Is Psoriasis an Autoimmune Disease?
Reviewed by: HU Medical Review Board | Last reviewed: October 2024 | Last updated: October 2024
Plaque psoriasis is a condition that causes itchy, scaly patches on the skin. Even though psoriasis impacts the skin, your immune system has a role in it. Psoriasis is considered an autoimmune disease. This means it is caused by your own immune system.1-3
What is an autoimmune disease?
Autoimmune diseases are conditions that are caused by an overactive immune system. Our immune systems protect us by attacking germs that enter our body and could make us sick. In most people, the immune system can tell that the germs are not part of us. Then it knows to attack the germs. For people with autoimmune conditions, the immune system does not always know what to attack.1-3
In autoimmune conditions, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own healthy cells, organs, or tissue. This causes inflammation and other symptoms. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune diseases that can impact many different parts of the body. Having 1 autoimmune condition makes you more likely to develop others.1-3
Is psoriasis considered an autoimmune disease?
Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition. In psoriasis, the overactive immune system causes the skin to become inflamed and produce too many skin cells. In most people, it takes 21 to 28 days for new skin cells to grow. For people with psoriasis, this can take only 3 to 4 days. Skin symptoms can also be a sign of inflammation in other parts of the body.1-3
The way psoriasis affects the skin is mostly caused by a type of white blood cell called a T cell. In most people, T cells are part of the immune system and help protect the body against foreign invaders. In people with psoriasis, the T cells are activated and put into action by mistake. The T cells become so active that they trigger other immune responses. This leads to inflammation and rapid growth of skin cells.2-4
We do not know exactly why people with psoriasis have this immune response. But we do know that psoriasis runs in families. If 1 parent has psoriasis, the chance of their child having psoriasis is almost 1 in 3. This implies that there may be a gene that has a role in the psoriasis immune response. But more research is needed to study this link.2,3
Does being an autoimmune condition affect psoriasis treatment options?
Because psoriasis is caused by the immune system, some treatment options target it. These work by blocking the body’s immune response. Immune-targeting drugs for psoriasis include biologics and small molecule inhibitors. These drugs work by targeting specific parts of the immune system that are overactive in psoriasis.3
Examples of immune drugs for psoriasis include:3,5
It may take time to find the right immune-targeting drug for you. Additionally, immune-targeting drugs may not be right for everyone with psoriasis. Because these drugs can cause serious side effects, they may not be recommended for people with mild psoriasis.1,3