Psoriasis causes red, scaly patches to appear on the skin. It can look like a rash, so you may worry that you could get it from someone else or pass it to others. But rest easy: Its not contagious. You cannot catch the disease by touching someone who has it.

Is psoriasis genetically inherited?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that can run in families. Your skin cells grow too quickly and pile up into bumps and thick scaly patches called plaques. Youre more likely to get psoriasis if your blood relatives also have it. Thats because certain genes play a role in who gets the condition.

Does psoriasis run in family?

Psoriasis can occur in people with no family history of the disease. Having a family member with the disease increases your risk. If one of your parents has psoriasis, you have about a 10 percent chance of getting it. If both of your parents have psoriasis, your risk is 50 percent.

How likely is it to pass on psoriasis?

Having a parent with psoriasis increases your risk of developing it, and having two parents with it increases your risk even more. A parent with the disease has about a 10 percent chance of passing it down to their child. If both parents have psoriasis, theres a 50 percent chance of passing down the trait.

At what age does psoriasis usually start?

While it can begin at any age, psoriasis has 2 peaks of onset, the first at age 20 to 30 years and the second at age 50 to 60 years. It affects men and women equally but is more common in non-Hispanic whites. Some patients are more prone to developing psoriasis, especially if there is a family member with psoriasis.

Is psoriasis caused by stress?

Stress is a common trigger for a psoriasis flare. Stress also can make itch worse. This makes managing stress a particularly important skill for people with psoriasis.

Can psoriasis skip a generation?

There is evidence to suggest that psoriasis can run in families, and that genetic factors play a role. However, having a family member with psoriasis does not mean that a person will develop it themselves.

Can you spread psoriasis by scratching?

Most flare-ups are triggered by something. Scratching a psoriasis rash does not cause it to spread from one location to another. However, it may slow the healing process, creating the appearance that psoriasis is spreading.

Why is my psoriasis spreading so fast?

A family history of psoriasis, having another immune system disorder, smoking, trauma to the skin, and exposure to many psoriasis triggers are additional risk factors that might cause psoriasis to spread.