Psoriasis is a common skin condition that can leave those who suffer from it quite embarrassed. Some find it very difficult to cope with the symptoms, and are therefore anxious to find out what treatments are available for treating psoriasis.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a skin condition that is marked by areas of red, itchy skin with thick white or silvery scales on top. The scales develop because the skin cells emerge at a much faster rate than normal. The condition can affect various parts of the body including the scalp, elbows, knees, palms, legs, and nails.
Treatments for psoriasis
- Phototherapy or light therapy is a technique that uses high intensity narrow band ultraviolet (UV) light of 311-312 nm,to clear a psoriasis and other skin conditions. Narrowband UV is a short intense treatment that exposes patients to ultraviolet rays only for a few seconds or minutes. UV phototherapy has be expertly done and closely monitored, so as to avoid any burning of the skin.
- Excimer laser treatment involves the delivery of intense bursts of UVB light to specific areas of the skin affected by mild to moderate psoriasis. It typically requires 4-10 treatments to achieve optimal results, and sessions are usually done twice a week.
- Biologic drugs are increasingly being used for the treatment of psoriasis, especially for hard-to-treat cases. Biologics are drugs made from proteins, and they work by targeting the immune response in the body, which causes the rapid growth of skin cells associated with psoriasis.
Are you looking for an effective treatment for psoriasis? Search our directory to find a practice in your area.
If you are in the Chicago area, Skin Cancer Center is our featured practice.
You can reach them at www.skincarectr.com/, or by calling 773-296-3636 in Chicago, 847-901-0252 in Glenview, and 847-234-6121 in Lake Forest.