Common Treatments People with Psoriasis Can Seek

Rashes on the skin at the onset may seem normal, and most rashes tend to disappear after a while. However, some rashes come and fail to go, leading to dry, itchy skin with scaly patches. Coupeville psoriasis may be the condition causing your rashes, especially if it affects your elbows, scalp, and trunk. Psoriasis is chronic because you go through a cycle of flare for a while, and then it subsides before flaring again. Your skin will have a patch rash that varies in color, burning, itching and soreness, and dry skin. Therefore, it will be beneficial to see your doctor so they can recommend a befitting treatment to improve your symptoms. The following is a discussion of three forms of treatment your doctor may prescribe.

Topical Treatment

Your doctor will mostly recommend corticosteroids to treat mild and moderate forms of psoriasis. You can find topical in ointments, oils, lotions, creams, gels, and sprays. Your doctor may prescribe hydrocortisone to treat sensitive areas like skin folds and widespread patches. For less-sensitive areas, your doctor may recommend a stronger topical cream, especially if it is a small area that is tough to treat. Secondly, vitamin D analogs can slow skin cell growth and reduce irritation in sensitive skin areas. Other topical options include retinoids, salicylic acid, coal tar, and calcineurin inhibitors.

Light Therapy

Your doctor may recommend light therapy as your first treatment choice in moderate and severe psoriasis. The treatment involves exposing your skin to regulated amounts of artificial and natural light. You may need exposure to sunlight briefly every day to improve psoriasis symptoms. Your doctor can combine light treatment with coal tar to make your skin respond easily to ultraviolet B broadband, a treatment known as Goeckerman therapy. Also, your doctor can prescribe controlled ultraviolet B rays from an artificial source to help improve widespread and single psoriasis that fails to improve with topical. Ultraviolet B narrowband may be more effective than ultraviolet B broadband in treating psoriasis to improve your skin. However, it has more severe side effects than the latter.

Oral and Injected Medications

Moderate to severe psoriasis that fails to improve with other treatments may need medications. Your doctor can prescribe an injection of steroids for small, consistent patches. You may need retinoids as pills to reduce skin cell production, improving your skin. Your doctor may not recommend this treatment if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or intend to conceive. Another treatment can be biologics, drugs that come as an injection to interrupt the disease cycle by altering the immune system so that your symptoms improve. Your doctor may prescribe biologics if you have moderate to severe psoriasis and are not responding to other therapies. Biologics may suppress the immune system if not used cautiously and lead to serious infections. You can take cyclosporine for severe psoriasis to suppress your immune system and reduce skin cell production. However, you cannot use the medication continually for more than a year because it may increase your risk for infection.

Psoriasis causes uncomfortable rashes that may make it hard to sleep and concentrate because it sometimes causes pain. While symptoms vary, the condition will cause rashes that flare and subside. The condition has no cure, but several treatment options are available to slow skin cell production to improve your symptoms. You can see your doctor understand the different treatments if you are concerned about having psoriasis.