Various Alternative Psoriasis Treatments

Currently there is no cure for psoriasis only possible treatments and management plans. Unfortunately not all psoriasis treatments work for all psoriasis sufferers. Below are a few known psoriasis treatments.

Tazarotene is another cream that is sometimes used. It is a vitamin A based drug. Irritation of the normal surrounding skin is a common side-effect. This can be minimized by applying tazarotene sparingly to the plaques and avoiding normal skin.

Coal tar preparations have been used to treat psoriasis for many years. It is not clear how they work. They may reduce the turnover of the skin cells. They also seem to reduce inflammation and have ‘antiscaling’ properties. Traditional tar preparations are messy to use, but modern formulas are more pleasant. This can be brought OTC.

Emollients are not ‘active’ treatments but help to soften hard skin and plaques. They may reduce scaling and itch. Vitamin D based creams such as calcipotriol, calcitriol and tacalcitrol; these are work well to clear plaque psoriasis. They can cause irritation in some people.

Steroid creams or ointments work by reducing inflammation. Steroid creams should only be use when you have a ‘flare up’ The problem with steroids is that in some cases, once you stop using the cream or ointment, the psoriasis may ‘rebound’ back worse then it was in the first place.

Dithranol is another option. In most cases a daily application of dithranol to a psoriasis plaque will eventually cause the plaque to go. However, dithranol irritates healthy skin. Therefore, you need to apply it carefully to the psoriasis plaques only.

Salicylic acid is often combined with other treatments such as coal tar or steroid creams. It tends to loosen and ‘lift’ the scales of psoriasis on the body or the scalp. Other treatments tend to work better if the scale is lifted off first by salicylic acid.