Background Information:
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects 1-3% of the world’s population and is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, such as diet, stress-level, skin-care routine, etc. (Alekseyenko et al., 2013). People with psoriasis suffer from lesions (often called plaques) of dry, red, itchy, inflamed, and often “scaly’ skin (Langley et al., 2005). Lesions are created, in part, by an overactive inflammatory response in the skin, as well as the increased division of specific cells of the epidermis. In the recent past, researchers have specifically identified immune cells that play a role in this process by producing chemicals that increase inflammation (Chang et al., 2018; Lowes et al., 2008). Continue reading “The skin microbiome and psoriasis: An emerging relationship”