Common Skin Conditions and Treatments. Psoriasis and Eczema/Dermatitis.

Conditions

Below is an overview of common skin conditions. Click on the name of each condition to learn about them in more detail.

Psoriasis
A noncontagious inflammatory skin disease characterized by recurring reddish patches covered with silvery scales.

A diagnosis of psoriasis is usually based on the appearance of the skin. There are no special blood tests or diagnostic procedures for psoriasis. Sometimes a skin biopsy, or scraping, may be needed to rule out other disorders and to confirm the diagnosis. Skin from a biopsy will show clubbed Rete pegs if positive for psoriasis.

Eczema/Dermatitis
A noncontagious inflammation of the skin, characterized chiefly by redness, itching, and the outbreak of lesions that may discharge serous matter and become encrusted and scaly.

Usually starts in infants who grow out of it by the time they are three or four years of age. However, sensitivity to certain allergens may cause eczema to remain problematic for much longer and it would commonly be present with asthma or hay fever.