What does the dermatologist actually examine?
Your skin, nails, and scalp. That is the physical exam in full - there is nothing else to prepare or clean up beforehand. Evidence
Why this item matters
- Reasonably supported
NIAMS describes a doctor usually diagnosing psoriasis by examining the skin, scalp, and nails for signs of the condition. Wear or bring whatever lets the affected areas be seen without difficulty.
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- Depends on you
This names what a typical exam covers; it does not describe every visit or replace being examined by a clinician who can see your skin.
Worth asking a clinician
Does what you are seeing match a typical presentation, or is something atypical?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Does the exam change which treatments make sense for me?
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What will they ask about?
Itch or burning, nail changes, joint tenderness, whether a blood relative has psoriasis, and any recent illness or severe stress. None of these questions mean the dermatologist suspects something worse - they are standard parts of the history. Evidence
Why this item matters
- Reasonably supported
NIAMS lists these as the questions a doctor typically asks:
- itchy or burning skin;
- current medications;
- family history of psoriasis;
- a recent illness or severe stress;
- joint tenderness.
Check before moving on
- Depends on you
A standard question list is not specific to any one reader’s own history.
Worth asking a clinician
What in my history do you want me to keep track of?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Does my family history change what you are looking for?
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Will I need a biopsy or blood test?
Only sometimes, and only to rule out a condition that looks similar. Most diagnoses are made from the exam and history alone. Evidence
Why this item matters
- Reasonably supported
NIAMS describes a doctor taking a small skin sample to examine under a microscope, to rule out other skin conditions that look like psoriasis. NIAMS does not list a blood test as part of diagnosing psoriasis itself.
Check before moving on
- Depends on you
This describes when a biopsy is used in general, not whether one particular reader will need one.
Why ask about joints at a skin visit?
Because psoriatic arthritis can develop alongside psoriasis, and catching it early matters. Mentioning joint pain, swelling, or morning stiffness - even if it feels unrelated - gives the dermatologist a reason to watch for it. Evidence Evidence
Why this item matters
- Reasonably supported
NIAMS supports bringing joint, tendon, swelling, stiffness and nail concerns to a clinician, since diagnosing psoriatic arthritis uses clinical assessment and may need further evaluation. The AAD states that psoriatic arthritis destroys joints in some people and that early treatment helps prevent this.
Check before moving on
- Depends on you
Neither source gives a figure for how many people with psoriasis go on to develop psoriatic arthritis, and neither diagnoses it from a symptom list alone.
Worth asking a clinician
Could what I am feeling in my joints need its own assessment?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.What would make you want to see me sooner than a routine follow-up?
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What should I bring?
A short timeline of what changed, your medicine list, and anything about your nails, joints, or family history that might otherwise slip your mind mid-visit. Evidence
- A short timeline: when you first noticed it, where it started, and what has changed.
- Photos of the skin over time, if you have them.
- Your current medicine list.
- Any nail changes, joint pain, or stiffness - even if they seem unrelated.
- Whether a blood relative has psoriasis.
Why this item matters
- Reasonably supported
NIAMS describes a doctor asking about onset, change over time, medications, family history, and joint or nail symptoms. That history is easier to answer prepared than recalled on the spot.
Check before moving on
- Depends on you
A preparation list is a memory aid, not a required form or a complete substitute for the visit itself.
Evidence behind this page
Sources
Each evidence badge opens the source and its limits. The full list stays available here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports telling a dermatologist about a finger or toe that swells all the way along (a "sausage digit"). Also supports naming swollen, tender joints, and morning stiffness that lasts 30 to 45 minutes or longer and eases with movement. Also supports naming pitted or lifting nails, and low-back or heel pain, including swelling above the heel. Supports that for most people psoriatic arthritis develops years after psoriasis. Supports that psoriatic arthritis destroys the joints in some people, and that early treatment helps prevent this.
What it does not support
Does not give a percentage or fraction of people with psoriasis who go on to develop psoriatic arthritis. This page displays no separate revision date; the date recorded here matches the same AAD psoriatic-arthritis series’ treatment page, checked the same day. Does not diagnose psoriatic arthritis from a symptom list alone.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports a broad patient-facing map of topical treatment, phototherapy, oral systemic treatment and biologic treatment. Also supports that a doctor usually diagnoses psoriasis by examining the skin, scalp and nails, and by asking about itchy or burning skin, medications, family history, recent illness or severe stress, and joint tenderness. Also supports that a doctor may take a small skin sample to examine under a microscope to rule out other skin conditions that look like psoriasis.
What it does not support
It does not rank categories or choose treatment for a particular person. It does not list a blood test as part of diagnosing psoriasis itself, and it does not diagnose psoriatic arthritis.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports bringing joint, tendon, swelling, stiffness and nail concerns to a clinician because diagnosis uses clinical assessment and may require further evaluation.
What it does not support
It is not an online screening result and cannot diagnose psoriatic arthritis from a checklist.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.