Depending on the type of psoriasis a person is suffering from, there are different types of treatment options available. Psoriasis treatments continue to improve as time goes on, and those who want to see what their options should probably contact their doctor. This can be a very difficult and embarrassing disease to manage, but those who try to treat their condition can start to look and feel better right away. A doctor will know what treatment is best suited to each type of psoriasis. These treatment options work to break the cycle of psoriasis and provide sufferers with fewer plaques on their skin.
Topical treatments are often a good place to start. Corticosteroids are a very powerful medication, which can start to clear up these symptoms fast. Stronger versions of these steroids can be prescribed for using in smaller areas, such as on the hands and feet. Special types of synthetic vitamin D may also be used directly on the skin in order to get rid of these scales. Salicylic acid may also be used in order to treat this condition. These medications are available over-the-counter and may be used to treat acne as well. Coal is one of the oldest treatments for psoriasis, but it can be an enormous benefit. While it may make a mess, the reasons that it improves this skin condition are still unknown.
Those are treatments which can be applied directly to the skin, but there are some other newer treatments. Spending some time in the sun or under special types of lights can help to improve the condition as well. Sometimes, both coal tar and sun exposure are used together because they may be more effective that way. This is much easier to do now than in the past, as it may only take several hours instead of a few weeks. Certain types of lasers are also now being used to treat this condition. They work by sending specific wavelengths to the skin to control the formation of plaques. This treatment can be uncomfortable, and it may also cause redness, blistering or even bruising.
Other oral drugs such as methotrexate may be used in order to stop the inflammation and stiffness that psoriasis can cause. Other psoriasis treatments include using various retinoids, which contain different types of vitamin A. These can lead to a lower number of skin cells being produced over time. Biologics are a newer treatment for this disease, and these deal with changing the immune system to help it to stop attacking itself and causing these scales on the skin.
These are all treatment options which should be discussed with a doctor to see which one might be the most effective. A combination of these may be needed to best get the condition under control. They are all designed for different types of psoriasis, and it may take some time to determine which ones are going to be the most effective. New treatments are always in the works, so they may continue to get better at treating this disease as time goes on.