CHINESE MEDIACL DERMATOLOGY

Your Psoriasis Is Unique. Your

Treatment Should Be Too.

If you have spent years managing plaques, scaling, itching, and recurring flares, you may be looking for more than another one-size-fits-all recommendation. Discover how specialized Chinese Medical Dermatology evaluates your individual psoriasis history and builds a treatment plan around your specific presentation.

Why individualized care matters

Two people can have psoriasis and need very different treatment strategies.

We look at the appearance and location of your psoriasis, your history of flares, previous treatments, and your overall health. These details help us differentiate your Chinese Medicine pattern and decide what deserves attention not simply repeat a standard protocol.

Focus 01

Immune signaling

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated disease associated with inflammatory signaling and accelerated skin-cell production. We document the presentation and course of your condition.

  • Plaque thickness, scale, and redness

  • Onset and recurrence patterns

  • Nail changes and joint symptoms

Focus 02

Skin turnover and barrier

Rapid skin-cell turnover produces characteristic scaling. Cracking, dryness, irritation, and skin care practices also influence comfort.

  • Scaling and fissuring

  • Affected body areas

  • Topical products and skin care

Focus 03

Triggers and medical history

Psoriasis may flare following infections, skin injury, stress, or certain medications. We review potential associations without assuming a single root cause.

  • Infection and medication history

  • Skin injury and flare patterns

  • Dietary and digestive history when relevant

01. Immune Activity

Immune activity

We examine flare patterns, sensitivity, inflammation, reactivity, and the way the immune system may be contributing to repeated skin symptoms.

  • When and how flares begin

  • Patterns of redness, heat, itching, and weeping

  • Possible triggers and immune stressors

02. Skin Barrier

Skin barrier function

We review dryness, cracking, weeping, topical products, bathing habits, infection tendency, and the skin’s ability to retain moisture and repair itself.

  • Dryness, cracking, and water loss

  • Topical products and bathing habits

  • Recurring irritation or infection patterns

01. Immune Activity

Immune activity

We examine flare patterns, sensitivity, inflammation, reactivity, and the way the immune system may be contributing to repeated skin symptoms.

  • When and how flares begin

  • Patterns of redness, heat, itching, and weeping

  • Possible triggers and immune stressors

02. Skin Barrier

Skin barrier function

We review dryness, cracking, weeping, topical products, bathing habits, infection tendency, and the skin’s ability to retain moisture and repair itself.

  • Dryness, cracking, and water loss

  • Topical products and bathing habits

  • Recurring irritation or infection patterns

03. Microbiome

Microbiome and digestion

Digestive symptoms, food reactions, recurrent infections, antibiotic history, and microbiome concerns may help explain why eczema remains difficult to control.

  • Bloating, stool patterns, and food reactions

  • Antibiotic and infection history

  • When functional testing may be useful

04. Stress physiology

Stress physiology and recovery

Sleep quality, daily stress, nervous-system strain, and recovery capacity may affect inflammation, itching, and the ability to heal between flares.

  • Sleep and overnight recovery

    Stress-linked flare patterns

    Daily rhythms and nervous-system load

03. Microbiome

Microbiome and digestion

Digestive symptoms, food reactions, recurrent infections, antibiotic history, and microbiome concerns may help explain why eczema remains difficult to control.

  • Bloating, stool patterns, and food reactions

  • Antibiotic and infection history

  • When functional testing may be useful

04. Stress physiology

Stress physiology and recovery

Sleep quality, daily stress, nervous-system strain, and recovery capacity may affect inflammation, itching, and the ability to heal between flares.

  • Sleep and overnight recovery

    Stress-linked flare patterns

    Daily rhythms and nervous-system load

Focus 04

Recovery and joint health

Sleep disruption, discomfort, and stress can affect quality of life. Joint symptoms are also important because psoriasis may occur alongside psoriatic arthritis.

  • Sleep and daily functioning

  • Stress and symptom patterns

  • Joint pain, swelling, or stiffness

Psoriasis presentations

Psoriasis does not look the same in every patient.

