Psoriasis services offered in Mooresville, NC

Psoriasis can cause discomfort as well as irritable red and scaly rashes. If you have the condition, finding a way to manage your flare-ups is crucial. Board-certified dermatologist Blake Sanders, DO, FAAD, and his team at Sacred Heart Dermatology in Mooresville, North Carolina evaluate and treat various types of psoriasis. To learn more about it and how to manage your flare-ups, schedule an appointment over the phone or online today.

Psoriasis Q&A

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a group of similar skin conditions that originates from a defect of your immune system. During a psoriasis flare-up, your skin cells grow and reproduce too quickly for their life cycles. As a result excess skin cells build up on the surface of your skin into scaly rashes called plaques.

While psoriasis is a chronic (long-term) condition, you don’t experience symptoms all the time. Instead, you experience psoriasis symptoms during flare-ups, which often happen because of specific triggers. However, they can also happen spontaneously.

There are multiple types of psoriasis with the most common being plaque psoriasis. At Sacred Heart Dermatology, Dr. Sanders specializes in treating all varieties of the condition including plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, nail psoriasis, and inverse psoriasis.

What are the most common psoriasis symptoms?

Psoriasis symptoms vary based on your exact diagnosis. Generally, however, there are several symptoms that appear with all or most types. You should report to Dr. Sanders at Sacred Heart Dermatology if you notice:

• Patchy rashes
• White or silvery scales across your rashes
• Cracking skin
• Itching or burning

Psoriasis rashes can occur across various parts of your body. With plaque psoriasis they’re most common on your elbows, knees, and scalp. Certain types of psoriasis have other distinct symptoms, like discolored or brittle nails with nail psoriasis.

How can I manage my psoriasis?

While psoriasis has no cure, effective treatment can keep the symptoms away for months or even years at a time. You can manage a flare-up with individualized dermatological care that aims to control the condition long-term.

Dr. Sanders develops a treatment plan just for you that might involve one or more of the following:

• Ultraviolet (UV) light therapy
• Steroids
• Retinoids
• Biologics
• Vitamin D
• Salicylic acid
• Coal tar

There are some steps you can take at home to soothe your psoriasis too, like indulging in daily lukewarm baths, applying plenty of moisturizer, and identifying and avoiding triggers that tend to cause psoriasis flare-ups.

Natural UV light from the sun can also improve the condition, but you should be careful not to spend too much time in the sun because of the risks of sun damage and skin cancer.

Learn more about psoriasis and the treatments available by scheduling an appointment over the phone or online at Sacred Heart Dermatology today.