Psoriasis is not contagious so it can’t spread from person to person, however, it’s likely that a person may have psoriasis if a family member is affected. The way it is inherited is unclear and complicated.

• Red, flaky and crusty patches of skin covered in silvery scales
• Affects the elbows, knees, scalp and lower back but could appear anywhere on the body
• Itchy and painful symptoms
• Affects males and females equally
• Affects people of any age

When the body starts producing new skin, it starts from the deepest layer (subcutaneous tissue) and eventually builds up to the epidermis (top layer) where it dies and flakes off. The process takes around 3-4 weeks to complete but in psoriasis, this can take around 3-7 days.

It’s unknown why this actually happens but research shows it may be related to problems with the immune system. The immune system is your body’s defence system which fights off disease and infection, but in psoriasis it can actually fight off the all the healthy skin cells.

There are a number of triggers (events) which may make the psoriasis worse and result in a ‘flare up’. Some of the common triggers include:

• Smoking
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Sunburn
• Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
• Injury to the skin – such as a cut, bite, scrape
• Medication such as beta blockers (used for high blood pressure and angina), anti-inflammatory medication (including ibuprofen), lithium and some tablets which are used for malaria can trigger flare ups of psoriasis

It’s best for a person to know what triggers can affect a ‘flare up’ to better manage their psoriasis.