Exams and Tests

Guttate psoriasis is typically diagnosed after the doctor or health care practitioner performs a physical exam of the skin. The dermatologist (skin doctor) generally can tell if it is psoriasis just by clinical judgment based on the presence of the skin lesions. Skin biopsies are seldom necessary to confirm diagnosis.

Findings from blood tests may confirm that the patient had a streptococcal infection recently. Increased levels of antibodies to the streptolysin-O are present in more than one half of patients.