Is psoriasis contagious or is there no reason to panic? Is psoriasis contagious and how is it transmitted? Psoriasis causes and is it transmitted?

I decided to answer questions that interest many, those who encounter people with psoriasis. People ask such questions: How is Psoriasis transmitted? Is psoriasis contagious? Is psoriasis inherited?

The first signs of psoriasis symptoms on the body are red, scaly patches that look like large dandruff on the body. The diameter of the spots at the first stage of psoriasis is usually from 2 mm to 5 ruble coins, in the initial stage. For clarity, there are photos with the first symptoms of psoriasis in pictures. As the disease progresses, plaques on the skin increase to large sizes and merge with those spots that are nearby.

Every girl worries about her unborn child and his health, so she should plan her pregnancy and it is advisable to warn the doctor about this. Since some treatments have a negative effect on the fetus. If during pregnancy you go to a CVD or are treated by a local dermatologist. Then you should definitely inform the dermatologist about your situation in order to adjust your treatment.

Biopsy is the only test for today skin psoriasis, others have not yet been invented. The remaining tests are additional, since psoriasis is a systemic disease that affects many organs.

It is known that patients with psoriasis have a reduced quality of life due to the presence of rashes on both open and closed areas of the skin, and difficulties in social contacts are of greatest importance for them; Patients with psoriasis are characterized by low self-esteem and shyness.

Due to the chronic and often severe course of psoriasis, the problem of pathogenesis is still relevant today. Numerous studies are related to the study of lipid metabolism in patients with psoriasis. In 2013, data from a survey of 2.4 million people conducted between 1980 and 2012 in the United States was published. 265,512 were diagnosed with psoriasis, which was associated with dyslipidemia in 80% of patients.

According to doctors, it strengthens the immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells, in particular T-11 cells. It also promotes the production of lymphocytes for several hours after use. The oil causes the body to produce antibodies that fight fungi, viruses, bacteria and even cancer cells, writes The Times of India.

The wife of American rapper Kanye West, TV presenter and model Kim Kardashian, posed naked again. This time, an attractive 34-year-old woman appeared before the audience lying in seductive poses in the middle of the desert. However, things are not going as well for the star as they seem, reports the Mirror. In the footage of Kardashian's new photo shoot that has spread across the Internet, the naked TV star's chest is covered with white paint.

In Chelyabinsk, a Center for Immunallergopathology was opened on the basis of the advisory clinic of the regional clinical hospital. The decision to create the Center on the basis of the allergy clinic, which has worked at the Chelyabinsk OKB since 1972, was made by the chief physician of the institution, Dmitry Altman.

Despite compliance with current recommendations for the prevention of tuberculosis, patients with psoriasis receiving therapy with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors still remain at risk of developing tuberculosis. As part of a French national retrospective study between 2006 and 2014.

Psoriasis is a serious skin pathology associated with metabolic disorders in the skin. This disease is characterized by the appearance of plaques, areas of severe dryness on the skin, from which scales may come off; they usually become very red and may itch. It is worth knowing whether and how psoriasis can be transmitted, when there is a risk of developing pathology?

Psoriasis is a disease in which, due to metabolic disorders in the skin, skin cells begin to divide excessively, and in certain areas of the skin they are renewed too quickly. That's why they begin to flake off so quickly, causing redness and dry skin plaques. Psoriatic plaques can appear over almost the entire surface of the body, but they are especially common on the scalp, face, and in the folds of the limbs.

This disease is extremely difficult to cure, since when it occurs, a number of systemic disorders occur in the body at the endocrine level. Metabolic disorders usually occur, hormonal imbalances may appear, and in most cases, the body’s immune system begins to weaken.

  1. Therefore, when treating the disease, the most important thing is to bring psoriasis to stable remission, prevent the formation of new plaques, and reduce the number and size of old ones.
  2. At the same time, it is important to comprehensively support the body and restore normal immunity.
  3. Also, in some forms of psoriasis, due to damage to the skin, there is a possibility of infection; in such forms, proper antiseptic treatment is also important.

Under no circumstances should you treat psoriasis on your own without first consulting a doctor and selecting appropriate medications. In each individual case, this disease can occur in its own way, so the treatment regimen must be selected individually after a full examination.

