"Problematic
skin doesn't
have to
interfere with
our daily
lives."
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Dr. Charles Howie, Board Certified Dermatologist, has been diagnosing and treating skin conditions with a special interest in skin lesions that may be of a cancerous nature for over 35 years.
His office hours are 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
Patients may self refer or make appointments through another physician referral. Most insurance plans are accepted.
Call (231) 796-3200 |
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Millions of people around the world have psoriasis, a chronic disease characterized by red, thickened patches of skin covered by scales or flakes. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that results when the body's immune system attacks its own tissue. Scientists now target the infection-fighting T cells as the trigger in this process of mistaken identity.
Several triggers have been linked to psoriasis flares, including:
Damage to the skin – Injury, frequent rubbing or scratching the skin may cause plaques to worsen in a process known as Koebner's phenomenon.
Infections – Streptococcal throat infections (strep throat) may trigger guttate psoriasis, a form of psoriasis that usually occurs in childhood.
Medications – Drugs linked to a worsening of psoriasis include lithium, drugs used to treat malaria, beta-blockers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and oral steroids.
Stress –Studies have linked stress to flares, which can occur as much as one month after the stressful event.
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Alcohol and smoking – Drinking and smoking are not considered major risk factors for developing psoriasis, but they may trigger flares, especially alcohol consumption in men and smoking in women.
Diet – While nutrition may play a role in psoriasis, the scientific basis for improving symptoms with diet has not been established.
Climate – Psoriasis is often better in the summer months, when the skin is exposed to sunshine, and worse during the cloudy winter months. Winter may be a good time for a vacation to a sunny spot!
Age Statistics:
- It often appears between the ages of 15 and 35, but can develop at any age.
- The average age of onset is 28.
- 10 percent to 15 percent of those with psoriasis get it before age 10.
- Some infants have psoriasis, although this is considered rare.
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- Annually, 20,000 children under 10 years of age are diagnosed with psoriasis.
Treatment:
Step 1: Topical Therapy
Topical treatments are used after determining the extent of the disease, location of disease, disability produced by the disease and patient age including: Steroids, Coal Tar, Calcipotriene, Tazarotene, Anthralin, Salicylic Acid, and other topicals.
Step 2: Phototherapy
Phototherapy is used for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis who are not responding to topical treatments or who have disease too extensive for topical therapy. Such treatments include: sunlight, ultraviolet light B (UVB), lasers: Pulsed Dye and Excimer, and PUVA.
Step 3: Systemic Medications
Systemic drugs usually are reserved for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis or disabling psoriatic arthritis. They also are used for erythrodermic or pustular psoriasis.
If you or someone you know is struggling with psoriasis or any other skin problem, call the office of Dr. Charles Howie at 796-3200 for an appointment.
Problematic skin doesn't have to interfere with our daily lives.
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