In the event you’ve ever noticed inflamed, scaly patches in your body and wondered what they were (and what it’s best to do about them), psoriasisan autoimmune disorder that causes scaly rashes on the skin, could be the cause.

While there are a lot of treatment options available for psoriasis, the scaly patches that may develop throughout your body is usually a bit scary. We get it, which is why we spoke with a slew of skin experts on all things psoriasis, including what it’s best to (and definitely shouldn’t) do in case you suspect you may have it.

• Joshua DraftsmanMD, is a board-certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology and the Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Recent York City.
• Tsippora ShainhouseMD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills and a clinical instructor on the University of Southern California.
• Nava GreenfieldMD, is a board-certified dermatologist in Brooklyn, Recent York.

• What is psoriasis?
• What does psoriasis look like?
• What do you do about it?
• What you should not do about it.

Joshua Draftsmanthe director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Recent York City, explains it in the only terms: “Psoriasis is a condition during which the immune system gets offended on the skin, resulting in red, scaly plaques,” he says. Often, you will see these plaques on the elbows and knees, but psoriasis can appear anywhere, including the scalp, lower back, nails, and even the genitals.

Wish to get much more specific? Psoriasis “is a genetic, autoimmune, inflammatory condition during which your skin cells divide too quickly and don’t shed quickly enough,” says Tsippora Shainhouse, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills and a clinical instructor on the University of Southern California. These extra cells (that do not get shed fast enough) are what create the inflamed, scaly plaques on the surface of the skin. Psoriasis is taken into account to be a typical and chronic condition, meaning that it’s always a lifelong disease and that flare-ups can come and go at any time.

Despite the fact that symptoms mainly manifest on the skin, the condition is not only skin deep — it’s an autoimmune disorder. Having psoriasis can even make you more at risk of developing other diseases. In response to Shainhouse, psoriasis is commonly related to psoriatic arthritis, metabolic syndrome, elevated triglycerides, increased risk for heart disease, and obesity. So, if the superficial aspect of psoriasis is not enough to get you to a health care provider, all the aforementioned reasons ought to be.