Ichthyosis is a group of common skin diseases, which can be clinically classified into various types such as common ichthyosis, sex-linked ichthyosis, congenital herpetic ichthyosis itchy erythroderma, lamellar ichthyosis, and the rare ichthyosis syndrome, and the majority of ichthyosis is a genetic disease. If you suspect ichthyosis, or if you have been diagnosed with ichthyosis, what are the precautions to take when visiting a doctor for examination? The common feature of ichthyosis is the appearance of keratinized scales like fish scales on the whole body or local skin, which are not easily shed. The clinical severity of different types of ichthyosis can vary greatly, from common ichthyosis, which is the mildest manifestation of seasonal dry flaking of the skin on the front of the shins, to severe ichthyosis, which can lead to infant death, or severe ichthyosis, which is complicated by neurological, eyelid ectropion, and limb developmental disorders. How to make an early and accurate clinical diagnosis of ichthyosis type and determine the severity and complications of ichthyosis is of great importance for the choice of treatment. Also, since ichthyosis is a hereditary disease, it is likely that there will be multiple patients in the family, or the offspring of related family members may inherit this type of ichthyosis, how to determine the risk of offspring, and to conduct relevant examinations and interventions to avoid the re-emergence of children with similar diseases in the family is also the most urgent topic of concern for all our patients and their families. In terms of treatment, although most hereditary ichthyosis cannot be completely cured at present, it is entirely possible to control ichthyosis effectively if the type of ichthyosis can be accurately determined at an early stage and the disease treatment plan can be selected according to the condition and possible complications. At the same time, the long-term treatment of ichthyosis patients pays great attention to emolliency and moisturization, and how to choose different medications according to the typology and different seasonal conditions, so as to achieve relief of skin keratinization and scaling symptoms, and thus to improve the quality of life of ichthyosis patients to the greatest extent, is also the most concerned topic for our patients. When consulting with Dr. Lin, it is important to ask about the patient’s age of onset, the development of the disease, the location of the rash, the color and thickness of the scales, the degree of itching, and the involvement of other internal organs or systems, as well as detailed information about the onset of family members and the existence of consanguineous marriages, which is also important for the determination of disease typing. It is important to provide these useful information when consulting Dr. Lin, so that Dr. Lin can accurately and quickly determine the disease and guide your next step of diagnosis and treatment. For patients with fertility requirements, it is even more important to actively search for the cause of the disease. For patients with severe ichthyosis or those whose offspring are at risk of reoccurring ichthyosis, genetic tests can be performed to identify the mutation loci that cause ichthyosis, and amniocentesis and prenatal diagnosis can be performed around 18-20 weeks of pregnancy after the mutation loci are known, which is helpful for preventing the disease in offspring.