Psoriasis
is a persistent and chronic skin disease which has a
tendency to be genetically inherited. The word comes from
ancient Greece, and means "to itch". Red eruptions appear on
the surface of the skin and begin to itch. These areas form
plaques over the reddened lesions. The plaques resemble
multi-layered scales of skin. Psoriasis varies in intensity
from a few random spots to a massive outbreak covering the
entire body and requiring hospitalization. In some cases,
psoriasis is so mild that people don't know they have it. At
the opposite extreme, severe psoriasis may cover large areas
of the body. Psoriasis cannot be passed from one person
to another, though it is more likely to occur in people
whose family members have it.
