Psoriasis is believed to be an autoimmune disease but in reality the causes of psoriasis is still mostly a mystery to doctors and researchers. This means it is caused by an over active immune system. Your immune system thinks that your skin cells are foreign objects and attacks them, causing the skin to react. Autoimmune disorders are usually an inherited condition.
In order to develop psoriasis you have to have a certain combination of genes. One of those is believed to be the inherited gene for psoriasis. But there are many people who have psoriasis who have no clear relatives with it. Yet one in ten Americans has the genes to develop psoriasis. Doctors and researchers believe that the right triggers have to be present in order for a person’s psoriasis to become active.
Triggers play a big part in the causes of psoriasis. Outbreaks, especially the initial ones, are caused by triggers. A trigger is something that causes your immune system to malfunction and then attack your skin cells. Some of the more common triggers are stress, medications, infections and injuries. Triggers are different for everyone and not everyone’s triggers are on this list.
If you have surgery psoriasis may develop along the scar. This is called the Koebner phenomenon. Other causes of psoriasis are bug bites, the site of a vaccination, or sunburns can also be where a flare-up occurs and fall under this phenomenon. This is a very good reason to take good care of your skin, whether you have psoriasis or not, because any of these could be the cause of your first occurrence ever.
There are a few medications that have been found to be more likely to trigger psoriasis than any others. These include antimalarial medications, lithium, indomethacin, some high blood pressure medications and some heart medications. So, if you already have psoriasis or you are at risk for it, as in psoriasis runs in your family, then you need to take this into consideration if you are taking any of these medications. They are recognized triggers.
If you believe you may have psoriasis then you should see a doctor instead of trying to self medicate yourself at home. With knowledge of the illness and determination to get help, your skin will be feeling better in no time. The causes of psoriasis are many but keep in mind that there are treatments, medications and therapy available.