From Severe to Mild Psoriasis, We Can Help You
Whether you’re living with scalp psoriasis or psoriasis on another part of your body, it can be a painful condition that’s difficult to manage at times. Fortunately, our team is here to help. Here are a few ways we can help treat your psoriasis.
How to Treat Psoriasis
Topical Corticosteroids
If you have mild to moderate psoriasis, topical corticosteroids are the most common treatment option to consider. The biggest reason behind this is that topical corticosteroids come in a wide number of forms. This treatment can come in the form of ointments, creams, lotions, gels, foams, psoriasis shampoos, and even sprays. With the many forms of treatment, corticosteroids can be used to treat psoriasis on almost any part of the body. In most cases, this type of psoriasis treatment is applied everyday or every other day as instructed by your dermatologist. Milder corticosteroids, like hydrocortisone may be used to treat sensitive areas or widespread flare ups, but more intense corticosteroids, like triamcinolone or clobetasol, can be used for tough-to-treat areas that might be less sensitive.
Synthetic Forms of Vitamin D
Vitamin D might be good for your bones, but synthetic vitamin D is better for treating psoriasis. The most common forms of synthetic vitamin D include calcipotriene and calcitriol. These products are used to help slow skin cell growth, which can in turn help manage psoriasis. They can be used alone, but are commonly paired with topical corticosteroids like the ones we mentioned above. While this treatment for psoriasis may be more expensive upfront, it’s typically a better choice if skin sensitivity is an issue for you.
Retinoids
Retinoids are another common treatment option for patients with psoriasis. That being said, they have even more potential to cause skin irritation than topical corticosteroids. So if skin sensitivity is a concern for you, retinoids may not be the best treatment option. That’s why it’s so important to speak with your dermatologist before pursuing a treatment for your condition. Retinoids are typically prescribed in the form of a gel or cream and applied one or twice daily. Retinoids are not recommended if patients are pregnant or breastfeeding, though. Make sure you keep this in mind as you work with your dermatologist to develop a treatment plan for your psoriasis.
Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is most commonly seen as a treatment for acne, but it’s also used to treat psoriasis. More specifically, salicylic acid is a common ingredient in psoriasis shampoos. When it comes to treating scalp psoriasis, salicylic acid can help reduce dead skin cell buildup when it’s incorporated into a prescription shampoo. This treatment can be used alone, but is more commonly paired with a topical corticosteroid or another psoriasis treatment because it helps allow other medications to more easily penetrate the skin.
Living with psoriasis can be tough. Whether you’re experiencing psoriasis symptoms for the first time or your current treatment plan isn’t working as well as it could be, please set up an appointment with one of our doctors at North Pacific Dermatology Specialists today.