An Overview of Psoriasis Treatment
- The severity of the disease
- Size of the areas involved
- Type of psoriasis
- A person's response to initial treatments.
This is sometimes called the "1-2-3" approach. In step 1, medicines are applied to the skin (topical psoriasis treatment). Step 2 uses light treatments (phototherapy). Step 3 involves taking
psoriasis medication, whether by mouth or injection, that treat the whole immune system (called systemic therapy).
Over time, affected skin can become resistant to psoriasis treatment, especially when topical corticosteroids are used. Also, a treatment that works well in one person may have little effect in another. Thus, healthcare providers often use a trial-and-error approach to find a treatment that works, and they may switch treatments periodically (for example, every 12 to 24 months) if a psoriasis treatment does not work or if adverse reactions occur.
Topical Treatment for Psoriasis
Psoriasis treatment applied directly to the skin may improve its condition. Healthcare providers 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.
