The Best Psoriasis Treatments

If you’re one of the many people who develops psoriasis, you know the pain of having skin cells build up, creating thick, scaly patches all over your body. Doctors have yet to find a permanent cure for this chronic condition, but there are many treatments that can be effective at minimizing flare-ups of the disease and giving you smoother skin.

What Causes Psoriasis? Consider psoriasis a byproduct of an immune system gone haywire. The body’s white blood cells, called T lymphocytes, start fighting against healthy skin cells instead of the viruses and foreign contaminants they’re meant to attack. The result? New skin cells become “old” more quickly and can’t be sloughed off in enough time, leaving you with thick patches of crusty skin that can become sore and itchy in the affected areas.

For most people psoriasis comes and goes, and certain things may cause the condition to flare up, such as stress, too much sun exposure, or an infection elsewhere in the body that leads to a larger supply of T lymphocytes. Avoiding the things that cause your psoriasis to flare up can go a long way toward preserving smoother, healthier skin.

Home Psoriasis Treatments A chronic condition like psoriasis requires strict adherence to a treatment regimen to help minimize flare-ups and keep it under control. Here are some of the common lifestyle changes you should make to help maintain clearer skin.

• Find and minimize your triggers. Cold weather, an infection in your body, stress, and certain medications, including nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs, can cause flare-ups. Once you know what your triggers are, try to minimize exposure to them so you can keep your skin looking healthier.
• Keep your skin moisturized. Rich, emollient creams can help keep your skin from crusting over; you can also apply the cream to soften the crusty skin, making it easier to remove.
• Let the sun shine — in moderation. Many studies have shown that small doses of ultraviolet light can make a huge difference in people with psoriasis. The trick is determining the proper amount of sun to shine on your psoriasis — too much UV exposure can backfire and lead to a flare-up.
• Take a bath. Some experts recommend taking a long daily bath, followed by an application of a thick, emollient cream to help seal in moisture.

Medical Treatments for Psoriasis
While doctors may not be able to cure psoriasis, there are plenty of medications they can prescribe to help you minimize flare-ups. Most of the treatments are topical creams or ointments, but for more severe cases, a doctor may prescribe an oral medication. Here are some of the most common treatments.

• Apply corticosteroids. Hydrocortisone and other steroid creams may be used to quell your overactive immune system and let the psoriasis heal.
• Take your vitamins. Several treatments for more severe psoriasis utilize vitamin compounds. Vitamin D is often applied in cream or ointment form to help stop skin from growing too quickly. Retinoids are vitamin A compounds that can be applied topically or taken internally to help reduce skin cell production.
• Use another cream. Many doctors prescribe anthralin, a bright yellow cream that can reduce the growth of skin cells. The cream can stain, however, so many doctors advise patients to keep it on for just a brief amount of time before washing it away.
• Try other medications. For more serious cases, doctors may give you cyclosporine, methotrexate, or acitretin. Cyclosporine cuts your immune system response, while methotrexate and acitretin will help slow skin growth. These drugs can have very serious side effects, so they’re prescribed for only the most severe forms of psoriasis.