Talk:Ichthyosis

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[edit] Types

It'd be nice to have brief laymen descriptions of the different types. I did some looking on the 'Net, but all the descriptions I found used medical jargon which I'm not familiar with. —Frecklefoot 15:05, Apr 22, 2004 (UTC) As previously stated you can’t catch this, because Ichthyosis is caused by a genetic defect. A doctor usually can diagnose ichthyosis by looking at the skin. A family history is also very useful. In some cases, a skin biopsy will be done to help to confirm the diagnosis. In a biopsy, a small piece of skin is removed and examined under a microscope. In rare instances, genetic testing may be helpful in making a diagnosis. People are equally at risk, it is not more common in any certain race. There is no way to prevent ichthyosis. Like other genetic diseases, there is a risk that children of an affected parent will inherit the gene.