HOS ello and welcome to HealthiNation. I’m Dr. Bobby Buka. The skin acts as the body’s first line of defense against the outside world. But, for people with Psoriasis, their skin comes under attack from inside the body. Psoriasis is a skin disease that develops when the immune system malfunctions. It’s estimated that 5 to 8 million Americans have the disease. For these people, rash-like flare-ups may come and go, but Psoriasis is chronic We’re not entirely sure how psoriasis develops, but we know the process begins in the immune system. Healthy T-cells function to protect the body from infection by fighting foreign invaders. A psoriasis flare-up occurs when T-cells mistakenly begin attacking the body’s own skin cells. The body responds by rapidly producing new skin cells faster than old layers of skin can be shed. Extra T-cells are also produced as part of this defensive response and a cycle begins that leads to a thick scaling or reddening of the skin. Psoriasis is categorized into six types. The most common type is Plaque psoriasis. It can occur anywhere on the skin but is most often found on the elbows and knees and looks like dry, red patches of skin covered with silvery scales. Guttate psoriasis is usually seen in children and young adults. Sometimes, this condition can develop after a strep throat illness. Guttate psoriasis is characterized by small sores with a thin scale of skin. It typically clears itself up within weeks or months. Pustular Psoriasis is often localized to the palms and soles of the feet and is characterized by white pustules surrounded by red skin. However, “generalized pustular psoriasis” can affect the entire body and be life threatening. Inverse psoriasis is common in overweight people. Friction and sweating may irritate inflamed, red lesions in the folds of the skin. Erythrodermic psoriasis is the least common form of psoriasis but is potentially life-threatening because of electrolyte imbalances that can result from all the skin inflammation. It‘s characterized by widespread redness, itching, and pain. Psoriatic arthritis can cause stiffness and pain and has the potential to deform joints. It can be seen with seen in any of the different forms of psoriasis we just talked about.