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What is psoriasis?


Psoriasis

What is psoriasis?
This condition develops when the body makes skin cells too quickly, causing skin cells to pile up and form visible patches or spots on the skin.

Is psoriasis contagious? No

Senior man shrugging shoulders
Psoriasis overview: What exactly is it?

Psoriasis causes the body to produce skin cells in days rather than weeks. Here’s what else you should know about this common condition.

Psoriasis skin disease, types
What does psoriasis look like?

Each type of psoriasis has its own unique look. These pictures show you what each type tends to look like.

Close up of female patient suffering from psoriasis skin disease on elbow
What are the signs and symptoms of psoriasis?

What you see and where it appears vary with the type of psoriasis you have. Find out how each type differs.

A girl, her mother, and grandmother enjoying sunny morning at home.
What causes psoriasis?

You cannot get psoriasis from shaking hands or even swimming in the same pool with someone who has psoriasis. Find out why.

Doctor photo with the text difference between eczema and psoriasis
Psoriasis or eczema: What's the difference?

These two conditions can look alike. Watch as board-certified dermatologist Amy Paller, MD, FAAD, explains how these differ.

Unhappy woman with psoriasis on her elbow
Is psoriasis contagious?

Psoriasis can look contagious. In this video, a board-certified dermatologist shows you what he does to convince people that it’s not.

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