Silver or White Scales on Red Patches
The knees and elbows of people who have plaque psoriasis often develop a whitish or silvery color. This color is due to the presence of scales or flaky skin on the skin. This is an area of dead skin that is supposed to be shed. These scales develop on the patches of raised red skin. The scaly skin does not look the same on every skin type. It tends to be more obvious on Caucasian skin [6].
Dry Skin
The outer layer of the skin tends to be dry in people with plaque psoriasis. This may be due to the buildup of dead cells on the skin. It may also be because the skin is not developing properly due to the acceleration of the skin production cycle.
This lack of adequate moisture makes the skin vulnerable to injuries [7]. The skin may crack and bleed more easily when a person has plaque psoriasis. This increases the risk of infection.