Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition which causes red thick scaly patches on the skin. It is caused by an overactive immune system which allows skin cells to replicate up to ten times faster than normal cells. This creates red, thick, raised flaky patches. The most common sites for psoriasis are the elbows, knees and scalp. The red patches can be itchy and often form at areas of skin injury, a phenomenon called koebnerization. The treatment for psoriasis includes topical medications, light therapy, systemic therapy and biologics. The treatment is determined by the severity and extent of the psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis have an increased chance of developing other health conditions including psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and metabolic syndrome (which includes hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, gout and type 2 diabetes). SkinCenter offers all treatments for psoriasis including UVB phototherapy.
