Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disorder in which the body's white blood cells attack the skin. The Mayo Clinic says infections, stress, smoking and medications such as lithium can trigger psoriasis symptoms.
Symptoms
MedlinePlus says symptoms of psoriasis include thick pink patches with dry and silvery scaling on the skin. Joint pain, nail pitting and joint aching are some other symptoms.
Types
MedlinePlus says there are five types of psoriasis. Pustular psoriasis causes white blisters on the skin. Plaque psoriasis causes red patches with flaky silver-scales on the skin. Guttate psoriasis causes tiny red spots on the skin. Inverse psoriasis leads to irritation in your groin and overlapping skin layers. Erythrodermic psoriasis causes redness over a wide area of skin.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing psoriasis is mostly based on visual inspection. However, MedlinePlus says a doctor can take a skin biopsy or X-ray to rule out other medical diseases.
Treatments
Numerous options are available to decrease psoriasis symptoms. Topical medications such as corticosteroids, light therapy and prescription-strength medications such as methotrexate are a few examples of treatment options, the Mayo Clinic says.
Complications
MedlinePlus says pain, skin infections and intense itching are some complications of psoriasis.
