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By Mayo Clinic staffA doctor can often make a diagnosis by examining the skin and the characteristic scales. If there's any doubt, he or she may perform other tests, such as a skin biopsy. This may be necessary to rule out other causes of dry, scaly skin.
To diagnose ichthyosis, he or she also takes into account:
- Personal and family history of ichthyosis
- Age when ichthyosis first started
- Presence of other skin disorders