Is psoriasis transmitted from person to person or not?

Contrary to popular myths, psoriasis is not a contagious disease; it cannot be transmitted from one person to another. This disease is not transmitted through a handshake; it is impossible to contract psoriasis from another person. However, it is worth considering that some other types of dermatitis are similar to psoriatic disease, so you should be careful.

This pathology is caused by serious disturbances in the functioning of the body, the immune system and metabolic processes in the body. It is not caused by infection and is not transmitted sexually or through blood.

However, it is worth remembering that psoriasis on the scalp can be confused with seborrheic dermatitis, which can be caused by a fungus. Therefore, if a person’s diagnosis has not been clarified, contact with him should be carried out with caution, and the simplest rules of personal hygiene should be observed. If a person has dermatitis, you should not use the same personal hygiene items or touch individual areas of the skin where foci of the disease are present.

Moreover, this disease can be inherited; at least some theories about this pathology claim that psoriatic disease in close relatives increases the likelihood of its occurrence.

Is psoriasis transmitted to children? Pathology in one of the parents may indicate that the child will develop this disease. However, there is also a possibility that the disease will not manifest itself. It is almost impossible to say for sure; psoriatic disease is still not sufficiently studied to be able to accurately say about the hereditary route of transmission.

However, it can be noted that the closer the relative, the higher the likelihood of developing the disease. Therefore, parents of a child who has psoriasis need to carefully monitor the condition of the baby’s skin.

Is non-congenital psoriasis transmitted to children? The fact is that the disease can occur at almost any age; it cannot be said whether it is congenital, arose due to heredity, or appeared over time due to various disorders in metabolic processes and the immune state. Just remember that if a parent has psoriatic disease, the child is more likely to develop it.

To reduce this likelihood, you need to follow certain prevention rules. First of all, you need to try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat right, and avoid vitamin deficiencies so that the immune system does not weaken under the influence of external factors. All endocrine diseases must be treated promptly.

It is also necessary to properly treat and treat damage to the skin. It happens that the first plaque appears at the site of a small scratch, torn skin, or other mechanical damage. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the condition of your skin so that there is no deterioration.

If something resembling a plaque does appear, you should immediately contact a dermatologist and undergo the necessary examination, which will help determine exactly what the cause of the formation is. The earlier treatment of the disease begins, the higher the likelihood of bringing the pathology into remission; it will not develop further, and the number of plaques will not increase. Psoriasis is treated with various methods, using antibacterial ointments, various hormonal agents, and physical therapy can be effective.

Other theories of the occurrence of psoriasis

In addition to the hereditary theory of the development of psoriatic disease. Some time ago, the viral theory of psoriasis was quite widespread, but today the scientific medical community has abandoned it because there is insufficient evidence.

Therefore, the most normal explanation for the occurrence of the disease is immune hormonal disruptions in the endocrine system. In any case, it is impossible to become infected with psoriatic disease; it is not transmitted from person to person. It can arise solely due to internal processes in the body, due to various disorders.

A large number of people, when they see a person with psoriasis, try to avoid all contact with him. They are simply afraid of infection. Such a negative reaction from others arises only because few people have tried to find an answer to the question of whether psoriasis is transmitted from one person to another or not. If people were more aware, patients with an unpleasant diagnosis would never face the fate of outcasts.

Almost every person has had to deal with psoriasis in their life. They were able to recognize some in a large crowd by characteristic rashes on the skin of open areas of the body. Many people try not to stand out, so they hide psoriatic plaques under clothes.

In fact, there is no need to protect yourself from communicating with those who have psoriasis. To understand this, it is enough to ask whether psoriasis is transmitted from person to person. The answer to this question allows others to understand how to behave with people with such a diagnosis.

Doctors have long come to the general conclusion that psoriasis is not transmitted from another person. There is not a single real case recorded in medicine that can refute this theory. In addition, this opinion is confirmed by scientific evidence. Only diseases that are viral or bacterial in nature can be transmitted in various ways. Psoriasis is not one of them. It is caused by white blood cells produced by the patient's body.

The only problem that may arise during communication with a patient is aesthetic discomfort. You don't have to worry about the rest. No infection occurs through contact with a sick person. This means that rumors about the dangers of communicating with a patient whose skin pathology is progressing are just fiction.

