Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Your dermatologist, the American Academy of Dermatology at http://www.AAD.org, and
the National Psoriasis Foundation at
http://www.psoriasis.org/home/ may be
excellent sources of more information.
There are many ongoing clinical trials for psoriasis all over the United
States and in the world. Many of these clinical trials are ongoing at academic
or university medical centers and are frequently open to patients without cost.
Clinical trials frequently have specific requirements for types and severity
of psoriasis that may be enrolled into a specific trial. Patients need to
contact these centers and inquire regarding the specific study requirements.
Some studies have restrictions on what recent medications have been used for
psoriasis, current medication, and overall health.
Some of the many medical centers in the U.S. offering clinical trials for
psoriasis include the University of California, San Francisco Department of
Dermatology, the University of California, Irvine Department of Dermatology, and
the St. Louis University Medical School.
Is there a national psoriasis support group?
Yes, the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is an organization dedicated to
helping patients with psoriasis and furthering research in this field. They hold
national and local chapter meetings. The NPF web site (http://www.psoriasis.org/home/) shares up-to-date reliable
medical information and statistics on the condition.
What is my long-term prognosis with
psoriasis?
Overall, the prognosis for most patients with psoriasis is good. While it is not curable, it is controllable. Recent studies show an association of psoriasis and other medical conditions, including obesity
and heart disease.
What does the future hold?
Psoriasis research is heavily funded and holds great promise for the future. Just the last five to 10 years have brought great strides forward in treatment of the disease with medications aimed at treating the overactive immune system that causes the skin inflammation of psoriasis. Ongoing research is needed to decipher the ultimate underlying cause of this disease.
Cellulitis is an acute spreading bacterial infection below the surface of the skin characterized by redness, warmth, inflammation, and pain. The most common cause of cellulitis is the bacteria Staph (Staphylococcus aureus).
Anal itching is the irritation of the skin at the exit of the rectum, known as the anus, accompanied by the desire to scratch. Causes include everything from irritating foods we eat, to certain disease and infections. Treatment options include local anesthetics, vasoconstrictors, protectants, astringents, antiseptics, keratolytics, analgesics, and corticosteroids. If condition persists, a doctor examination may be needed to identify an underlying cause.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Sacroiliac joint (SI) dysfunction is a general term to reflect pain in the SI joints. Causes of SI joint pain include osteoarthritis, abnormal walking pattern, and disorders that can cause SI joint inflammation including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Treatment includes oral medications, cortisone injections, and surgery.
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
Psoriatic arthritis is a disease that causes skin and joint inflammation. Symptoms include painful, stiff, and swollen joints, tendinitis, and organ inflammation. Treatment involves antiinflammatory medications and exercise.
Fungal nails (onychomycosis) may be caused by many species of fungi but the most common is Trichophyton rubrum. Distal subungal onychomycosis starts as a discolored area at the nail's corner and slowly spread toward the cuticle. In proximal subungal onychomycosis, the infection starts at the cuticle and spreads toward the nail tip. Yeast onychomycosis is caused by Candida and may be the most common cause of fungal fingernail.
Actinic keratoses are rough, scaly patches of skin that are considered precancerous and are due to sun exposure. Prevention is to cut sun exposure and wear sunscreen.
Dry skin (xeroderma) may be caused by external factors, like cold temperatures, low humidity, harsh soaps, and certain medications, or internal factors, such as thyroid disease, diabetes, psoriasis, or Sjogren's syndrome. Symptoms and signs of dry skin include itching and red, cracked or flaky skin. The main treatment for dry skin is frequent, daily lubrication of the skin.
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