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Psoriasis on the knuckles

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Psoriasis

Alternative Names: Plaque psoriasis Symptoms: Skin patches Dry or red Usually covered with silvery scales Raised patches of skin Accompanied by red borders May crack and become painful Usually discrete, demarcated patches Usually located on the elbows, knees, trunk, scalp, hands or nails Skin lesions, including pustules, cracking of skin, skin redness or inflammation Itching Small scaling dots on the skin (especially in children) Joint pain or aching, which may be associated with a special type of arthritis (psoriatic arthritis) Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease: Nail abnormalities Genital lesions in males Eye burning, itching, and discharge Increased tearing Signs and tests: Text Continues Below The diagnosis is usually based on the appearance of the skin. A skin biopsy, or scraping and culture of skin patches, may be needed to rule out other disorders. An x-ray may be used to check for psoriatic arthritis if joint pain is present and persistent.

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