Psoriasis is not contagious! Don't be afraid of handshakes

Methods of transmission of psoriasis

When visiting a dermatologist, patients often ask questions about whether it is possible to become infected with psoriasis. A competent specialist will definitely tell you that skin pathology does not belong to the category of infectious diseases. The psoriatic process develops completely differently than other painful conditions with a similar clinical picture.

Psoriatic disease cannot be transmitted from a patient in the following ways:

  • Along the contact and everyday route. This means that a person can calmly communicate with someone who is sick, hug them and shake hands with them. He will not be in any danger if he uses a towel or wears the clothes of an infected person. The doctor should definitely inform the family of his patient about this feature. He must explain that communication and living together in the same house with the patient will not be dangerous for the rest of the household;
  • Through blood. If for one reason or another another person needs an urgent transfusion, and the donor is only a patient with psoriasis, then this will not pose any serious threat to the health of both. Biological fluids are not a source through which infection can occur. Also, do not worry if blood from a psoriasis patient accidentally gets into one person’s open wound;
  • During intimacy. This method of transmission of sexually transmitted diseases in this case is not contagious. This topic will be discussed in more detail below.


The blood of a patient with psoriasis, like other biological fluids, is absolutely safe

People should not be afraid to communicate freely with those infected with skin pathologies. If someone says that psoriasis is transmitted through close contact, then you should not believe this, since this theory has not been confirmed.

The likelihood of developing psoriatic plaques exists only in those people who are at risk. This means that someone close to them suffered from a skin pathology. Therefore, she could pass to them by inheritance. But even in this case, a person who has already shown signs of psoriasis on the skin is not the reason for the activation of the disease. It will enter an active phase in the presence of favorable conditions, for example, a sharp decrease in the protective properties of the body.

Is it sexually transmitted?

A person with psoriatic lesions of the skin of various parts of the body and head can calmly enter into intimate relationships with his partner without fear of infecting him. This is because the transmission of psoriasis through sexual contact is impossible.

Many people unknowingly confuse psoriatic disease with a fungal or viral infection, which are characterized by skin rashes. The latter are indeed contagious. To get sick, a man or woman only needs to have intimate contact with an infected person.

Since psoriasis is not caused by pathogenic microflora, infection with it is considered impossible. The disease makes itself felt due to the influence of certain factors on the body that provoke its activation.

A patient who has been diagnosed with psoriasis by a dermatologist can continue to have an intimate life. For most patients, this is good news, since this disease cannot be completely cured. A person has to live with such a diagnosis for decades.

Not only sexual contact with an infected person, but also kissing him is completely safe for a healthy person.


You cannot get psoriasis through sexual contact

Is psoriasis transmitted to children?

Experts have spent a lot of time searching for an answer to the question of whether psoriasis is inherited. They managed to come to a clear conclusion. Experts say that this is the most reliable way of transmitting psoriasis. Moreover, it has been repeatedly confirmed in practice.

It is worth clarifying one interesting nuance. It is not the disease itself that is inherited from a father or mother, but a predisposition to it. This means that a person may never get sick at all if he carefully takes care of his own health.

A child does not necessarily have to develop the same form of psoriasis that was diagnosed in one of his parents. Doctors distinguish many different types of pathology, which differ from each other in their course and treatment.

If a father or mother has inherited a predisposition to the appearance of psoriatic plaques to their child, then his body will react sharply to most irritants.


Predisposition to psoriasis is inherited

The following factors can lead to signs of psoriasis:

  • Leading an unhealthy lifestyle;
  • Adverse weather conditions;
  • Skin damage;
  • Individual characteristics of the body;
  • Overvoltage and stress.

If the baby’s parents suffer from psoriasis, then one day it will appear in him too. Cases have been recorded where a person who led a healthy lifestyle and did not have serious health problems fell ill with this disease. However, most often such people manage to avoid adverse consequences.

50% of children whose parents suffer from it have a predisposition to psoriasis. If only the father or mother is sick, then the likelihood of painful symptoms occurring is only for 25% of children.

If the disease did not make itself felt in childhood, then it can bother a person in old age. By this age, men and women have a greatly weakened immune system, and they experience disruptions in metabolic processes. All this leads to infection.

