Psoriasis is a disease created by abnormal action of the immune system, which affects the skin and joints. When it affects the skin it commonly appears as red scaly elevated patches called plaques. Psoriasis plaques frequently occur on the elbows and knees, but can affect any area of skin including the scalp and genital area. Psoriasis can vary in severity, from minor localised patches to complete skin coverage. Fingernails and toenails are often affected (psoriatic nail dystrophy).

The prevalence of psoriasis in Western populations is estimated to be around 2-3%. It affects both sexes equally and occurs at all ages.

Several factors are thought to aggravate psoriasis. These include stress and excessive alcohol consumption. Individuals with psoriasis may also suffer from depression and loss of self-esteem. As such, quality of life is an important factor in evaluating the severity of the disease,

Hypnotherapy aims to remove all the psychological reasons why the immune system is acting inappropriately and by reducing any stress and improving any self-esteem problem, gradually improves the skin condition.

For an actual case study, follow the "hypnogenesis" link below to read a comprehensive article on how hypnotherapy helped a particular client virtually eliminate her psoriasis problem. The therapist involved here, Paul Howard, is a personal aquaintance, whose practice is in Surrey. The website for his practice is at www.sich.co.uk