With Dr Mathilde Kemula, dermatologist in Charenton-le-Pont, consultation attaché at Henri Mondor hospital (Créteil).
Psoriasis is psychosomatic
FALSE
Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that affects 3 to 5% of the population. It results from an excessive reaction of the skin to attacks. This is why environmental factors (stress, trauma, emotional shock, seasons, etc.) can trigger crises, but they do not cause illness.
Psoriasis is hereditary
True and false
A family factor is only present in 30% of cases. This is a predisposition linked to the presence of susceptibility genes involved in the control of the skin’s immune response to attacks.
Psoriasis is a contagious disease
FALSE
You can touch, feel, or kiss someone who has psoriasis without any consequences. And of course swimming in the same pool as a psoriatic … The plaques are just the witness of too rapid renewal of skin cells, every 5 to 6 days instead of 28.
There is no cure that really works
FALSE
Psoriasis is a lifelong highs and lows disease. But most of the forms are mild. And when they are, effective treatments can be offered in more than 80% of cases.