There is a lot of speculation and rumors surrounding psoriasis, which make life unbearable for patients. Most people try to stay away from the infected, so they become outcasts and withdraw into themselves. Psychological stress and constant worries have a bad effect on recovery, since a depressed state only aggravates the course of the pathological process.

Many people are interested in the question: is psoriasis contagious or not. This is natural, because this disease is quite common. The vast majority of people are afraid to come into contact with a person who has noticeable psoriatic papules on their skin. How justified this fear is, you can find out from this article.

Is psoriasis contagious?

Psoriasis is absolutely not contagious. Not a single case of transmission of the disease from person to person has been recorded. The causative agents of the disease are not infections and microbes, which are potentially dangerous to others, but leukocytes produced by the patient’s body.

Communication with a person suffering from psoriasis can only cause aesthetic discomfort. Otherwise, such contact is completely safe for healthy people. The statement that psoriasis is contagious and dangerous to others is just a common myth.

How is psoriasis transmitted?

It is impossible for a healthy person to contract psoriasis from a patient. Psoriasis is not transmitted:

  • In case of contact with skin, through the use of the same household items with the patient (bed linen, towels, dishes).
  • Through saliva, sweat.
  • Sexually.
  • When caring for the sick.
  • Through blood.

And you can inherit a predisposition to the appearance of psoriasis. The genetic factor plays a key role in the development of the disease. The likelihood that this disease will be transmitted from mother to child is high. It is 40-50%. If both parents are sick, the risk that their child will develop the disease reaches 75%.

In patients with psoriasis, changes occur at the cellular level in the tissues of the skin. These pathogenic mutations are passed on to children at the genetic level. Their presence leads to changes in metabolic processes and the development of the disease.

Skin psoriasis does not necessarily appear in the next generation. It may arise within a generation. The disease is often in a latent state. A person does not realize that he has a predisposition to its development.

There are situations when psoriatic papules first form in children, and after a while they appear in parents. This indicates the presence of the disease in the hereditary line.

Psoriasis is not a contagious disease. But it is important to identify it and not confuse it with other dermatological diseases that are transmitted through contact.


With the development of psoriasis, isolated red spots form on the surface of the skin. At first they are small in size. Formations are growing quite quickly. The stratum corneum of the rash peels off greatly and turns into plaques. These are papules. The places where they are located itch. The first rashes appear, as a rule, on the curves of the body (knees, elbows, shoulders), on the head, and back.

Distinctive signs of psoriasis:

  • Formation of a “stearin stain” ─ papule scales quickly peel off when their surface is lightly scraped.
  • The appearance of a “terminal film” ─ after the scales peel off, the surface of the skin becomes thin and shiny, as if wet.
  • “Blood dew” effect ─ if the terminal film is damaged, small drops of blood form on the surface, reminiscent of dew.


Although psoriasis cannot be contracted, it is a very dangerous disease. It should be treated when the first symptoms appear. This disease affects the skin as well as internal organs. This is where its danger lies. If you do not complete the course of treatment selected by your doctor in a timely manner, serious complications may develop:

  • Damage to the nail plate.
  • Joint damage, development of psoriatic arthritis. The disease can have a pathological effect on the spine, leading to disability.
  • Eye diseases ─ lens sclerosis, conjunctivitis, episcleritis, uveitis.
  • Damage to the mucous membranes ─ if plaques appear in the urethra, bladder, this threatens with urethritis, cystitis, prostatitis.
  • Kidney and liver diseases.
  • Enlargement of the inguinal and femoral lymph nodes.
  • Muscle pain, weakening.
  • Damage to the nervous system ─ there is a risk of developing epilepsy, encephalopathy, and polyneuritis.

Psoriasis is a systemic disease that affects all organs. Possible death in very advanced stages.

Is there a cure for psoriasis?

It is impossible to cure psoriasis completely. This is a chronic disease. However, modern medicine methods minimize the rate of its development and prolong the period of remission for a long time. It can last for years or even decades.

The main types of treatment for psoriasis:

1. Therapeutic methods:

  • Photochemotherapy.
  • Ultraviolet radiation.
  • Laser therapy.

2. Medication methods:

  • Hormonal drugs, in particular.
  • Use of flavored retinoids.
  • Monoclonal antibodies.
  • Antihistamines.

