Treatment

Although there is no cure for psoriasis, the condition can be managed by a wide variety of treatment options depending on the severity of your condition.

There is no cure for psoriasis, but it can be treated and managed.

Each person’s experience of psoriasis is unique to them, and a treatment that works for one person might not be the right treatment for you. Therefore, treating psoriasis can be a frustrating process as it is trial and error to find the right treatment for the severity of your condition.

Most people with psoriasis can be treated by their GP, however, because psoriasis is more than skin deep, we recommend seeking a referral to a dermatologist who may, depending on the severity our the psoriasis, may prescribe more targeted treatment options.

Treatments fall into 3 categories:

Topicals – creams, ointments, gels and lotions that are applied to the skin.
Phototherapy – the skin is exposed to certain types of ultraviolet light.
Systemic – oral and injected medications that work throughout the entire body.

When determining what treatment option is right for you, your GP or dermatologist will consider a number of factors with you, such as: severity of your psoriasis, type of psoriasis, its location, how it is affecting your quality of life, environmental factors such as lifestyle and other medical conditions you may have.

Topical treatments

Topical treatments are applied directly to the skin to assist in slowing down the production of excess skin cells and/or to reduce inflammation. They are commonly provided to patients who are considered to have mild to moderate psoriasis.

They include a wide variety of creams, ointments, gels and lotions. Some are available over-the-counter while others are only available via prescription from your GP or dermatologist.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy, or light therapy involves exposing the skin to ultraviolet light – the same UVA and UVB rays the sun gives off naturally – to help slow the production of new skin cells.

Systemic treatments

Systemic treatments are prescribed by dermatologists for moderate to severe psoriasis that has not responded to the use of topical of phototherapy treatments. They are taken orally or by injection and affect the entire body rather than targeting one area and suppress an over active immune system.