Phyllis Snipes' battle against psoriasis has meant spending a lot of time at the dermatologist's office, trying to find the best treatment to keep her skin disease under control.

"Sometimes it's painful," she said. "When it really flares up and I scratch it."

Itching is a common problem for the seven and a half million Americans who suffer with psoriasis. Usually, it is because of spots on their skin called plaques. The raised, rough patches can form anywhere on the body, but are usually around the knees, scalp and lower back.

The cells divide at a much faster pace than your normal skin," said Dr. Fernando Puente, of Raleigh Dermatology. "So then those plaques of psoriasis are just an accumulation of islands of skin."

Phyllis used medication and skin creams to control her flareups, but when they continued, doctors suggested phototherapy. Patients go into a chamber that looks like a tanning bed on its side for the treatment, which uses intense ultraviolet light to slow the cell growth. But because the whole body is exposed to UV rays, doctors have to be careful about the dosage to minimize risk.

"If you're dealing with a fair-skinned patient who has a history of skin cancer and sun damage, we have to take that into consideration," said Puente.

Phyllis has had success with traditional light therapy, but this year, she developed trouble spots that still wouldn't clear up. That made her a candidate for a new type of phototherapy that uses targeted rays delivered through a small hand-held device.

The technician touches the device directly on Phyllis' worst psoriasis patches. A flickering light lasts for several seconds, indicating the treatment is being given.

"It feels like something really hot on me," said Phyllis. "It's just heat focusing on that spot."

Dr. Puente says most patients need between four and ten laser treatments, but the therapy is still new, so there is not a lot of long-term information on patient successes. Some of the first patients have had results last as long as eight months.

That's good news to Phyllis, who is hoping for months of relief from her psoriasis. And time away from the doctor's office.

For more information about psoriasis, visit the National Psoriasis Foundation website.

Related Links

1. Raleigh Dermatology