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Did you know that nearly three percent of the world's population suffers from psoriasis symptoms? Unfortunately, some people still equate psoriasis with being unclean or self-imposed and shun those who endure the chronic condition. Even worse, many people with psoriasis isolate themselves because of a deep sense of shame. It is time to end psoriasis stigma.

End Psoriasis Stigma

Tomorrow, October 29, marks World Psoriasis Day. We are joining the global movement to raise awareness and fight stigmatization of those suffering from psoriasis. So, let's start at the beginning. What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis (sore-EYE-ah-sis) is a chronic disease that develops when a person's immune system sends faulty signals that tell skin cells to grow too quickly. So instead of new skin cells forming in weeks, they form in days. One common misconception about psoriasis is that it is contagious. To get psoriasis, a person must inherit the genes that cause it.

There are several types of psoriasis, and a person can get more than one type. Sometimes a person gets on type, but the type of psoriasis can change over time. The symptoms depend on the type of psoriasis. Many people say that their psoriasis began after they experienced one of these common psoriasis triggers:

• A stressful event
• Strep throat
• Taking certain medications
• Cold, dry weather
• A cut, scratch, or bad sunburn

Treating Psoriasis

Currently, psoriasis cannot be cured. While there are many treatments for psoriasis that can improve a person's quality of life, most people have psoriasis for life. This means that many patients tolerate constant pain from their symptoms. They bear the humiliation of continually shedding scales that litter their surroundings. Some wrestle with a crippling form of arthritis. More than anything, they sometimes bear the brunt of public rejection because of the misunderstandings surround the disease. This World Psoriasis Day, join us in squashing psoriasis stigmas.