Psoriasis leads to the development of red, scaly patches on the skin. It can appear as a rash, so the patient may worry about giving it to someone else or passing it onto others
However, this is not a contagious condition. A person cannot develop the disease by touching someone who has it.
Texas Surgical Dermatology, led by board certified dermatologist Dr. Tri H. Nguyen, provides advanced skin care treatments to patients in Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and surrounding communities.
What Causes Psoriasis?
Although the symptoms of psoriasis manifest on the skin, this condition actually is a problem with the immune system, known as an autoimmune disease. This means that the defenses of the body overreact or react at the wrong time, which impacts the body inside and out.
In psoriasis, the immune system causes the skin cells to grow much more rapidly than normal. They accumulate too fast and create thick, scaly lesions.
There are various forms of this disease, but the most commonly occurring one is plaque psoriasis. Lesions usually develop on the elbows, knees, or scalp.
However, they can occur in any part of the body. These patches may feel itchy, inflamed, sore, and may bleed or crack. Other forms of the disease may cause pus-filled bumps, small red spots, or red scaling patches all over.
How Does a Person Get Psoriasis?
Researchers know that certain genes are related to psoriasis. So, if someone in a person’s family has this condition, they may have the same genes and may be more prone to developing this condition.
Even with genes that predispose a person to psoriasis, they also need something that wakes up or triggers their condition. It might be something physical such as a scratch, cut, infection, or bad sunburn.
Some common triggers include medicines and cold weather (which can lead to dry, cracked skin). However, being around an individual with psoriasis is not a trigger.
Upon being triggered, psoriasis becomes a chronic condition. This means that most individuals will have it for the rest of their lives. But they may be able to manage it with drugs and other treatment.
What about Physical Contact?
When doctors did what caused psoriasis, they frequently confused it with leprosy. People who had this condition were believed to be contagious.
However, today it is known that this condition cannot develop by brushing up against someone who has it. It can also not pass on to another person by kissing, sexual activity, or swimming in the same water.
Individuals get psoriasis due to their genes, not because of bad hygiene, lifestyle, diet, or any other behaviors. They did not get it from anyone else, and they cannot pass it onto others.
Irrespective, there is a significant stigma associated with the condition. This can be hard on individuals with psoriasis. They may feel uneasy when people stare at their lesions or avoid touching them, and they may try to conceal their outbreaks under long clothes.
People with psoriasis can help end the misunderstandings and anxiety regarding the condition by speaking openly to family, friends, and colleagues. If you know a person who has psoriasis, ensure that they know that their condition does not influence your opinion or them or make you not want to be near them.
Board certified dermatologist Dr. Tri H. Nguyen receives patients from Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and nearby areas for innovative and advanced dermatology treatments.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered at Texas Surgical Dermatology PA please call 832.663.6566 or click here to contact our dermatologists. Helping patients in Houston, The Woodlands, Springs, Katy and other surrounding areas of Texas.