Different forms of psoriasis have distinct appearances, distributions, and triggers. Identifying your presentation helps shape an appropriate treatment strategy.

Plaque Psoriasis

Raised, well-defined inflamed plaques with silvery or white scale, often on elbows, knees, trunk, or scalp.

  • Thickness and scale

  • Itching, fissuring, and discomfort

  • Recurrent plaques

Guttate Psoriasis

Numerous small, drop-shaped lesions that can appear suddenly, sometimes following a streptococcal infection.

  • Acute onset

  • Recent infection history

  • Widespread small lesions

Scalp Psoriasis

Inflamed, scaling patches along the scalp and hairline, sometimes extending behind the ears or onto the neck.

  • Persistent scale

  • Itching and irritation

  • Hairline involvement

Eczema

Care for acute, chronic, dry, weeping, infected, and treatment-resistant presentations across different ages and body regions.

  • Atopic dermatitis

  • Dyshidrotic eczema

  • Nummular eczema

  • Contact dermatitis

  • Seborrheic dermatitis

  • Hand and foot eczema

  • Head and neck eczema

  • Pediatric eczema

Psoriasis

Pattern-based treatment for inflammatory scaling, redness, thick plaques, itching, and recurrence.

  • Plaque psoriasis

  • Guttate psoriasis

  • Inverse psoriasis

  • Scalp psoriasis

  • Palmoplantar psoriasis

  • Nail psoriasis

Eczema

Care for acute, chronic, dry, weeping, infected, and treatment-resistant presentations across different ages and body regions.

  • Atopic dermatitis

  • Dyshidrotic eczema

  • Nummular eczema

  • Contact dermatitis

  • Seborrheic dermatitis

  • Hand and foot eczema

  • Head and neck eczema

  • Pediatric eczema

Psoriasis

Pattern-based treatment for inflammatory scaling, redness, thick plaques, itching, and recurrence.

  • Plaque psoriasis

  • Guttate psoriasis

  • Inverse psoriasis

  • Scalp psoriasis

  • Palmoplantar psoriasis

  • Nail psoriasis

Perioral Dermatitis

Care aimed at reducing inflammation, reactivity, papules, burning, and recurring irritation around the mouth, nose, and eyes.

  • Perioral presentations

  • Perinasal involvement

  • Periocular involvement

  • Recurrent steroid-associated flares

Rosacea

Individualized support for vascular reactivity, persistent redness, burning, pustules, flushing, and sensitivity.

  • Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea

  • Papulopustular rosacea

  • Phymatous rosacea

  • Ocular rosacea

Perioral Dermatitis

Care aimed at reducing inflammation, reactivity, papules, burning, and recurring irritation around the mouth, nose, and eyes.

  • Perioral presentations

  • Perinasal involvement

  • Periocular involvement

  • Recurrent steroid-associated flares

Rosacea

Individualized support for vascular reactivity, persistent redness, burning, pustules, flushing, and sensitivity.

  • Erythematotelangiectatic rosacea

  • Papulopustular rosacea

  • Phymatous rosacea

  • Ocular rosacea

Cystic Acne

Treatment for deep, painful, inflamed breakouts with attention to hormonal patterns, digestion, heat, dampness, stress, and inflammation.

  • Nodulocystic acne

  • Hormonal acne

  • Jawline acne

  • Inflammatory facial acne

  • Chest and back acne

Integrative Evaluation

Functional medicine is used selectively as an adjunct to Chinese Medicine when deeper investigation is clinically useful.

  • GI-MAP stool testing

  • Organic Acids Testing

  • Mycotoxin testing when indicated

  • Nutrition and microbiome review

  • Topical and skin-barrier strategy

Cystic Acne

Treatment for deep, painful, inflamed breakouts with attention to hormonal patterns, digestion, heat, dampness, stress, and inflammation.

