A chronic autoimmune disease that appears on the skin, psoriasis is caused when the body’s immune system sends out erroneous signals that speed up the growth of skin cells. There are several forms of the disease, the most common of which is plaque psoriasis, appearing as raised, red patches covered with a white buildup of dead skin cells called plaque. Along with these patches, the condition causes intense pain, itching, and burning. Often experienced in conjunction with other serious health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression, the disease can crop up anywhere on the body.
Although psoriasis is not cured, several treatments are available to reduce or eliminate symptoms. Your dermatologist can help develop a personalized treatment plan for your particular case. Remember that you and your physician may have to keep trying until the right treatment or combination of treatments is found.
Find out your dermatological treatment options for psoriasis at CSDERM in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Cañon City:
What medications are used for psoriasis?
Topical medications
Usually, the first treatment your physician will try is topical medications applied to the skin in cream or ointment. Available over the counter or by prescription, these medications slow down or normalize cell reduction, thus reducing inflammation. Corticosteroids are a good first offense line as they act as anti-inflammatory agents to reduce swelling and redness. Creams may also include anthralin, vitamin D3, and vitamin A; FDA-approved active ingredients are salicylic acid and coal tar.
Systemic medications
Individuals with moderate to severe psoriasis may be prescribed systemic medications that work on the entire body. These medications, including cyclosporine, methotrexate, and acitretin, may be administered orally or by injection.
Oral medications
New oral treatment options for psoriasis have been approved. Sometimes called ‘small-molecule’ treatments, the medications are taken orally and work by correcting the overactive immune response that causes psoriasis symptoms. Otezia® (apremilast) has been found to reduce the redness and scaliness of the disease, and the mediation can be used with phototherapy, topicals, or methotrexate.
Biologic medications
Biologic medications are reserved for moderate or severe cases or those not responding to other treatments. They are protein-based compounds developed from live cells cultured in a laboratory. Unlike traditional systemic drugs, biologics can target very specific parts of the immune system, including the proteins that have been found to contribute to the development of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Biologics are administered intravenously and include Humira® and Remicade®.
Reference: psoriasis.org
Are there non-pharmaceutical psoriasis treatments?
Sometimes, your physician may recommend trying light therapy or laser treatments for psoriasis such the ones listed below:
Phototherapy
Your doctor may recommend phototherapy or light therapy for your psoriasis treatment, procedures involving exposure of the skin to ultraviolet light administered in a special phototherapy unit. During treatment, your skin may get worse initially due to aggravation caused by reaction to the UBV light, in which case the amount of UBV administered will be reduced. However, with continued treatment, improvement should become evident. On occasion, UBV may be combined with systemic therapies.
Psoralen and UVA (PUVA)
PUVA therapy, a combination of ultraviolet light and a light-sensitizing medication called psoralen, has been found to slow abnormal cell growth and alleviate psoriasis symptoms for various lengths of time. Side effects of the treatment include nausea, itching, and redness, which can be alleviated with antihistamines, topical products, or oatmeal baths.
Excimer laser
Laser treatments have been found effective for some localized psoriasis plaques. Recently FDA-approved for psoriasis, the excimer laser targets localized plaques with a high-intensity ultraviolet light B (UBV) beam. Recommended for mild to moderate cases, the excimer laser may be used with topical therapies. It may take four to 10 sessions to see improvement.
Pulsed dye laser
Also used for treating chronic, localized plaques, this laser treatment combines a dye and a different light wavelength from other lasers. Four to six 15- to 30-minute sessions are normally required to see improvement.
Our dermatology clinic locations
We offer medical dermatology at four CSDERM locations:
Central Colorado Springs
170 Parkside Dr
Colorado Springs, CO 80910
Phone: (719) 471-1763
North Colorado Springs
2060 Briargate Pkwy, Ste 150
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Phone: (719) 471-1763
Pueblo
406 North Main St
Pueblo, CO 81003
Phone: (719) 566-0176
Cañon City
1332 Bauer Ln
Cañon City, CO 81212
Phone: (719) 275-7485