Leprosy and Psoriasis: A Heated Controversy
June 2023
in “
British Journal of Dermatology
”
TLDR Leprosy and psoriasis were historically confused, but were finally distinguished as separate diseases in the 1800s.
The article discusses the historical confusion between leprosy and psoriasis, two distinct skin diseases. In ancient times, the term 'leprosy' was used to describe multiple skin conditions, including psoriasis, leading to societal stigmatization of individuals with these conditions. The first significant differentiation between the two diseases was made by Robert Willan in 1809, who developed a classification of skin diseases that included different types of psoriasis. However, he still used the term 'lepra vulgaris' to describe psoriasis, perpetuating the confusion. The final separation of the two diseases was made by Ferdinand von Hebra in the 1800s, who eliminated the term 'lepra' from the description of psoriasis.