3. Special diet

An integrated approach to treatment demonstrates maximum effectiveness.

Psoriasis is not contagious. It is not transmitted, regardless of the method of contact with the patient. But the disease is hereditary. When someone has psoriasis in their family (even grandparents, aunts and uncles), the person has a predisposition to its development.

Psoriasis looks unsightly. In people who are little familiar with the nature of this disease, the instinct of self-preservation is triggered - they want to move away and avoid contact. Their fears are understandable, because there are diseases that can be transmitted to other people. Even for those who are faced with manifestations of psoriasis in a loved one, one of the first questions that arises is about the likelihood of infection. Is there any cause for concern?

We will hasten to dispel your doubts and discuss such ways of transmitting the disease as:

  • contact with the patient;
  • during sexual intercourse;
  • genetically.

Which of the following factors can be answered in the affirmative?

The second name for psoriasis, lichen planus, suggests the possibility of infection through contact with a patient. Most often, the causative agents of lichen are various viruses or fungi. This is not the case with psoriasis.

The development of the disease is not associated with the activity of pathogenic microorganisms. Causes of skin rashes include:

  • deterioration in the functioning of the endocrine system;
  • poor metabolism (metabolic disorder);
  • weakened immunity as a result of a previous illness, drug therapy, stressful situations, alcohol abuse.

The disease is not transmitted through blood transfusions or through open wounds. When the affected skin comes into contact with healthy skin, no infection occurs either. Thousands of people live with relatives who have been diagnosed with psoriasis and have close contact with them without any consequences. Life partners can safely pursue a romantic relationship because the disease does not pass from one person to another through hugs and kisses. Also, it is impossible to catch psoriasis by using common household items - dishes or bedding.

So, is this disease contagious or not for others? The answer can be unequivocal: lichen planus is not an infectious disease, which means that a patient with psoriasis is safe for those who are near him. But maybe an intimate relationship with such a person poses a threat?

Sexual infection

Is it possible to get psoriasis from a patient through sexual contact? There is no evidence that this ever happened. We found out that lichen planus is not an infection. Therefore, sexual contact is as harmless as any other.

Psoriasis is not sexually transmitted, but there are other diseases (STDs) that can be contracted during sex. Let's list just a few of them:

  • gonorrhea;
  • chlamydia;
  • syphilis;
  • genital lice;
  • condylomas;
  • genital herpes;
  • HIV infection.

The paradox is that it is not a person with psoriasis, but an apparently healthy person who can harm his partner. Since STDs fundamentally damage the immune system, infection with any of the listed diseases can provoke a sharp exacerbation of lichen planus and multiple psoriatic rashes on the body.

Genetic predisposition and other factors

Scientists continue to think about how psoriasis is transmitted. The only reason they accepted as a basis is a genetic background. It is believed that psoriasis is inherited from parents to children, and not the disease itself, but a predisposition to it. The following data exists:

  • if one of the parents is sick in the family, the probability of developing psoriasis in the child is 10-16%;
  • When psoriasis is diagnosed in both parents, the probability of this disease occurring in children reaches 50%.

Even if the parents were healthy, after studying their genealogy, you can find that one of your ancient ancestors suffered from psoriasis. However, the version of heredity is confirmed in only one third of cases, so it cannot be said for sure that the disease is transmitted genetically.

Among other factors that influence the occurrence of psoriasis, scientists name geographic location, climate and even race. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examined 26,000 Indians originally from South America and did not find a single case of the disease. It is extremely rare for residents of Japan and Korea to suffer from psoriasis. Residents living close to the equator (Sri Lanka, Egypt, Taiwan) suffer from psoriasis less than those living more distantly (Australia, Europe). The highest level of the disease was recorded in the Arctic - 12% of the population suffers from psoriasis.

Scientists have to conduct a lot of research to thoroughly study the origin of psoriasis and find a cure for the disease. In the meantime, let’s discuss what those who have psoriasis have been diagnosed with and become an integral part of their lives can do.

If the disease worsens, you should consult a dermatologist and undergo medication treatment. The following tips will help maintain long-term remission:

  • learn to remain calm in stressful situations;
  • give up bad habits;
  • play sports;
  • take regular walks in the fresh air;
  • try to eat right;
  • take vitamins;
  • use natural cosmetics.

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