Care Path: Preparing for an Appointment

Time can be limited during appointments with your health care provider so preparing for your appointment can help you get the most out of your time together. Think about what concerns and questions are most important to you.

• Be open about your health concerns and treatment questions.
• Clearly explain your symptoms, such as what areas are affected, changes in severity, how long an area has been affected, or things that you think may be triggering your symptoms to flare. If you keep track of your symptoms using a symptom tracker (on paper or on your phone), share your tracker with your provider.
• Describe how your psoriatic disease may be impacting your quality of life.
• Take notes or bring a friend or family member to your appointment to help you remember what you discuss.
• Ask questions to make sure you understand your provider’s instructions.
• If you do not understand what your provider says, ask them to explain the answer again.

Request your Appointment Prep Kit and get more tips on what to ask your health care provider.

Although telehealth appointments are very similar to in-office appointments, there are a few extra steps that you may consider:

• Prepare as you would be for an in-office appointment.
• Make sure that you are in a room that is quiet and has good lighting.
• Log in for your appointment a few minutes early in case you run into any technical issues.
• Use a device with a strong internet connection.

It is helpful for your health care provider to know when symptoms started or changed, especially if you are having new or increasing symptoms. Writing down how you feel each day and taking note if your symptoms change can help your health care provider develop a treatment plan that is best for you.

Below is a list of common triggers that may cause flares.

Request your free Flare Guide and Symptom Tracker.

Body surface area (BSA) is a common way to determine psoriasis severity. Psoriasis involvement of 10% BSA or more is considered "severe”. However, psoriasis on certain areas of the body called high-impact sites, including the scalp, face, hands, feet, nails, genitals, and flexures (areas where the skin folds), has an outsized impact on quality of life. Most high-impact sites, also called special areas, are on highly visible areas of the body and have more sensitive skin.

Today there are more treatments – and more effective treatments – for psoriatic disease available than ever before. Learn about your treatment options and how to make a decision.