Tiffany Moore

Tiffany Moore and her husband, Jeremy would like to start a family. But Tiffany decided that before she had children, she wanted to try to get her psoriasis under control.

She has been dealing with psoriasis since she was 7 years old, when patches of dry, scaly skin first began appearing. Tiffany's mother knew immediately what was wrong because she had experienced the condition herself. Over the years, Tiffany has had these patches on her elbows, knees, ankles, scalp and occasionally, on her face. For a young girl, this can be very traumatic. "Kids have made fun of me. Everybody thinks it's poison ivy or that I've been badly burned. It makes me have compassion for others," says Tiffany.

Tiffany has tried many treatments to control the psoriasis: injections, special baths, lotions, steroid creams and light treatments. A year ago she learned about the Goeckerman treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. She decided that making the trip from her home in North Carolina for this treatment would be worth the effort.

Tiffany stayed at a Rochester hotel and made the short trip to the clinic each day. The daily treatment process would begin about 7:30 a.m. when a nurse applied vegetable oil all over Tiffany's body (except for her scalp). "It felt strange," Tiffany said. "I think I smelled like a French fry!"

After the oil was wiped off, Tiffany laid on a bed, covered except for the part of her body being exposed to the ultraviolet B light. During the 45-minute treatment, all parts of her body were uncovered in stages to receive the light treatment.

Next, Tiffany took a long bath in warm water with a special oil in it and washed with a special soap. "The bath was the best part of the treatment," Tiffany remarked. "It was very relaxing!"

After the nurses washed Tiffany's hair and scalp, they applied tar all over Tiffany's body. "It smells funny and is dark like tar on the road. But you get used to it, mostly because you know it will be worth it." Tiffany wore clothes given to her specifically for the treatment. "The clothes helped the tar stay on my skin and none of my own clothes were ruined by the tar." The next morning Tiffany returned to repeat the process all over again.

Dr. Alison Bruce, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, supervised Tiffany's care. "Tiffany's response to the regimen was beautiful," she says.

Tiffany can't believe the change the treatment has made. "My hands are so smooth! My skin is as soft as a baby's!" Tiffany said since psoriasis is a chronic condition, there is no guarantee it won't come back, but "I am hopeful it will stay away."