What color is the skin of psoriasis? Does psoriasis darken skin?

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes patches of thick, scaly skin to form on different parts of the body. The patches vary in color, depending on skin color.

The affected skin might heal with temporary color changes (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), particularly on brown or Black skin. Psoriasis is found more frequently in white (3.6 percent) than in African American (1.9 percent) and Hispanic (1.6 percent) populations.

However, psoriasis may be more readily identified in people with lighter skin and it is sometimes misidentified in people with darker skin tones. In dark skin, psoriasis often looks violet and the scale gray. In dark skin, the psoriasis can also be dark brown and difficult to see.

Psoriasis does not darken the skin permanently, but it can cause changes in pigmentation that may take time to fade. Treatment that you apply directly to the skin may help dark patches clear more quickly.

Psoriasis treatment is essentially the same for all skin colors, but some options may cause the skin to tan or darken. If you want to avoid skin darkening, be sure to tell your dermatologist.