PSORIASIS

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a fairly common skin disorder affecting approximately 2 million Americans. While the exact cause of psoriasis is not known, it appears to be the result of defective skin growth.

What causes psoriasis?

In psoriasis, skin grows faster than normal and forms red patches with much scaling. The scalp, elbows and knees are favorite areas of involvement, although psoriasis can involve almost any part of the skin. Fortunately, psoriasis is only a skin condition and does not affect the general health of the patient. (Very rarely, in severe cased, there may be some arthritis or joint discomfort.) Psoriasis is a problem because it is unsightly. Psoriasis is not contagious. Most patients with psoriasis have one or more blood relatives with this disorder indicating that heredity plays a role.

Psoriasis usually begins in young adulthood, although it can start in childhood or first begin in old age. Psoriasis is often mild and just affects a few areas. However, sometimes-large areas of the body may become involved. In general, psoriasis is very unpredictable, it may even spontaneously clear and disappear for months or years.

What is the treatment for psoriasis?

NEW AT DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATES OF KNOXVILLE!!!

Painless Laser Therapy Gives New Hope to Sufferers of Embarrassing Skin Diseases

 For the first time in their lives, patients who suffer from some of the most frustrating and embarrassing skin diseases including psoriasis, vitiligo, and atopic dermatitis have real hope for effectively, conveniently, and painlessly treating their conditions. 

 Here in Knoxville, Dermatology Associates of Knoxville, PC is proud to be the first physician office to offer the PHAROS excimer laser, a gentle and painless phototherapy laser shown to be effective in treating these difficult-to-treat conditions. 

 The PHAROS excimer laser is different from cosmetic lasers that are usually associated with pain during treatment and post-treatment downtime for the patient.  Instead, the PHAROS delivers a highly energetic but painless beam of UVB light directly to the psoriasis, vitiligo, and atopic dermatitis patches through a handpiece that rests directly on the patient’s skin.  It features the most advanced optical technology on the market, including an adjustable spot size and guiding aiming beam, to precisely target only the affected skin and spare the surrounding healthy tissue from exposure.  There is no downtime for the patients.

 Psoriasis is a non-contagious, lifelong skin disease that affects an estimated 7 million Americans. The most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale.  In addition to discomfort and itching, psoriasis patients commonly suffer from social embarrassment and depression.  Even worse for patients, the usual treatments are messy, time-consuming, and costly.  Topical creams and ointments have to be applied several times a day, conventional phototherapy requires 30-40 treatments and thrice weekly office visits, and the newer biological treatments usually cost the patient $2000-$3000 out of pocket each year.

 The PHAROS excimer laser is changing the way patients manage their psoriasis and is helping them achieve rapid clearing and long remissions.  Patients come in twice each week for an average of 6 weeks, and each quick treatment session that usually takes only 5-10 minutes.  Patients usually enjoy several months of treatment-free remission.

 Equally exciting for psoriasis patients, the targeted high-dose laser therapy can effectively treat stubborn plaques including knees, elbows, palms, soles, and scalp, even those that have not responded to other treatments.

Other treatments for Psoriasis include:

In spite of a great deal of research, we do not have a cure for psoriasis. The present day treatment of psoriasis is unsatisfactory, since medications are only effective while they are being used. The best medical science has to offer is temporary control of this disorder. We are only treating the present psoriasis you have. Treatment will not prevent new lesions. Psoriasis is usually treated with ointments applied directly to the skin. These skin medications generally contain tar, anthralin, salicylic acid or cortisone-type compounds. Whatever type of preparation you will be using should be applied very sparingly and massaged in well.

Two other methods are sometimes used in treating psoriasis. When there are only a few lesions of psoriasis, it is sometimes best to inject very small amounts of a cortisone-type suspension directly in the skin. Material injected in the skin is effective for several months and the treatment can be repeated when the psoriasis recurs. Injection of individual skin areas is feasible only when there are few patches of psoriasis since only the injected patches show improvement. In patients with very severe psoriasis, Methotrexate is sometimes given by mouth. Methotrexate is a powerful drug, which must be used with great caution. It affects cellular reproduction and slows down the abnormally fast growth of skin in psoriasis. In addition a new mode of therapy "PUVA" is available, if your psoriasis is severe enough.

Helpful Hints:
* Exposure to sunlight or artificial sun lamp in moderate dosage is often very helpful. Do not get a burn since psoriasis tends to localize in skin areas, which have been injured.
* Be sure to get enough rest. Psoriasis is not caused by "nerves" but tends to be worse when a person is under pressure and not getting enough rest.

* Diet does not affect psoriasis, except that drinking alcoholic beverages almost always makes it worse. It is recommended that patients with psoriasis either abstain or sharply limit their consumption of alcoholic beverages.

* When psoriasis affects the scalp, frequent shampooing is beneficial. A tar shampoo, such as ALA SEB-T and scalp lotion such as ALA SCALP are often prescribed. Psoriasis will not cause hair loss or baldness.

While psoriasis is an unsightly nuisance, please remember it is nothing more than that and will not prevent you from leading a full active and happy life. There is much ongoing research with psoriasis and new medications that are beneficial and being tested at this time.

Psoriasis Before Excimer Laser       Psoriasis After 12 treatments

Psoriasis Before Excimer Laser                         Psoriasis After 2 treatments