Dermatology
Psoriasis
In Spain you will find clinics specialised in the diagnosis of psoriasis and treatment for this chronic disease found on the surface of the skin, there is no cure but the symptoms can be controlled.
A deciding factor to consider when thinking of Spain as a destination for your treatment is the favourable climate throughout the year which greatly assists the rapid recovery of dermatological ailments.
Treatment characteristics
Psoriasis is a disease that causes unusual growth of skin cells resulting in scaling and reddish or pinkish patches.
The most common symptoms are:
Red spots on the skin covered with thick, silvery scales.
Dry, cracked skin that may bleed.
Itching, burning, or pain.
Thickened, pitted or ridged nails.
swollen and stiff joints
There are several types of treatment;
Topical (creams, lotions… )
Pharmacological or systemic (products that act on the immune system)
Phototherapy (in which ultraviolet light is used)
PUVAtherapy (a combination of specific medication with the application of UVA rays)
There are combination treatments where topical use of creams, spa baths, and controlled sunbathing are combined. This type of therapy, supervised by dermatologists, obtains good results especially for patients from northern Europe.
The result of the treatment is to keep this chronic inflammatory disease under control, avoiding all the issues that are detrimental to the patient.
If you decide to undergo phototherapy or PUVAtherapy you will have to stay here for a minimum of 2 weeks to undergo at least 4 to 6 sessions to reinforce the effectiveness of the treatment and return on some other occasion if your doctor recommends it.
Relevant information
Advantages
- PUVAtherapy and phototherapy are similar but the exposure times change substantially since phototherapy sessions last for around 20 minutes and PUVAtherapy sessions for 2 to 3 minutes.
Treatment itinerary
Before treatment
- Check that you have prepared all the personal documentation (credit card, cash, passport, Identity Card...), medical (reports, prescriptions, images...) and travel (confirmation of accommodation booking, travel tickets...)
- If you take medication of any kind not related to the surgery, do not forget to take with you the necessary amount for your stay in Spain, as well as the medical prescription that will allow you to travel with it without problems.
During treatment
- Once you are in Spain, you will have to make an appointment with your specialist. During this visit, the doctor will open your medical record (for which you will be asked to provide all your medical documentation), perform a physical examination and tell you if any further tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
- If it is not necessary and everything is confirmed, your doctor will confirm the time of admission for the day of your treatment.
- If the doctor has told you to stop taking any medication a few days before the start of treatment, please, do not forget to follow the exact instructions given by the doctor or you will not be able to have the treatment!
After treatment
- After your treatment you will be provided with a long-term treatment plan, tailored to you to ensure that it best suits your needs.
