Psoriasis

Title

Not a rare disease

Summary Summary

Psoriasis is a skin disease that causes itchy or sore patches of thick, red skin with silvery scales. The skin on the elbows, knees, scalp, back, face, palms and feet is most often affected, but other parts of the body can be affected as well. A problem with the immune system causes psoriasis. In a process called cell turnover, skin cells that grow deep in the skin rise to the surface. Normally, this takes a month. In psoriasis, it happens in just days because the cells rise too fast. Although symptoms may come and go, for many, psoriasis is a lifelong condition. Infections, stress, dry skin and certain medications may make symptoms worse. Psoriasis usually occurs in adults. It sometimes runs in families. Treatments include creams, medications and light therapy.^[1]^[2]

Last updated: 7/11/2016

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Research Research

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Psoriasis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Organizations Organizations

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

American Academy of Dermatology
930 E. Woodfield Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Telephone: 847-330-0230
Fax: 847-330-0050
Website: http://www.aad.org/
Arthritis Foundation
P.O. Box 7669
Atlanta, GA 30357-0669
Toll-free: 800-283-7800
E-mail: http://www.arthritis.org/EMF/email.asp
Website: http://www.arthritis.org
National Psoriasis Foundation
6600 SW 92nd Ave., Suite 300
Portland, OR 97223-7195
Telephone: 503.244.7404 OR 800.723.9166
Fax: 503.245.0626
E-mail: getinfo@psoriasis.org
Website: http://www.psoriasis.org

Do you know of an organization? Send us your suggestions.

Living With Living With

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

Good Days provides help to patients with life-altering conditions. Assistance includes help with the cost of medications and travel.
The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

Learn More Learn More

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

The American Academy of Family Physicians has an information page on psoriasis. To access the information page, visit the following link.
Link: http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/psoriasis.html
MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

In-Depth Information

Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Psoriasis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Resources for Kids

The American Academy of Dermatology provides kids, teens, and parents with information on skin conditions.

GARD Answers GARD Answers

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

I believe that I may have geographic tongue. Is there treatment for the condition? At what age do symptoms of the condition typically start? I have a family history of psoriasis. Is geographic tongue related to psoriasis? Are the two conditions genetic? Is genetic counseling appropriate for geographic tongue and psoriasis? See answer

Have a question? Contact a GARD Information Specialist.