Psoriasis in Patients of Color: Differences in Morphology, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment
Mathew N. Nicholas, Airiss R. Chan, Morvarid Hessami-Booshehri
Abstract
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting 2% to 3% of individuals worldwide. However, the majority of clinical data are in white patients, with limited data in patients of color. We present 3 cases of psoriasis representative of patients presenting to an urban and racially diverse hospital-based dermatology clinic in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to illustrate the differences in psoriasis in patients of color compared to white patients. We review the differences in the morphology, presentation, treatment, and psychosocial impact of psoriasis in this population. We also discuss the importance of early diagnosis, treatment considerations, and education in dermatology training programs regarding psoriasis in patients of color.