If you’re suffering from psoriasis, you’re not alone. Nearly 7.5 million people in the United States suffer from this common skin disease, most of whom have suffered from it their entire life. Psoriasis is a term that encompasses a group of chronic dermatological disorders that affect any part of the body, but most frequently affect the scalp, elbows, knees, hands, feet and genitals. Most cases of psoriasis involve an itching and/or burning sensation, scaling and crusting of the skin. Psoriasis is not contagious and is triggered when the immune system mistakenly activates a type of white blood cell known as the T cell. This causes skin cells to grow faster than normal and the body does not shed the excess cells so they begin to form on the surface of the skin. There are a variety of triggers that cause the body to start producing skin cells too quickly such as stress, strep throat, winter weather, or severe sunburns. Types of psoriasis and their symptoms include:

• Plaque psoriasis (most common): raised, thickened patches of red skin covered with silvery-white scales.
• Pustular psoriasis: pus-like blisters.
• Erythrodermic psoriasis: intense redness and swelling of a large part of the skin surface.
• Guttate psoriasis: small, tear-drop like lesions.
• Inverse psoriasis: smooth red lesions in the folds of the skin.

There are many treatments for psoriasis depending on the type and severity of the symptoms. Read about some of the psoriasis treatment options that Arizona Dermatology offers below, and schedule an appointment to find the best treatment option for you.

Corticosteroid Injections

A light corticosteroid can be injected into unsightly psoriasis plaques by one of our board certified dermatologists for quick healing. The chemical injection works to reduce inflammation and size of plaque.

Biologic Therapy

Biologic therapy treatments work on the immune system to block proteins that contribute to the psoriasis disease process. Biologics are made from living organisms and have proven to successfully treat psoriasis for those who haven’t had much success with other treatments options. Biologic medication is used for moderate and severe psoriasis and is offered as a simple injection or by intravenous (IV) infusion. By doing so, biologic therapy reduces the major effects of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis such as swelling and inflammation.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy encompasses a range of treatments that use ultraviolent light to slow the rapid growth of new skin cells caused by psoriasis. We offer two types of phototherapy treatments to help reduce the symptoms and manage your psoriasis efficiently. All treatments must be performed regularly in our office to receive the best possible results.

1. Ultraviolet Light B (UVB) – The Ultraviolent B treatment is a light source that enters the skin and effectively slows the growth of cells caused by psoriasis. The light source is delivered as short wave ultra-radiations and can treat multiple areas of the body. Increasing the doses of this treatment can lead to faster results, but may cause the area to discolor and slightly itch for a short period of time. The UVB treatment is performed on people with moderate to severe psoriasis. Take the first step to removing your symptoms of psoriasis by scheduling a consultation and learning how the UVB treatment can help you.

2. The Psoralen + UVA treatment encompasses two light sources that are present in the natural sunlight. Psoralen is a light sensitizing medication taken orally in addition to the UVA light source. Unlike UVB, UVA delivers successful results for psoriasis when matched with Psoralen. Together, referred to as PUVA, the two treatments slow down the overproduction of skin cells and relieve patients from the effects of psoriasis. PUVA treatments must be performed in our office on a set schedule in order to reach the best possible results. This treatment option may be just what you need to put a stop to the effects of psoriasis and enjoy healthy skin at last.

We’re all familiar with acne and know that it can be unpleasant and cause permanent scarring, as well as emotional distress.

Acne occurs when our pores clog (commonly called blackheads and whiteheads), red inflamed pimples arise, and deeper lumps known as “nodules” occur on the face, neck, back, chest, shoulders, and upper arms. Although acne is most commonly experienced during our teenage years, adults may experience acne during their 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, or even older. Acne may be triggered by a variety of causes such as hormones, birth control, childbirth, or menopause.

Here at Arizona Dermatology, located in Phoenix, Apache Junction, Paradise Valley, and Mesa, we treat acne.

Cleaning your face regularly, eating a healthy diet, and wearing as little cosmetics as possible are only a few of the steps you can perform to help control the development of acne. While some acne can clear up on its own without treatment over the course of several years, others will continue to suffer from this skin condition throughout their entire life. If common cleansers aren’t working for your acne, you may want to consult with our expert dermatologists at Arizona Dermatology to discuss other possible acne treatments.

