What is psoriasis and is it contagious?
As one of the most chronic skin diseases which affects a large number of people and causes bad surface symptoms, it is normal when many people questioning whether psoriasis is contagious or not. Looking the skin of psoriasis patients, with the lesions and scales, many people think that psoriasis is contagious. This stigma causes patients with psoriasis to feel depressed and being isolated. In fact, psoriasis is not contagious as it is not caused by bacteria, virus or fungi, instead it is due to disturbance in individual's immune system.
As one of the most chronic skin diseases which affects a large number of people and causes bad surface symptoms, it is normal when many people questioning whether psoriasis is contagious or not. Looking the skin of psoriasis patients, with the lesions and scales, many people think that psoriasis is contagious. This stigma causes patients with psoriasis to feel depressed and being isolated. In fact, psoriasis is not contagious as it is not caused by bacteria, virus or fungi, instead it is due to disturbance in individual's immune system.
Is psoriasis contagious?
In normal people, the body regularly produces new skin cells which moves upward. Skin cells have high growth rate, their life span is almost thirty days. Thus, the old skin cells on the top surface are expected to die off and and gradually shed off, so that the new cells beneath the skin surface can replace them.
In normal people, the body regularly produces new skin cells which moves upward. Skin cells have high growth rate, their life span is almost thirty days. Thus, the old skin cells on the top surface are expected to die off and and gradually shed off, so that the new cells beneath the skin surface can replace them.
However, in psoriasis patients, this normal cycle does not occur. Due to abnormal immune system, which can be triggered by alcoholism, improper diet, smoking and insufficient vitamin D, the newly formed skin cells are rapidly developed and pushed upward to the surface. In the other hand, the old skin cells on the surface do not have enough time to shed off. Thus, this causes a pile up of the cells which can be characterized by flaky, white and dry areas. These areas are actually known as psoriasis.
In conclusion, based on its pathophysiological course, psoriasis is not a contagious disease. Since it is an autoimmune disease, it cannot be transmitted from one person to other like bacterial or viral infections. This fact should remove the stigma on psoriasis patients, they should not be abandoned nor be humiliated. Instead, they should be helped to find effective ways to reduce the burden of the disease. The most important thing is, people should understand the disease. Last but not least, if you are asked, "Is psoriasis contagious?", you can confidently answer that it is not.
