People of all skin colors can develop psoriasis. Depending on the color of your skin, the appearance of your psoriasis can vary. In lighter skin colors, psoriasis is usually red, pink or salmon-colored with silvery-white scales. In darker skin colors, psoriasis often appears violet or dark brown with gray scales.
Although the physical appearance of psoriasis among different skin colors can vary, treatment is essentially the same in all ethnic groups. However, there are a few things you should know:
- If you have skin of color, a treatment called phototherapy can cause your skin to darken.
- If you have scalp psoriasis, frequent shampooing helps to remove the scales. If this causes a problem, a dermatologist can modify this treatment.