Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by the appearance of characteristic thickened, flaky, inflamed patches on well-defined, more or less extensive skin areas.
The disease affects 0.1-3.0% of the world’s population, presenting in 75-80% of cases in a mild form. In Italy, an estimated 1.5 million people are affected by psoriasis.
Psoriasis can occur at any age, but onset is most common between the ages of 20 and 30.
About 15% of cases are diagnosed in children younger than 10 years old.
Men and women are affected equally, although some subtypes of the disease tend to show a gender preference and women tend to develop manifestations at a younger age than men.
People with fair skin are more often affected by psoriasis than people with darker complexions.
