ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the case study of a 25-year-old man presents with a rash on his knees. He had previously had dandruff and more recently noticed his nails changing, for which his GP treated him for a fungal nail infection, but with no improvement. There are erythematous plaques on his knees with clearly defined borders and overlying thick scale. Clinically the patient has chronic plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis can present in several different ways, but chronic plaque psoriasis is characterized by well demarcated erythematous plaques which have an overlying silvery scale that frequently affects the extensor aspects of the elbows and knees, as in this patient. The different clinical presentations of psoriasis include guttate, pustular, erythrodermic and palmoplantar. Chronic plaque psoriasis can be treated with topical therapy including emollients, steroid ointments, vitamin-D analogues, coal tar-based preparations, dithranol, salicylic acid and phototherapy.