We offer several dermatological treatment options to help give you clear skin and keep the acne from returning in the future. Our treatment options and recommendations vary by the severity of your acne, needs and budget. Many patients can often improve mild acne by washing with a facial cleanser twice a day, using prescription acne medications and/or receiving chemical peels. For more severe cases, a laser treatment or blue light photodynamic therapy may be recommended. In addition to acne itself, acne scarring can also be treated in a variety of ways, including the use of certain skin care products, chemical peels, laser skin resurfacing, soft tissue fillers, and microdermabrasion or micro-needling. Read about a few of our acne treatments below, and then schedule an appointment with us to find the best acne treatment for you.

Facial Cleansers

Facial cleansers are a basic necessity to remove oils, makeup, and debris from your face that accrue throughout the day. If you don’t use the proper cleaner for your skin type, you may experience unwanted side effects such as irritated or dry skin. Believe us, there is a facial cleanser for every skin type, even for those that may need a more aggressive cleanser than others. Below are a few of our favorite and most popular medical grade cleansers, many of which you can purchase over the counter at your nearest drug store.

1. Facial Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser (Medical grade)
2. Facial cleansers with active ingredient Salicylic Acid (Neutrogena, Aveeno) (over the counter)
3. Facial cleanser with active ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide (PanOxyl) (over the counter)

Prescription Acne Medications

Prescription acne medications are a way to clear the development of acne internally. These treatment options include Benzoyl Peroxide, Retin-A, Aczone, oral antibiotics (Doxycycline, Minocycline), Accutane or hormone modulator for females (Spironolactone). Our skin care professional will diagnose your skin condition and recommend a prescription acne medication to deliver the best results possible for your specific condition.

Acne Extraction

Acne extraction is a form of surgery performed by our aesthetician experts in order to professionally and deeply cleanse the skin on the face. This treatment cleans the patient’s clogged pores by thoroughly removing any blackheads and whiteheads on the face. As a result of this treatment, it will likely reduce the amount of outbreaks and lessen the severity of your ongoing acne.

Corticosteroid Injection

The light corticosteroid treatment is injected into a large, swollen pimple or cyst to instantly flatten and reduce scarring. The treatment releases cortisone, which is a natural chemical the body produces to quickly reduce inflammation and stimulate the healing process. This fast acting treatment is recommended for acne that may appear deep within the skin and is unaffected by other acne treatments. The light corticosteroid treatment is an especially great procedure for those needing quick results for an upcoming event.

Chemical Peels

Chemical peels are an excellent way to bring back the smooth texture of your skin. We offer many different treatments such as light, medium, or heavy depth chemical peels for various skin types. The people who come in for our chemical peels are usually suffering from acne, extensive sun damage, or just want a rejuvenated appearance. Our chemical peel treatments have also been known to cut down on precancerous lesions that may lead to the development of skin cancer.

1. AlphaBeta Peel– multiple acid peel (Salicylic, Glycolic, Lactic acids) reduces acne causing bacteria, removes congestion within pores, and improves discoloration caused by acne. This treatment has no downtime, allowing you to walk out of our office with visible results.

2. Vitalize Peel – multiple acid peel (Salicylic, Lactic, Retinoic acids and Resorcinol) that reduces acne causing bacteria and removes congestion within the pores. Moderate exfoliation improves discoloration, pore size and scarring caused by chronic acne with minimal downtime to give you the clear skin you’ve always wanted.

Micro-Needling

An instrument which utilizes fine needles is used to create “micro-tunnels” of the skin. These microscopic wounds stimulate the skin’s natural healing process which increases collagen and elastin production. Micro-needling breaks up scar tissue, plumps acne scarring, reduces pore size and improves skin texture. Acne targeting medications are applied at the start of the procedure and driven into target areas by the instrument to increase effectiveness. The depth of penetrated medication enhances results to give you the results you’ve been hoping for.

Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion utilizes a diamond tip to sand or exfoliate the outermost layer of your skin. The exfoliated skin is suctioned through an attached vacuum to remove dead skin cells and improve pore congestion, skin texture and acne scarring. Without the downtime of exfoliation process, microdermabrasion is an excellent option for patients suffering from acne.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Laser resurfacing is recommend to remove acne scarring once the chronic acne has cleared. During this process, the top layer of skin (epidermis) is ablated or removed. The laser penetrates the skin by sending a short pulse of light to the targeted area, and heat from the laser is penetrated in the second layer of skin (dermis) to stimulate an intense collagen reaction. The combination of ablating the epidermis and stimulating deep collagen production improves moderate to severe acne scarring and rejuvenates skin, giving you firm, evenly colored, beautiful skin.

Click here to schedule an appointment at our Phoenix, Apache Junction, Paradise Valley, and Mesa practices.