Should i see a dermatologist for elbow patches, dry skin or psoriasis?

[MadisonMS]

I’ve been dealing with these persistent, rough patches on my elbows for months now, and my regular moisturizer just isn’t making a difference. I’m starting to wonder if this is just very dry skin or something like psoriasis, but I’m not sure when it’s time to actually see a dermatologist about it.

[Zachary89]

That sounds rough. Months with rough patches on the elbows and nothing softening it is exhausting. I have been there trying regular moisturizer and getting nothing but frustration. I did one thing that helped a bit I switched to a thick petrolatum based cream and slathered it on at night then wore sleeves to keep it in. After about two to three weeks I noticed the skin felt a touch softer but it did not disappear.

[JonathanS]

I had something similar a while back and it turned out to be psoriasis. If a patch sticks around like this and keeps flaking or thickening especially with itching or if you see silvery scales that is when I would want a professional opinion. In the meantime I would use fragrance free products avoid hot showers and keep it moisturized with an ointment that has ceramides. If no real change after six to eight weeks that is probably worth a visit.

[MichaelKM]

Have you noticed it itching a lot or spreading beyond the elbows?

[Anthony_H]

I keep thinking about the environment like how dry the air gets in winter or how a hot shower can dry you out further. I tried taking shorter cooler showers and using a humidifier but the patches stayed rough. It felt like a guess that did not change anything and I moved on to other things for a while.