Patient/caregiver was educated on psoriasis as follows:
- Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin condition, in which body’s own protective immune system becomes defective and results in speeding up of life cycle and rapid proliferation of skin cells.
- Usually skin cells are produced in the deeper layers of skin and gradually, as they mature, move up to the surface of the skin.
- This speeding up of life cycle with rapid proliferation of skin cells causes quick moving of the skin cells produced in the deeper layers of skin to the surface and excessive built-up of cells on the surface of the skin.
- The excessive volume of skin cells occurs in patches on various body parts resulting in areas of inflammatory red and raised plaques that can be itchy.
- Quickening of the life cycle of cells results in early death of cells, by the time the skin cells reach the surface, resulting in dry, silvery white scales covering the red plaques.
- The defective immune system contributing to psoriasis comes on in bouts. Consequently, psoriasis also is a condition that occurs in bouts, with periods of remission and relapse. Individuals can present with inflammatory skin patches with white scales when the condition is active & relapsing and be normal with clear skin during times of remission.
