid or manage comorbidities.
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I think part of the misconception of psoriasis is that it potentially could be contagious. The average consumer who does not have psoriasis or a family member with psoriasis really has very little understanding of it. I've had patients, for instance, who've been evicted from public swimming pools because people have complained that when this psoriasis patient shows up in a bathing suit and he or she has patches on their elbows and knees, other people want to stay away from them.
The public doesn't know whether it's contagious. There's certainly a significant lack of understanding in the public for a common and visible disease like psoriasis. And I think what we've learned today with the therapies that we have available is that psoriasis patients should talk kindly and openly about their disease, and understand that there are ways to limit it.
And for those patients who have quote unquote given up, which is a significant number of patients who haven't seen a dermatologist in the past year, for instance, I tell them please, we have so advanced our knowledge and treatment and understanding of psoriasis, that we do have the opportunity to help you and you should be treated appropriately.
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Because psoriasis is often misunderstood, there are many myths and misconceptions about what psoriasis is and how people get it. A doctor discusses the importance of helping others understand the disease.
Dr. Menter is chairman of the Division of Dermatology at a prominent U.S. academic medical center. Dr. Menter is also a paid consultant of AbbVie.
One of the greatest misconceptions about psoriasis is that one person can “catch it” from another. That is absolutely a myth!
Psoriasis is a disease of the immune system, and is not something you can catch. It’s good to know the facts about psoriasis and to be prepared for the questions you’ll get from others.