Q: My son aged 16 years has been showing some scaly patches on his scalp. These patches are itchy and scaly. Initially there were one or two now there are 7 to 8 patches on his scalp. We are treating him with 10% salycylic acid gel, coal tar, emosene ointment. However, he is not showing any response. Now there is also a patch appearing on his leg below the knee which is black and rough. It started as a small pinhead size, now it is as big as a rupee coin. Please advise the correct way to treat the problem, and precautions that we should take.

A:It looks like that your child is suffering from psoriasis. To confirm it, presence of clinical signs and sometimes a skin biopsy is required. Since this disorder's course is not predictable, but may have remissions which may last for years together, your son needs to be under the care of a good dermatologist. It is a non-contagious disease, at home simple application of oils or vaseline and exposure to sunlight can be tried. Avoid using irritating drugs or oils topically, which may cause the flare up.