What exactly is psoriasis? NYC New York NY

Psoriasis is a non-contagious chronic skin condition. It is not passed on to anyone through touch or exposure. The exact cause is unknown. Researchers contend  that psoriasis has both hereditary and environmental components and is mediated by the immune system. Normally, skin cells that are formed in the deepest layers of your skin make their way to the surface. Theses cells mature, are sloughed off the body’s surface, and are then replaced with new skin cells from beneath. This cycle takes approximately a month. In someone with psoriasis, however, once the immune system is accidentally activated, and an abnormally rapid skin cell cycle occurs. This means the cells move from the deepest layers of your skin to the surface in about four days instead of a month. Since the cells move to the surface so quickly, they don’t have time to properly mature. Instead, they accumulate on the skin’s surface, forming raised, red patches or “lesions.”