I have psoriasis. I am among the 2-3% of the world population has it. It is a skin condition with a genetic component (thanks mom and dad). It means that I have white plaques on my skin that itch and shed flakes. I shed so much that I have to sweep my floors daily. I have plaques mainly on my arms and legs, but they can appear anywhere (some locations linked from this page are NSFW. I'm lucky, I don't have psoriatic arthritis which affects about a third of all people with psoriasis. People stare at me or pretend not to stare at me in public. I wish they would just ask me what it is. It isn't contagious. Sometimes people ask if I have a bad sunburn or a regular burn. Little kids ask about my boo boos. Dogs lick my legs. There are several different ways to treat psoriasis including steroids, light treatment, injectable antibodies, and shampoos but it is a chronic condition. One treatment was recently withdrawn from the market because of lethal side effects. There are groups for people who have psoriasis. As with many medical conditions, you sometimes get unwelcome suggestions on how to cure it. When I used to work in a hospital environment, the pathologists showed me what it looks like under a microscope.
posted by sciencegeek on Jun 21, 2010 - 113 comments

Rose bengal is a red dye that has been used for decades to identify eye and liver damage. A company, Provectus Pharmaceuticals, has developed a drug based on this compound, which clinical trials show may be able to destroy advanced melanoma with minimal risks. Melanoma is an extremely dangerous form of skin cancer. The company hopes to extend this drug to other cancers as well as to other skin conditions, such as eczema and psoriasis, for which poor treatment solutions exist. Claims such as these inspire skepticism, but the melanoma trials have been conducted by some of the most eminent names in the melanoma community. Does this drug hold potential, or is the whole thing snake oil?
posted by prunes on Jun 11, 2009 - 18 comments