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Take a deeper look at plaque psoriasis

Plaque psoriasis is a long-term disease of the immune system that appears in the form of uncomfortable skin symptoms. These skin symptoms, known as plaques, can flare up over time; they may come and go in response to certain triggers that vary from person to person.

Why do I have patches on my skin?

If you have plaque psoriasis, the activity of certain proteins in your immune system creates a faster-than-normal skin cell cycle. This rapid cycle causes a buildup of cells on the surface of your skin, resulting in raised, red patches, often with a silvery scale. These patches are called plaques, and are the most common symptom of plaque psoriasis.

For people who do not have psoriasis, the length of an average skin cell life cycle is about four weeks. After being formed under the surface, cells normally rise to the top of the skin. Every day our bodies shed dead skin cells, and they are continuously replaced by new cells. However, people with plaque psoriasis have overactive immune systems, causing skin cells to move from inside the body to outside in only about four days.

An overactive immune system

Knowing how plaque psoriasis develops—from inside the body—can help you understand how some treatments may help.

Depending on the severity or extent of disease, there are a number of ways to manage plaque psoriasis. Treatments include medications such as topical creams and ointments, UV light therapy, and oral medicines. Another class of prescription medicines, known as biologics, has been developed based on the immune system's role in plaque psoriasis. A biologic treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis can help you get clearer skin by reducing the overproduction of skin cells before they surface and become plaques.