PSORIASIS
TREATMENTS |
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While there is no cure for psoriasis, the majority of sufferers
respond very well to treatment. The choice of treatment depends on:
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Type and severity of
psoriasis (very mild cases may require no treatment); |
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Age; |
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Sex; |
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General health of the
patient. |
Psoriasis vulgaris usually responds to first-line
topical treatment including:
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Dithranol (anthralin)
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Treatment with Dithranol is on a short
contact basis. As an out-patient treatment it is applied to the
skin for 30 minutes, then washed off with liquid paraffin. It
may be applied to the skin for 24 hours on an in-patient basis.
Dithranol
causes irritation to disease free skin and stains skin, hair,
clothes and baths. |
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Coal tar |
Coal tar shampoos are available for the treatment of scalp
psoriasis. However, tar is carcinogenic (can cause cancer), it
is smelly and stains clothes. |
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Calcipotriol and Tacalcitol
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Derived from vitamin D, Calcipotriol and Tacalcitol are
effective short and long-term treatments for Psoriasis Vulgaris.
Tacalcitol is applied at night and unlike Calcipotriol is
suitable for use on the face and in flexures. It takes up to
four weeks to see a response from this treatment.
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Corticosteroids |
can be applied topically or taken systemically (tablet form) |
Second-line treatment includes:
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Ultraviolet B irradiation |
If
first line therapies fail to improve the psoriasis, they may be
combined with ultraviolet light B (UVB) phototherapy.
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Ultraviolet A Irradiation and Psoralens (PUVA) |
PUVA is used if a combination of UVB and topical treatments fail.
It is effective in 85 percent of patients.
However, many patients have a period of remission of their
disease when PUVA is stopped, it can cause photo-ageing of the
skin and increase the risk of skin cancer. |
Other
drugs used in severe, widespread or resistant psoriasis include
cyclosporin, methotrexate (can cause sperm abnormalities) and
acitretin.
Note: Oral therapies should not be used during pregnancy.
Acute cases of Guttate psoriasis are treated with weak tar
preparations; other topical treatments may cause irritation. UVB
phototherapy may also be used.
If the outbreak of
Guttate psoriasis was triggered by a streptococcal infection,
antibiotic therapy is used and a tonsillectomy may be necessary in
those with recurrent disease. |
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| PSORIASIS RELATED ITEMS |
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