Currently 4% of women enrolled in the Illinois Womens Health Registry suffer from this skin condition that causes itchy or sore red patches of skin with silvery scales.
Psoriasis occurs when the normal life cycle of skin cells is accelerated by the immune system, causing buildup of dead skin cells, which form the thick, silvery scale-like appearance. There are several types of psoriasis, the most common of which include Plaque Psoriasis, causing the red, scaly lesions; Scalp Psoriasis; Nail Psoriasis, causing abnormal nail growth; and Psoriatic Arthritis, causing stiffness and progressive joint damage. For many people, psoriasis is just a nuisance, however patients usually seek medical advice if their psoriasis causes discomfort and pain, interferes with daily tasks, or causes concern about the appearance of skin. There is no cure for psoriasis, but many treatments exist to interrupt the overproduction of skin cells and to provide significant relief.
Resources at Northwestern for Psoriasis:
Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s Department of Dermatology offers state-of-the-art treatment options for dermatology conditions such as psoriasis. The department also provides cosmetic treatments to patients with various dermatological symptoms. Treatment options include laser surgery, microdermabrasion, camouflage makeup, skin peels and phototherapy (PUVA).
http://www.nmh.org/nmh/specialtiesandservices/medicalspecialties/dermatology/main.htm
The Department of Dermatology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine runs a Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic on Tuesday mornings. The clinic is headed by Prashant Singri, MD from dermatology and by Eric Ruderman, MD from Rheumatology. The clinic is ideal for patients with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the clinic at 312-695-8106.
Northwestern Physicians/Researchers Specializing in Psoriasis Treatment:
The Department of Dermatology at Feinberg School of Medicine has active areas of laboratory and clinical outcomes research. Nearly all of the clinical faculty in the department serve as principle investigators in clinical trials. Dr. Amy Paller, Chair of the Northwestern Department of Dermatology and Professor of Pediatrics conducts laboratory research related to Psoriasis and other hyper-proliferative skin disorders. Also conducting research involving psoriasis is Dr. Prashant Singri, head of the Psoriasis clinic.
IWHR Highlighted Researcher
Dr. Anne Laumann, MBChB, MRCP (UK), FAAD is an Associate Professor of Dermatology in the Feinberg School of Medicine. She is an active member of many dermatology organizations including the American Academy of Dermatology, the Society of Investigative Dermatology, the Scleroderma Foundation, the Vitiligo Foundation, and the Psoriasis Foundation. Dr. Laumann is the principal investigator on a number of clinical trials related to Raynaud’s phenomenon, psoriasis, and itching. Currently she is conducting clinical trials to evaluate the use of different medications for the treatment of active secondary Raynaud’s disease. She is the local principal investigator in a study studying the outcome and safety of the use of infliximab and golimumab in patients with chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This study is a multicenter, prospective, 8-year surveillance study involving patients on biologics.
Useful Links and Resources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/psoriasis.html
http://www.psoriasis.org/