  • Nodulocystic acne

  • Hormonal acne

  • Jawline acne

  • Inflammatory facial acne

  • Chest and back acne

Integrative Evaluation

Functional medicine is used selectively as an adjunct to Chinese Medicine when deeper investigation is clinically useful.

  • GI-MAP stool testing

  • Organic Acids Testing

  • Mycotoxin testing when indicated

  • Nutrition and microbiome review

  • Topical and skin-barrier strategy

Inverse Psoriasis

Smooth, inflamed patches in skin folds, where friction and moisture can make symptoms particularly uncomfortable.

  • Underarms and groin

  • Under-breast or other folds

  • Minimal visible scale

Palmoplantar & Nail Psoriasis

Involvement of palms, soles, or nails can interfere with daily activities and may require careful clinical distinction from other conditions.

  • Cracking and thickened skin

  • Nail pitting or separation

  • Functional discomfort

Psoriatic Arthritis Awareness

Some people with psoriasis also develop inflammatory joint disease. Joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, or swollen digits warrant medical assessment.

  • Joint and tendon symptoms

  • Morning stiffness

  • Coordination with rheumatology

Is this approach right for you?

For people who want their psoriasis treated as an individual case.

You may be a good fit if you have lived with recurring plaques or flares, tried several treatments, or want to understand whether Chinese herbal medicine can play a role in your care. Our process involves detailed assessment, ongoing communication, and time to evaluate and adjust treatment— not a guaranteed quick fix.

Inflammation & lesion pattern

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

Digestive and microbiome factors

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

Stress, sleep & nervous system

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

Triggers, medications & history

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

Chinese herbal pattern differentiation

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

Functional testing when clinically useful

Evaluated in the context of your history and overall presentation.

The Rocky Mountain TCM approach

What working with a specialized Chinese Medicine dermatology practitioner actually involves.

Your treatment is built from a comprehensive assessment, individualized herbal selection, and regular review of your response.

Recommendations evolve as your presentation changes.

01

Understand your full history

We review your psoriasis onset, plaque distribution, scale, redness, itching, nail and joint symptoms, treatments, medications, stress, sleep, and relevant medical history.

02

Identify your Chinese Medicine pattern

Chinese Medicine patterns such as Blood Heat, Blood Dryness, Blood Stasis, and Damp-Heat may inform individualized herbal selection. These are traditional diagnostic frameworks, not direct equivalents of biomedical mechanisms.

03

Treat, monitor, and adjust

Your care plan may include individualized Chinese herbal formulas, topical support, nutrition, acupuncture, and selective testing when clinically useful. Response is reviewed and the plan adjusted over time.

01

Understand the pattern

We organize the full history, flare behavior, digestion, sleep, stress, medications, topicals, and treatment response.

02

Differentiate the root

Your case is evaluated through Chinese Medicine pattern differentiation rather than a diagnosis-only protocol.

03

Build the strategy

Recommendations may include herbs, nutrition, topical care, acupuncture, lifestyle changes, or functional testing.

01

Understand the pattern

We organize the full history, flare behavior, digestion, sleep, stress, medications, topicals, and treatment response.

02

Differentiate the root

Your case is evaluated through Chinese Medicine pattern differentiation rather than a diagnosis-only protocol.

03

Build the strategy

Recommendations may include herbs, nutrition, topical care, acupuncture, lifestyle changes, or functional testing.

Symptom management

Focuses mainly on the visible skin symptoms

Short, medication-centered visits

General recommendations

Temporary control may be the main goal

Comprehensive evaluation

Examines the full pattern behind chronic or recurring disease

Detailed clinical history and individualized planning

Chinese Medicine pattern-based and integrative recommendations

Long-term reduction of recurrence is the clinical direction

A clearer path forward

The goal is more comfortable skin and fewer days planned around psoriasis.

We work toward measurable improvements in plaque thickness, scaling, redness, itching, flare frequency, and day-to-day comfort. Because psoriasis is chronic and responses vary, we monitor progress over time rather than promise a fixed clearance date.

PATIENT STORIES

Psoriasis patient experiences.

