eli5: what is psoriasis and how/why does it occur?
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The cause is still unknown, but it’s an autoimmune response, which essentially means your immune system has no chill and doesn’t know when to calm down.
Think of it like this, if your hands get dirty, you wash them and move on. Someone with OCD however, might spend so long washing and scrubbing their hands that they start to damage the skin. That’s what the immune system is doing in a person with psoriasis, it’s overreacting to whatever triggered it, which results in damage such as a small cut becoming a large scab that won’t go away, or scar tissue forming on ligaments and joints (known as psoriatic arthritis).
Things like stress and illness can trigger psoriasis flare-ups, because the immune system is compromised. Being overweight can also cause a higher frequency of having flare-ups.
If psoriasis runs in your family, the best thing you can do is stay at a healthy weight, minimize stress as much as possible, and moisturize, especially your elbows and knees.
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