Healthy Living: Psoriasis
Psoriasis affects approximately two percent of the population, dry, itchy, scaly skin. The condition comes, goes, and becomes more severe in times of stress. Psoriasis is disorder of the immune system. Anyone can get it and it runs in families.
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"Infections, particularly strep throat can cause an acute flare up. Being overweight makes it worse, dryness and lack of sunlight," said Dr. Paul Rappaport.
For Donna Hillebrandt, it started when she was a teen.
"So teenage years was tough because changing in the locker rooms. I was very self conscious of just these scaly, red blotchy, red looking spots," Hillebrandt said.
Severe psoriasis covered her knees, elbows and torso. She tried creams.
Creams didn't work. Next was a laser but it required her whole body to be treated, similar to a tanning booth.
"I went into this booth and it smelled gross and had to completely disrobe and I was thinking about the person who just left there," she said.
Next was a pill, but it cost thousands of dollars, took a year to see results and there were significant side effects. Then there was The Xtrac Laser. The Xtrac laser capitalizes on the fact that ultraviolet light B phototherapy has been successfully used for psoriasis but that procedure involved total body exposure to the light and therefore side effects exposing your normal skin. So the laser targets specifically the psoriasis spots without effecting normal skin."
The average patient receives about ten treatments but it does vary from patient to patient. Results can be seen rather quickly and last several months. It's painless and fast.
"It takes me longer to park the car and walk in the office than it does to get my treatment," Hillebrandt said.
The Xtrac laser has proven results, here's her elbow before treatment, now after and her knee before and after treatment. It is covered by insurance and compared to the creams its effects last longer.
"As opposed to topical creams like cortisone creams that have no long lasting effect if we are able to clear the psoriasis with the laser, the psoriasis tends to go into remission for months or more," said the doctor.
Xtrac Laser by Dr. Rappaport 414 Maple Ave.
Saratoga Springs (518) 587-9244, drrappaport.com.