Salmon colored skin that becomes cracked, flaky and irritated is among the symptoms of psoriasis. In the case of plaque psoriasis, which is also the most common type, the afflicted areas develop round, oval or odd formed patches of red which are covered with skin that is scaly and silvery colored. There is no consistency in the size or shape of the patchy areas and sometimes, several smaller patches can fuse together and appear as a single big irregular shape of irritated skin. As well as not being very nice to look at, the skin in these areas occasionally cracks and starts bleeding.

The area of affected skin can become very itchy and feel as though it is burning. Similar to the shape, there is no consistency as to how long a particular flare-up will last. It could last ten days or you may have to suffer it for a number of weeks. One of the worst aspects for sufferers is that it is a lifelong condition and repeated flare-ups can happen at any time.

Even though any part of the body can be affected by psoriasis, the most frequent areas are the hands, scalp, torso, elbows and knees. Flare-ups tend to be symmetric, meaning that both sides of the body will experience flare-ups in the same areas at the same time.

Hereditary factors play some role in psoriasis which means that those folks with parents or grandparents who have had psoriasis have an increased chance that they will develop it as well. For reasons that are not yet fully understood, T-cells, which are needed by our bodies to produce infection fighting white blood cells, cause inflammation of the skin. These same cells also trigger some bodily process which results in the over production of skin cells. Because these skin cells are surplus to requirements, they just stack up on top of each other and in turn produce the telltale raised areas on the skins surface. To nourish these extra skin cells, an increased blood supply is required which results in the red look.

Injuries to the skin, sun and streptococcal infections are frequent triggers of Psoriasis. Changes in the bodies hormone levels as well as stress and anxiety can also spark outbreaks. Individuals with early stages of HIV seem to have higher instances of psoriasis as well. Smokers and alcohol drinkers are thought to be at greater risk of developing psoriasis although it is not infectious and cannot be passed on.

In the absence of any recognized cure for psoriasis, there are various effective treatments that can at least ease the symptoms. Begin by keeping the affected areas damp and by resisting the temptation to scratch.

The initial course of treatments are topical and are applied directly to the affected area with the ultimate aim of trying to stem the production of excess skin cells. Coal tar, salicylic acid, corticosteroids, synthetic vitamin D, tazorac and anthrallin are common localized treatment options as are specially formulated bathing products and moisturizers. For more serious cases where topical treatments maybe ineffective, systemic medications may be prescribed by the doctor. Phototherapy, where sufferers are exposed to medically-supervised ultraviolet radiation is also effective in the treatment of psoriasis.