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New Psoriasis Treatment
There are new psoriasis treatment being discovered to to help people who are suffering from psoriasis. While currently there is no complete cure to psoriasis, many treatments can control and clear it for a period of time. But to be honest, till today, there is no known wonder drug, no universal treatment that can totally eliminate this disease from coming back. Topical treatmentsTopical (applied to the skin) treatments are usually the first choice against mild or moderate psoriasis. Topical treatments are lotions that may contain tar, corticosteroids, calcipotriene, tazarotene and anthralin. A problem with topical steroids is that they're not selective for the disease-causing cells. Long and repeated usage can lead to tissue destruction. UV therapyUltraviolet light is an effective way to treat psoriasis. Three types of therapy involve ultraviolet light: ultraviolet B, targeted UVB and PUVA. Ultraviolet B is particular form of ultraviolet light. Skin exposure to light with this wavelength simply slows the rapid multiplication of the skin cells. Targeted UVB is a narrow beam of ultraviolet light and can be used to treat selected areas of the skin. PUVA involves usages of ultraviolet light A and light-sensitive medication. Ultraviolet therapy gives very good results against moderate and severe psoriasis. Systemic MedicationSevere psoriasis that doesn’t respond to classical treatments, usually requires a more direct approach. Systemic treatments (medications taken by mouth or given by injection) will affect your entire body, not only the top of your skin. New psoriasis treatment is based on experimental biological therapies. Biological drugs are made from human or animal protein and their purpose is to affect only the process that causes psoriasis. Until today they were safer than older agents such as soriatane, methotrexate or cyclosporine. What are biological drugs?The biological drugs are targeted immunosuppressants and designed to inhibit the overactive immune cells. Some will target T-cells while others will inhibit the action of TNF alpha (a molecule that is overproduced in psoriasis). The biggest goal of these biological drugs is to cause immunosuppression only in the affected areas while keeping the patient safe from other possible infections. They are approved and effective?Four biological agents were approved by FDA: alefacept, efalizumab, etanercept and infliximab. They are very effective on treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. However for some people, one of them is effective and, for a small minority, they may not work at all. Side Effects and PricesBecause these drugs are relatively new, their long term side effects are still being evaluated. A problem with biological therapies is their price. They are very expensive and do check to see whether if your insurance covers, fully or partially, the high cost of this new psoriasis treatment.
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