Treatment for Psoriasis
Although there is no permanent cure for psoriasis various types of treatment modalities are available that control the severity of the condition in most of the affected individuals.
The main categories of drugs that are used to treat the symptoms of psoriasis include corticosteroids, vitamin D3 analogs (calcipotriene), coal tar products, retinoids (tazarotene) and anthralin. These are available as ointments, creams, lotions, shampoos, bath oils and soaps. On basis of severity and extent of the disorder, the doctor will decide the type of medication to be applied and the duration of the treatment. These medications are helpful in reducing the inflammation of the skin, decrease the formation of scales and enhance normal skin formation. The medications can be advised either as an individual agent or in combination with other medications or treatment modalities.
Other treatment modalities that have been associated with varying degree of success include sunlight exposure, UV light therapy (phototherapy), injection of corticosteroids into the affected skin and oral tablets. Self-decided sun exposure and phototherapy should be avoided, as it may lead to flare up of the symptoms in certain cases. Biological treatments, which block some of the important steps in the occurrence of psoriasis are being studied and advised in certain cases that are unresponsive to other types of treatment.1–4
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date: Dec30th,08
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