Your consultation process

Know what to expect before you begin.

STEP 01

Schedule a discovery call


Choose a convenient time for a free conversation about your psoriasis history and whether our approach may be a fit.

STEP 02

Complete your intake


If you proceed with care, share your psoriasis history, prior treatments, photographs, symptoms, medications, and relevant records.

STEP 03

Review the full pattern


Your presentation is reviewed through Chinese Medicine dermatology and relevant modern clinical considerations.

STEP 04

Receive your direction


Together we discuss an individualized treatment direction and how progress may be monitored.

STEP 01

Reserve your appointment


Select the consultation, complete

payment, and choose an available time.

STEP 02

Complete your intake


Share your eczema history, treatments,

diet, medications, labs, symptoms, and

major concerns.

STEP 03

Review the full pattern


We examine your case through Chinese

Medicine and an integrative clinical

framework.

STEP 04

Receive your direction


You leave with an explanation of the

likely pattern and the most appropriate

next steps.

YOUR PRACTITIONER

Seth Drake, L.Ac., MSOM

Licensed Acupuncturist

18+ Yrs Experience

Board Certified

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Integrative Dermatology

Chinese Medical Dermatology

Functional Medicine Dermatology

Seth Drake has more than 18 years of experience in Classical Nei Jing Style Acupuncture and Chinese Medical Dermatology. His clinical work brings together Traditional Chinese Medical Dermatology, Chinese herbal dermatology, nutrition, functional testing, and individualized lifestyle guidance.

His practice is built for patients with chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune, dermatological, and difficult-to-resolve conditions who need a broader, more organized clinical approach.

“The goal is not simply to suppress symptoms. It is to understand the pattern well enough to help the body move toward greater stability.”

Schedule With Seth

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FAQs about psoriasis care.

Understanding what to expect helps you make a confident decision about your care.

Can Chinese Medicine be used for psoriasis?

Chinese Medicine dermatology offers an individualized approach using herbal formulas and other supportive strategies. Evidence for specific herbal treatments varies, and outcomes cannot be guaranteed. Care may complement conventional dermatology management.

What Chinese Medicine patterns are associated with psoriasis?

Traditional patterns commonly considered include Blood Heat, Blood Dryness, Blood Stasis, and Damp-Heat. Pattern identification depends on lesion appearance, symptoms, tongue and pulse findings, and the broader history.

Will I need to stop my current psoriasis medication?

No medication changes are required to explore our approach. Decisions about prescribed treatments, including biologics or topical medications, should be made with the prescribing clinician.

How long does psoriasis treatment take?

Psoriasis is a chronic condition and timelines vary with subtype, severity, history, and response. We assess changes over time rather than promising a fixed clearance date.

Do you treat scalp, inverse, and guttate psoriasis?

Yes. These presentations can be discussed during a discovery call. We review the diagnosis and individual history to determine whether our services are appropriate.

What happens during the discovery call?

You can describe your psoriasis, prior treatments, and goals. We explain our clinical approach and discuss whether a full consultation makes sense for your case.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Let’s talk about your psoriasis. Not sell you another quick fix.

Tell us about your psoriasis, what you have already tried, what is happening now, and what you hope will change. We will explain how Chinese Medical Dermatology approaches cases like yours and discuss whether working together makes sense. This conversation is not a commitment to treatment.

  • A conversation about your skin history

  • An introduction to our clinical approach

  • An opportunity to discuss whether we are a fit

You know your psoriasis.

Let’s explore a different

way to approach

your case.

Start with a conversation.

If you have tried multiple approaches without the consistency you want, start

with a conversation about your history, your goals, and what individualized care

could involve.

Rocky Mountain TCM

Classical Chinese medicine for the treatment and management of chronic and resistant inflammatory conditions. Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and evidence-informed functional medicine.

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CLINIC INFORMATION

Rocky Mountain TCM

Arvada, Colorado

303‑953‑2363

[email protected]

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12:00 PM–6:00 PM

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