Does Darker Skin Affect Psoriasis Diagnosis & Treatment Options?

When was the last time you read a psoriasis pamphlet tailored to the Black and brown community? Or how about a time when you watched a commercial that explains how psoriasis affects Black and brown people differently? Slim to none, right? The media is often known to express/represent only one perspective as it pertains to psoriasis, and that perspective is how it affects white people/ people with lighter skin tones. 

Psoriasis is a skin condition in which the cells build up and form scales and dry, itchy patches on the skin. This can happen throughout the body, but common spots are the knees, elbows, scalp and legs. Psoriasis requires medical diagnosis and should be treated sooner than later. 

Symptoms of psoriasis: 

• Dry skin
• Rashes on the skin
• Flakiness and/or peeling on the skin
• Small bumps covered with scales
• Small dents on nails
• Inflamed tendons
• Joint stiffness

Psoriasis looks and feels completely different on people with browner/darker skin tones. This may directly affect the diagnosis, proper treatment plans, and even quality of life for Black and brown people.

Why? The Black and brown community tends to be underrepresented in research (medical studies/educational material) and in healthcare environments. This leads to misdiagnosis.

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For example, eczema is a common condition that looks and feels similar to psoriasis on darker skin tones. A healthcare professional that isn’t equipped with the proper knowledge and tools leaves room for misdiagnosis. 

What psoriasis can look like on browner/darker skin tones:

• Light to dark brown plaque / thick patch with scales
• Purple plaque
• Gray plaque
• Cracked skin
• Sometimes, even non-visible

RELATED: 9 Surprising Places Psoriasis Can Appear on Black Skin

What psoriasis feels like on browner/darker skin tones:

• Itchy
• Dry
• Sore
• Burns
• Tightness

The numbers show that 1.9 percent of Black Americans are diagnosed with psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. However, these numbers don’t paint the full picture that we need to see.

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How so? It’s possible that scientists strongly believe that people of color actually have higher rates of psoriasis than numbers reflect because psoriasis is misidentified, more times than not in people with browner/darker skin tones.

There is a lack of understanding, familiarity, and basic experience when it comes to healthcare professionals being in the know. This is way past concerning. 

So how do we fix this? Besides advocating for ourselves and our concerns (listen to your body), we need health professionals to dig a little deeper. This means more in-depth studies/medical literature as it pertains to Black and brown people with skin conditions, more hands-on studies to get familiar and gain personal experience with Black and brown people, and more representation. 

Simple ways to manage psoriasis triggers / reduce flare-ups:

• Regulating your body temperature
• Reducing your stress
• Keeping your skin moisturized(​​aloe extract cream is known to reduce itching, scaling and inflammation). Many over-the-counter ointments/creams may help reduce flare-ups.
• Avoid scratching and/or peeling your skin
• Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle (eating clean, drinking water)
• Connecting with your culturally sensitive healthcare provider/dermatologist to prescribe you medication to take by mouth or give shots, if flare-ups are more serious.

While psoriasis does look and feel different on people with browner/darker skin tones. This should not directly affect the diagnosis, or proper treatment plans and influence our quality of life. With the proper studies/material, experience and representation, we can lower and even eliminate misdiagnosis of psoriasis in Black and brown people.