PSORIASIS TREATMENT
Psoriasis is a skin condition where you get raised patches of inflamed skin. It can vary hugely in severity from person to person. It can also come and go over time. Psoriasis isn’t contagious so you can’t catch it or pass it on to others, and it doesn’t spread over your body.
Psoriasis affects about two in 100 people in the UK. You can get it at any age, but it often develops either between the ages of 15 and 30, or later when you’re over 40. It affects men and women equally.
Psoriasis cannot be cured, but it can be treated and managed. Whilst it can be frustrating finding the right treatment for your psoriasis, and some can take a number of weeks before improvement can be seen, there is a wide range of treatments available. Treatments range from topical creams and shampoos, through to Ultra-Violet (UV) light therapy, systemic tablets and biologic injections. However, psoriasis tends to be very unique to the individual, and a treatment that works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. Because of this, treating psoriasis can be a process of trial and error, and it can be frustrating.
Symptoms of Psoriasis
The symptoms of psoriasis depends on which type you have but you’ll usually have thickened, red patches of skin – these may have silver-white scales. The patches may be different sizes and will look different to your surrounding skin.
Your skin may feel itchy, and it can sting and feel sore. But if your symptoms are mild, you might not know you have psoriasis – children sometimes don’t have any obvious symptoms at all.
If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP.
Treatment of Psoriasis
1. Self-help
You might find it helps to use emollients. These are creams or lotions that moisten, soften and soothe your skin. You often have to use a fair amount of the product and apply it three or four times a day. Having a warm bath or shower every day may help to soften your psoriasis, particularly if you add bath oil. After your bath, pat your skin dry and apply a thick layer of emollient. Try not to scratch your skin as it may get infected.
There are other things you can do to ease your symptoms. These include managing stress, not drinking too much and quitting smoking, as these can all make psoriasis worse
2. Light therapy
If topical treatments don’t work for you, another treatment you might be able to try is ultraviolet (UV) light therapy. You have this in a machine that looks similar to a shower cubicle that contains fluorescent tubes.
-Ultraviolet B (UVB) light therapy involves shining artificial UVB light onto your skin. UVB light is naturally in sunlight, which is known to help clear psoriasis. You usually have the therapy two to three times a week.
-Sometimes UVB light therapy is used alongside topical treatments (see below) such as coal tar preparations. This combination might help to control your symptoms by making your skin more sensitive to UVB light.
3. Treatments
Topical treatments
These are treatments that you put on your skin. Your GP may prescribe you a cream or ointment. The type of treatment and its strength will depend on what type of psoriasis you have and how severe it is. We’ve listed some examples of topical treatments below.
Treatments based on vitamin D are used to treat mild or moderate psoriasis for longer periods of time. These may also help psoriasis on your face. They work by slowing down the production of skin cells and ease inflammation.
Treatments based on vitamin A can be useful, but they may irritate your skin. You usually take these alongside another treatment.
Creams that contain dithranol can work if you have plaque psoriasis, but they are messy and can irritate healthy skin. They might stain your bath and clothing.
Coal tar preparations can reduce inflammation and scaling. They may be an option if you have psoriasis that affects your scalp. But they can be smelly and messy and aren’t used very much now.
Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your prescribed treatment. If you have any questions, ask your chemist, health care provider or GP for advice.
Biological treatments
Biological treatments are another type of treatment for psoriasis that can be very effective. Your health care provider will usually only prescribe you these if you have severe psoriasis, or if other treatments haven’t worked. You have them as an injection into your skin or through a drip into a vein in your arm.
