Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune disease that appears on the skin. It occurs when the immune system sends out faulty signals that speed up the growth cycle of skin cells. Psoriasis is not contagious.

The disorder is a chronic frustrating, recurring condition that varies in severity from minor localized patches to complete body coverage. Psoriasis can also cause inflammation of the joints, which is known as psoriatic arthritis. Ten to fifteen percent of people with psoriasis have psoriatic arthritis. The cause of psoriasis is not fully understood, but it is believed to have a genetic component. Various environmental factors have been suggested as aggravating to psoriasis, including stress, withdrawal of systemic corticosteroid, as well as other environmental factors.

There are many treatments available, but because of its chronic recurrent nature, psoriasis is a challenge to treat.

I have treated many cases of psoriasis in 15 years of my academic carrier in medical colleges. I have been dealing with psoriasis in 20 years of my private practice with newer modalities of treatments. I have psoriasis OPD in which I am treating various types of psoriasis.

The treatments available in psoriasis OPD are –

• Local creams
• PUVA – Psoralen + UVA
• UVB - narrowband UVB
• Methotrexate/ cyclopsorine / Acitretin
• Leflunamide
• New magic drugs – BIOLOGICS – etanercept / infliximab
• EXCILITE LASER

In our OPD we are assessing the severity of psoriasis with PASI (Psoriasis area sverity index ) score. We are monitoring the quality of life of patient with PQLI ( psoriasis quality life index)