OBJECTIVES: To develop a disease model based on the literature findings, illustrating the impact of psoriasis on patients’ lives. METHODS: Biomedical databases were searched using keywords related to psoriasis and social, psychological, and physical impacts. Articles containing concepts related to psoriasis and important to patients were retained. Relevant concepts were extracted, put into homogenous groups and organised in a diagram according to Wilson and Cleary’s model. Finally, statistically significant links between concepts were reported in the diagram. RESULTS: Among 374 abstracts reviewed, 35 articles were selected for the construction of the model. The concepts identified in publications were extracted and put into 5 groups: disease-related characteristics (risk factors, signs and symptoms, biological, functional, psychological status); environment (social life, medical, emotional, other people); individual characteristics (socio-demographics, co-morbidities, beliefs, personality, coping strategies); treatment; and overall quality of life. Disease characteristics (especially signs and symptoms), appeared to be very important to patients, and was the concept most widely correlated with others. Psychological status, including psychological distress, also emerged as an essential concept for patients with psoriasis, and was related to coping strategies such as avoidance. Functional status and social life seemed to be impaired, resulting in restrictions in activities of daily living, sexual relationships, or work, leading to social withdrawal. Finally, the role of stress appeared to be complex, as it can be a risk factor, a personality trait, or a consequence of psoriasis. CONCLUSIONS: This model illustrates the impact of psoriasis on many domains of patients’ lives. It highlights the successive consequences leading from symptoms to health-related quality of life. It also shows the amount of available evidence, allowing elements that require further exploration to be identified. Finally, the model describes the interactions between individual and environmental factors, as well as the complexity of some factors (e.g. stress).