Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, the essence of which is the excessive and accelerated production of epidermal cells. In a healthy person, the cell renewal cycle lasts about 28 days, while in people with psoriasis it can shorten to as little as 3-4 days. This results in the formation of characteristic, scaly lesions on the skin – red, well-demarcated patches covered with silvery scales.

The disease has an autoimmune basis, which means that the immune system mistakenly attacks its own skin cells. In the course of psoriasis, excessive activity of T lymphocytes is observed, which trigger the inflammatory process and accelerate the proliferation of keratinocytes. The causes of the disease are multifactorial – they include genetic predisposition, environmental factors, stress, infections or certain medications.

Psoriasis comes in various forms – the most common is plaque psoriasis, but there can also be pustular forms, inverted forms or psoriatic arthritis, which affects the joints and periarticular tissues.

The disease is chronic and recurrent – symptoms may resolve spontaneously or under treatment, but there is currently no complete cure. Effective management of psoriasis is based on a multidimensional approach: pharmacological, dermatological, as well as lifestyle modification and psychological support, which significantly improves the comfort of patients’ lives.