Psoriasis Treatments

Psoriasis Treatment

Psoriasis is a very common skin condition that affects a large number of people of any age. There is no cure for psoriasis but there are many treatments available that can help patients live normal lives.  The goal of these treatments is to help alleviate the symptoms of the disease and to help prevent complications that may occur when this skin condition is left untreated.

XTRAC Excimer Laser

Psoriasis laser treatments can be used to treat mild to moderate psoriasis.  The Excimer laser emits a carefully focused beam of light which is concentrated only on the psoriasis plaques and lesions.  By focusing the high dose of light to the exact lesion area, it minimizes the exposure of healthy skin to ultraviolet rays. For more information please visit www.xtracnow.com

Phototherapy

Phototherapy is a very well studied, relatively safe and extremely effective way of treating numerous types of skin disorders.  It has been studied and used most frequently in conditions such as psoriasis, where it is one of the more effective treatments available for severe cases.  It is also used frequently in such disorders as atopic dermatitis (eczema), mycosis fungoides/cutaneous lymphoma, as well as in itching of pregnancy and many other disorders of the skin.

Phototherapy works by exposing the skin to ultraviolet rays of specific wavelengths.  Rays of these wavelengths tend to suppress the skin’s immune system (without harming the rest of the immune system) and can lead to improvement of many different skin disorders.  By using specific wavelengths of light, the beneficial effects of phototherapy can be amplified, while the negative effects, especially the long-term risk of skin cancer, can be minimized.

Tanning beds are not recommended for the treatment of Psoriasis.  Tanning beds do not use these specific light wavelengths, leading to a patient who uses them for skin disorders to need a higher dose to achieve similar results.  This higher dose leads to a significantly increased risk of skin cancer in people who use tanning beds for medical purposes. .

Currently, Dermatology Associates offers two different types of phototherapy:  Narrowband UVB (ultraviolet-B) phototherapy and PUVA (psoralen plus ultraviolet-A) phototherapy.  Both of these treatments have significant benefits when given under the care and supervision of our medical staff.

Biologics

The use of biologics for the treatment of psoriasis and autoimmune disorders has become a standard way to treat severe or stubborn forms of these diseases.  Our dermatologists are committed to staying abreast of the many new drugs as they become available to assure our patients the latest advances in the treatment of psoriasis.