Learn More: Psoriasis
Overview of Psoriasis Treatments
While there's no cure for psoriasis, a good treatment plan will reduce its symptoms, improve your appearance, and enhance the quality of your life. Initial treatment usually focuses on clearing your skin. After that, a maintenance plan will aim to keep the lesions from returning. It may take trial and error to develop, because there are many treatments, and they're often most effective used in combination. They may include creams and other topical (external) medications, light therapy, and, sometimes, powerful systemic (internal) medications.
What doctors start with generally depends on the size of the affected area, the type of psoriasis, and is the severity. This is sometimes called the 1-2-3 approach.
- In step 1, medications are applied to the skin (topical treatment).
- Step 2 uses light-based treatments (phototherapy).
- Step 3 brings in the big guns: medicines that treat the immune system (systemic therapy).
