There are many different plaque psoriasis treatment options available to anyone that needs to improve their plaque psoriasis condition including wanting to reduce reddening of the skin, swelling as well as flaking and even irritation – all of which are commonly associated with plaque psoriasis. In most cases, plaque psoriasis treatment begins with the mildest treatment option and in case such treatment proves to be ineffective, a stronger medicine is recommended and the cycle continues till the right treatment is identified.
Topical Treatment
The first step in plaque psoriasis treatment normally involves starting with topical treatments and the reason for using topical agents ahead of any other form of treatment is because there are fewer side effects associated with this form of plaque psoriasis treatment. In addition, such treatment methods can also complement phototherapy which in turn is used to treat cases of very severe psoriasis.
Anthralin is used to slow down the rather rapidly growing skin cells; coal tar too will do the same. Calcipotriene is helpful in regulating skin cell production and is often used in combination with several topical steroids. You can even use moisturizers as well as emollients for plaque psoriasis treatment as these help in keeping the skin in a moist condition and also prevents the skin from cracking or itching which is common symptoms of plaque psoriasis.
Phototherapy is the second step in any given plaque psoriasis treatment and it suits people that are suffering from severe or even moderate psoriasis symptoms and for whom topical treatment is not providing suitable results. Sunlight too can help in healing plaque psoriasis and the same goes for Psoralen plus ultraviolet light A treatment.
If these measures also do not provide suitable results, the next step in plaque psoriasis treatment is to use systemic drugs – either orally or through injections – and this option is generally reserved for those who may suffer disabling psoriatic arthritis or severe to moderate psoriasis.
Some systemic medications that are used in plaque psoriasis treatment include Alefacept and Efalizumab that help in blocking cells in the patient’s immune system that would otherwise have triggered additional and unwanted skin cell growth.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, Efalizumab is without a doubt the best treatment for severe plaque psoriasis. The bottom line, when looking for suitable plaque psoriasis treatment, is to ensure, at the very least, that you always choose to use medications that have earned the approval of the US Food and Drug Association (FDA). However, medications such as Hydrea, CellCept, Azulfidine as well as Accutane are non-FDA approved drugs, but are still very effective in treating plaque psoriasis.