Psoriasis has been shown to affect health-related quality of life to an extent similar to the effects of other chronic diseases such as depression, myocardial infarction, hypertension, congestive heart failure or type 2 diabetes. Depending on the severity and location of outbreaks, individuals may experience significant physical discomfort and some disability. Itching and pain can interfere with basic functions, such as self-care, walking, and sleep. Plaques on hands and feet can prevent individuals from working at certain occupations, playing some sports, and caring for family members or a home. The frequency of medical care is costly and can interfere with an employment or school schedule.
Individuals with psoriasis may also feel self-conscious about their appearance and have a poor self-image that stems from fear of public rejection and psychosexual concerns. Psychological distress can lead to significant depression and social isolation.
Psoriasis [pronounced sore-EYE-ah-sis] is a noncontagious, lifelong skin disease. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis.
About 10 percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic [sore-ee-AA-tic] arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints.
The most common form, plaque [plak] psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale.
In addition to its physical impact on your skin, psoriasis can also affect your emotional, psychological and social well-being. This visible and lifelong disease may change how you view yourself and interact with others. 125 million people worldwide have psoriasis, according to the World Psoriasis Day consortium.
Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have no cure, but many different therapies can reduce, or nearly stop, their symptoms. No single treatment works for everyone, but something is likely to work in most cases. You may need to experiment before you find a treatment that works for you. Please help find a cure and affordable treatment!
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