When it comes to skin conditions, Psoriasis is one of the most common. In fact, it's so common about 2% of the entire U.S. population has it, making it the most prevalent autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, there is NO cure for Psoriasis, but learning to recognize symptoms early will help you get a quick start when it comes to treating this often uncomfortable condition. So what does Psoriasis look like? Usually, it causes skin to become red and inflamed as well as form dry, flaky, silvery colored patches. It can also be extremely tender and itchy. Flare-ups may appear as just a few small patches or be spread out over a large section of the body. Typically, it forms on the knees or elbows, but can also crop up on places like the scalp, hands, feet, and back. And while it may look contagious, it's not. Experts believe psoriasis susceptibility is passed through families, sometimes skipping a generation. What's being passed along is not actually a skin problem but an immune system glitch. More specifically the white blood cells, called the T-cells, in your body that target invading germs, viruses, and bacteria get confused. They mistake your healthy skin cells for "bad guys" and attack. As a result, your skin cells reproduce so rapidly to try to get rid of a non-existing infection that your body can't shed them fast enough-hence the flakey buildup. This will continue to happen until the area is treated. Most people don't start to show symptoms until between the ages of 15 to 30. Outbreaks are often triggered by stress, damage to the skin like sunburn, cold weather, or certain medications like those used to treat depression or high blood pressure. Bad habits like smoking and heavy drinking can also be triggers. To find out more about Psoriasis and treatment options, check out the rest of the videos in this series.