Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that most commonly affects the skin and joints. A few different types of psoriasis are recognized, and we call the most common version of chronic plaque-type psoriasis.  People with psoriasis often have red scaling plaques on their skin. These plaques can cover a very small portion of the skin or be very extensive. The most common areas involved are pressure points including the elbows, knees, low back, and scalp. Roughly 1/3 of patients with psoriasis in the skin will also have inflammation in the joints causing joint pain and/or stiffness. This is called psoriatic arthritis.

At Advanced Dermatology of the Midlands, we see those skin checks saves lives on a near-daily basis. Skin cancer rates have been on the rise in our country for decades.  Melanoma is the third most common skin cancer and has the greatest tendency to be lethal.  Per year in the United States, there are more than 100,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed.  When it comes to the diagnosis of melanoma, the single most important thing is early detection. Early detection saves lives by allowing us to catch melanoma in its earliest stages when it can be easily cured.