Medical Questions » Psoriasis Questions » Question No. 821
Question:Are there any new treatments for psoriasis?
Answer:This plaintive cry for help is constantly heard by general practitioners and dermatologists. Psoriasis is one of the most annoying, but rarely serious, skin diseases to afflict mankind. It can come and go for no apparent reason, may flare in varying parts of the body, and can even cause arthritis. Traditional treatments involve a combination of various messy creams from coal tar to steroids. Most help to some extent, but none cure. Ultraviolet light, steroid injections and anticancer drugs have all been tried in severe cases. One of the most successful skin preparations is dithranol. The latest advance is a drug called Neotigason. This has been available for only a few years, and is very successful in controlling (not curing) severe (not mild) cases of psoriasis. This drug cannot be used during pregnancy, and has other side effects that will have to be considered by your doctor and yourself. Anyone with psoriasis should be under the regular care of a doctor, because keeping the rash under control is the long-term way to prevent its spread and the more serious complications of the disease.
       
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