Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease.  Symptoms include thickened, red areas of skin covered with silvery scales. Some cases of psoriasis are so mild that people don’t know they have it. Severe psoriasis may cover large areas of the body. In the United States, 4.5 million people have psoriasis and there are approximately 150,000 new cases reported each year.  Depending on the severity of the case, psoriasis can cause mild to severe discomfort.  See your dermatologist for treatment options.