Video Blog: Raising Awareness of the Emotional and Physical Impact of Plaque Psoriasis

Robert Heim, Executive Director of Clinical Development at Arcutis, sits down at Elevate Derm Studios to share findings from the Harris Poll Skin Insight Survey and the Expose Psoriasis initiative.

In this video

Heim walks through the Skin Insight Survey, a Harris Poll of 507 psoriasis patients who primarily used topical treatments, designed to understand how psoriasis affects them "not only physically, but emotionally," along with families and caregivers. A standout finding: 90% of patients wanted a single once-daily topical they could use all over the body — a reflection of the long-standing challenge of juggling multiple agents for different areas and patients "mixing things up" despite careful counseling.

He highlights a striking disconnect around intertriginous psoriasis: 64% of surveyed patients reported it (roughly double the medical literature), yet only two in five could identify it on their own until shown pictures. Heim notes the burden falls on both providers and patients — clinicians need to proactively ask about and examine areas like the groin and under the breast, and patients need to be willing to have that "frank conversation." Arcutis is channeling the data into its Expose Psoriasis initiative to raise awareness and change behavior on both sides.

• 90% of surveyed patients wanted a single once-daily topical usable all over the body, underscoring frustration with managing multiple agents for different body areas.
• 64% of patients reported intertriginous psoriasis — about double the medical literature — but only two in five could accurately identify it without being shown pictures.
• Psoriasis in intertriginous areas carries emotional and sexual-health burden that goes "beyond the lesions of the skin."
• Few patients had a provider look at or ask about the groin or under-breast areas; both changing exam habits and encouraging frank patient conversation are needed.
• The Expose Psoriasis campaign (exposepsoriasis.com) aims to close the patient–clinician disconnect and drive awareness of non-traditional areas of involvement.