Patient/caregiver was educated on pathophysiology of 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.
- The defective immune system results in production of defective white blood cells (lymphocytes & neutrophils) in the body.
- Normal white blood cells usually are the cells offering protection against invading microorganisms, such as, bacteria and viruses.
- The defective white blood cells in psoriatic patients attack the normal healthy skin cells, cause inflammation, and damage to the skin cells. Also, the chemicals released by defective white blood cells result in patchy excessive proliferation of skin cells.
- The excessive volume of skin cells with inflammation results in areas of warm, red, and raised plaques of skin that can be itchy. The damaged skin cells have a shortened life cycle, which results in early death of skin cells, by the time the skin cells reach the surface, resulting in dry, silvery white scales covering the red plaques.
- Psoriasis commonly involves skin on the elbows and knees but can also involve skin on the scalp, torso, armpits, groin, genitals, fingers, toes, and nails. Psoriasis can also involve joints resulting in arthritis.
- 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.
