Business Insight Tired of Psoriasis? It is hard to be patient with your skin itching 24/7. It is hard to select your clothes avoiding dark colors or short sleeves, when your scalp is flaking, and your elbows are red and cracked. I could go on with listing many other symptoms and skin problems experienced by people who suffer from psoriasis. Until several years ago, they were also excluded from public pools and events as many myths in society claimed psoriasis to be contagious. Fortunately, that is mostly beyond us. With multiple celebrities openly discussing their struggles with psoriasis on TV and in other media, most of society now knows it is not a virus or bacteria. You cannot pick it up from another person through touch, using the same utensils, public pools, or any other means. Psoriasis comes from within a person, from the immune system that modified some of our DNA code. And we even know which parts of our immune system are involved. What is even more exciting is the fact that the last ten years or so have brought many novel treatments that are more effective and offer more safety. Depending. on the body area involved, they can be systemic treatments, injections or pills, or topical treatments. It is hard to apply a topical cream if you have 25% of your body covered in psoriasis. It is almost impossible to use any cream if you have your hands and feet suffering from it. But some topical treatments are effectively diminishing symptoms and, what is crucial, they do not have to be steroids anymore. We see many patients who do not like injections. We can understand that. But nowadays, there are multiple options for oral pills for psoriasis and many of them are effective and safe. presented by Arlington Dermatology Winter is not a good time for skin diseases. Low temperature and dry heated air indoors affect the dryness of our skin and often cause cracking, more itching, and even bleeding. It is easy to get infected if the cracked and bleeding areas are not healing well. But it is much easier to prevent that from occurring at all. Yes, it requires some regular discipline and maintaining daily routine, but it is possible. And the rules of keeping the skin protected are very similar for psoriasis and eczema. Working with hundreds of patients for years, we truly empathize with those who have to make life changes due to their skin disorders. But they do not want just empathy, they need practical help and assistance. Offering them more options than ever is our goal and pride. I am excited to see patients coming back to new clinical trials after they already experienced some earlier studies. I am happy we can always offer the most novel and effective ways to not only bring them relief, but also improve the science of the disease. There is nothing better than welcoming some of my patients back and hearing from them how happy they were on a previous study and how they simply want to continue this scientific journey. As a doctor-researcher, I helped bring to the market many of the biologics, pills, and ointments that changed the lives of my patients and patients around the world. I can assure you we will continue the process for many years to come. So, please, call or come in and we can discuss how you can be helped as well. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight Tired of Psoriasis ? It is hard to be patient with your skin itching 24/7 . It is hard to select your clothes avoiding dark colors or short sleeves , when your scalp is flaking , and your elbows are red and cracked . I could go on with listing many other symptoms and skin problems experienced by people who suffer from psoriasis . Until several years ago , they were also excluded from public pools and events as many myths in society claimed psoriasis to be contagious . Fortunately , that is mostly beyond us . With multiple celebrities openly discussing their struggles with psoriasis on TV and in other media , most of society now knows it is not a virus or bacteria . You cannot pick it up from another person through touch , using the same utensils , public pools , or any other means . Psoriasis comes from within a person , from the immune system that modified some of our DNA code . And we even know which parts of our immune system are involved . What is even more exciting is the fact that the last ten years or so have brought many novel treatments that are more effective and offer more safety . Depending . on the body area involved , they can be systemic treatments , injections or pills , or topical treatments . It is hard to apply a topical cream if you have 25 % of your body covered in psoriasis . It is almost impossible to use any cream if you have your hands and feet suffering from it . But some topical treatments are effectively diminishing symptoms and , what is crucial , they do not have to be steroids anymore . We see many patients who do not like injections . We can understand that . But nowadays , there are multiple options for oral pills for psoriasis and many of them are effective and safe . presented by Arlington Dermatology Winter is not a good time for skin diseases . Low temperature and dry heated air indoors affect the dryness of our skin and often cause cracking , more itching , and even bleeding . It is easy to get infected if the cracked and bleeding areas are not healing well . But it is much easier to prevent that from occurring at all . Yes , it requires some regular discipline and maintaining daily routine , but it is possible . And the rules of keeping the skin protected are very similar for psoriasis and eczema . Working with hundreds of patients for years , we truly empathize with those who have to make life changes due to their skin disorders . But they do not want just empathy , they need practical help and assistance . Offering them more options than ever is our goal and pride . I am excited to see patients coming back to new clinical trials after they already experienced some earlier studies . I am happy we can always offer the most novel and effective ways to not only bring them relief , but also improve the science of the disease . There is nothing better than welcoming some of my patients back and hearing from them how happy they were on a previous study and how they simply want to continue this scientific journey . As a doctor - researcher , I helped bring to the market many of the biologics , pills , and ointments that changed the lives of my patients and patients around the world . I can assure you we will continue the process for many years to come . So , please , call or come in and we can discuss how you can be helped as well . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net