Psoriasis Medication: An Overview
- The severity of the disease
- Size of the areas involved
- Type of psoriasis
- The person's response to initial treatments.
This is sometimes called the "1-2-3" approach:
- Step 1 uses psoriasis medication applied to the skin (topical treatment)
- Step 2 uses light treatments (see Light Therapy for Psoriasis)
- Step 3 involves taking medication (by mouth or injection) that treats the whole immune system (called systemic therapy).
Over time, affected skin can become resistant to treatment, especially when topical corticosteroids are used. Also, a
psoriasis treatment that works well in one person may have little effect in another. Thus, doctors often use a trial-and-error approach to find a treatment that works, and they may switch medications periodically (for example, every 12 to 24 months) if a treatment does not work or if bothersome side effects occur.
Topical Treatment for Psoriasis
Topical treatment with medication for psoriasis, which is applied directly to the skin, may improve the skin's condition. Doctors find that some people respond well to ointment or cream forms of:
- Corticosteroids
- Vitamin D3
- Retinoids
- Coal tar
- Anthralin
- Salicylic acid
- Clobetasol propionate
- Bath solutions
- Moisturizers.
Bath solutions and moisturizers may be soothing, but they are seldom strong enough to improve the condition of the skin. Therefore, they usually are combined with stronger remedies.
