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By taking into account how your psoriasis affects you physically, emotionally, and socially, your dermatologist may be able to offer you appropriate psoriasis treatment options.
Psoriasis treatments
Before your dermatologist can decide on a psoriasis treatment approach, he or she must first determine the severity of your psoriasis. This typically involves assessing the percentage of body surface area (BSA) affected and should also take into account other aspects of the disease, such as the location of your plaques, your symptoms, and the impact of psoriasis on your quality of life.
Everyone reacts differently to his or her condition. For example, someone with only a few small patches of psoriasis may be overwhelmed by the disease, especially if it occurs on a more vulnerable part of the body. On the other hand, someone whose psoriasis covers over 50% of his or her body may not be bothered by it and may be able to lead a normal life.
A new look at assessing disease severity
and how it affects your psoriasis treatment options
Both the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and the National Psoriasis Foundation recommend that dermatologists also consider quality-of-life issues when determining disease severity and when developing a psoriasis treatment plan. That's why it's important to tell your dermatologist about your physical symptoms as well as how your psoriasis affects you emotionally and socially. By taking all of these aspects into account, your dermatologist may be able to offer you appropriate psoriasis treatment options.
Back to topA complete assessment means a more personalized psoriasis treatment for you
Depending on the severity of your psoriasis—mild, moderate, or severe—your doctor will determine whether you are a candidate for localized therapies or if systemic therapies are more appropriate.
- Candidates for localized therapy have psoriasis that is limited to a small area and affects less than 5% of the Body Surface Area (BSA).
- Candidates for systemic and/or phototherapy have psoriasis that affects 5% or more of the BSA. Some may have less than 5% BSA involvement, but the lesions are present on vulnerable areas such as the face, genitals, hands, or feet. People whose symptoms are not adequately controlled using localized therapies, or who are significantly impaired physically or mentally by their disease, are also potential candidates for systemic and phototherapy.
- Over-the-counter topicals
- Moisturizers
- Salicylic acid
- Coal tar preparations
- Prescription topicals
- Topical steroids
- Vitamin D analogs
- Topical retinoids
- Anthralin
UVB laser treatments
- Acitretin
- Cyclosporine
- Methotrexate
Phototherapy: artificial ultraviolet light, or a combination of ultraviolet light and medications
- UVB broadband and narrowband
- PUVA
- UVA plus psoralen
Your dermatologist may prescribe localized psoriasis treatments in combination or in sequence with systemic therapies or phototherapy. Systemic therapies include biologic medicine, which is a different way to treat plaque psoriasis. Learn more about a biologic option to treat plaque psoriasis.
In addition to these more traditional therapies, you may wish to explore alternative psoriasis treatment options, such as meditation or acupuncture.
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