There are many ways of treating Psoriasis and this article will fill you in on a few of these treatments. There are three main treatment types for Psoriasis; these are topical treatments, light therapy and systemic medications.
If you suffer from mild to moderate Psoriasis you may want to give a topical treatment a try. There are quite a few different topical treatments that you can choose from. These are: Topical Corticosteroids – which are used to slow cell turnover by suppressing the immune system, Vitamin D Analogues – which is used to slow down the growth of skin cells, Anthralin – which is used to normalize DNA-activity in skin cells, Topical Retinoids – which is used to normalize DNA-activity in skin cells and to decrease inflammation, Calcineurin Inhibitors – are used to disrupt the activation of T cells, Salicylic Acid – used to get rid of dead skin cells and reduce scaling, Coal Tar – used to help reduce scaling, itching and inflammation, and Moisturizers – which can help reduce itching and scaling.
By using light to treat Psoriasis doctors are using natural and or artificial light sources. This can be accomplished through natural sunlight, which exposes the Psoriasis to ultraviolet light. When the T Cells are exposed to ultraviolet light the cells die. Another form of light therapy for Psoriasis is known as UVB Phototherapy. During this therapy controlled doses of UVB from an artificial light source are used to treat mild to moderate Psoriasis. Narrowband UVB therapy is a newer way of treating Psoriasis in which is basically the same as UVB Phototherapy but it is quite a bit stronger and it takes fewer treatments as a result. Goeckerman therapy is where doctors combine UVB treatments with coal tar treatments. These two treatments together can be a very effective method for treating Psoriasis especially if you have a bad case of it or have suffered from it for a long time. Photochemotherapy, Excimer laser, Pulsed dye laser and Combination light therapy are also forms of light therapy that doctors use in treating Psoriasis.
If your Psoriasis does not respond to any of the aforementioned methods of treatment you can always try oral or injected medications. Some of these types of treatments are as follows: Retinoids, Methotrexate, Cyclosporine, Hydroxyurea, Thioguanine and Immunomodulator drugs. Before you decide to try one of these medications you will need to discuss with your doctor which one may work best for you. All of these have been found to be very helpful in treating stubborn Psoriasis that does not respond to any other treatment.
Your doctor will choose which treatment type is best for your individual case of Psoriasis based on how severe your problem is.
Dr. Ted Lain Dermatology has a proven record of helping Austin patients who suffer from Psoriasis. Call today to start the process to clear, healthy skin.
