What is the definition of psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a kind of epidermal hyperplasia and chronic inflammatory skin disease. Some characteristics of psoriasis include erythematous papules or plaques with marked silvery-white scales around scalp, elbow, knee, and lumbar sacral area. Such a disease also invades patients’ fingernails and toenails. Nail changes include pitting, subungual hyperkeratosis, onycholysis, and yellowish-brown spots under the nail plate. Some patients suffer from psoriatic arthritis which causes joint pain and stiffness; at the later stage, their activities and movements are affected by joint deformation.

What factors can induce or aggravate psoriasis?

1. tense emotion or stressful lifestyle
2. excessive physical and mental fatigue, staying up late, or irregular life schedule
3. acute upper respiratory tract infection ( influenza ) or tonsillitis
4. trauma or scratch
5. certain drugs such as : lithium, anti-malarial drugs and some antihypertensive agents
6. excessive drinking, smoking, and chewing betel nuts
7. spicy, hot, barbecue, or fried foods such as: pepper, garlic, coriander, ginger, onions, barbeque sauce, fennel, chives, cinnamon, mutton, beef, longan, litchi, mango, durian, pickled goods, coffee, and curry.

Is psoriasis transmittable?

Though psoriasis is not transmittable, its course of disease is chronic with up-and-down illness conditions at times; if patients abide by treatment instructions given by the doctors, the disorder is controllable so patients could live a regular life like normal one. However, if patents do not collaborate with doctors’ treatment instructions, conditions are alleviated and patients could suffer from complications such as psoriatic erythroderma or pustular psoriasis or even jeopardizing their life.