Most of the time your doctor can easily diagnose your psoriasis based on the history of your skin condition and the unique appearance of this disease. Sometimes, however, if the doctor may not seem a hundred percent sure, he may decide to perform special tests to know exactly what you are suffering from. These tests are generally quick, not painful, informative and simple.
Test for Ringworm Infection
This is a test to identify or rule out whether your skin disease is caused by ringworm infection. The doctor scrapes some of the scales off a patch where it is sent to a lab where it is microscopically examined to see whether or not a fungal infection is the cause of your skin condition.
Patch Test for Eczema
If your physician suspects you have eczema that is probably triggered by an allergic reaction, he may recommend you for a patch test. During a patch test, sticky plasters comprising of substances you might be allergic to are placed in your skin, typically on your back. If the patch contains something you are allergic you to, the site where the patch was applied will develop rashes two days after.
Biopsy
If any of these tests still do not provide an accurate diagnosis, your doctor may perform a skin biopsy on you. A skin biopsy entails an extraction of a small piece of the affected skin to be microscopically observed. This is a safe, fairly easy and uncomplicated procedure normally done in a health center or hospital outpatient department setting. Before removing the abnormal skin patch, the site is injected with a local anesthetic to numb that part of the body. After the site is numb, a small patch of skin is surgically extracted. Afterwards the site is stitched up to close the wound. The entire procedure takes no more than ten minutes to finish.
Blood and Urine Tests
Sometimes the dermatologist may recommend other examinations if he suspects that your general health may be the likely cause of your skin suffering. He may require you to undergo blood and urine tests to diagnose your overall health and to identify certain types of rashes.
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