The triggers of this disease include dry air, stress, skin injuries, infections, certain drugs, excessive or too little sun, consuming too much liquor, cold weather, and smoking.
Texas Surgical Dermatology, led by board certified dermatologist Dr. Tri H. Nguyen, provides advanced skin care treatments to patients in Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and surrounding locations.
How do Dermatologists treat Psoriasis?
For people with psoriasis, a dermatologist can develop a treatment plan to meet their individual needs. The dermatologist will consider the following factors when creating this plan:
- Form(s) of psoriasis that the patient has
- Location of psoriasis on the body
- Severity of the psoriasis
- Effect of psoriasis on the patient’s life
- Any other medical conditions that they may have
The treatment plan may include medication to apply on the skin, skin care advice, and suggestions to prevent flare-ups.
A majority of psoriasis cases are treated with drugs that are applied directly on the skin, including dandruff shampoos, creams, and ointments, moisturizers, medication containing vitamin A or vitamin D.
Medicines to suppress the immune response of the body may be necessary to treat severe psoriasis. These drugs include methotrexate or cyclosporine. Additionally, new medications known as “biologics” are used to target the immune response of the body. These drugs include Adalimumab (Humira), Etanercept (Enbrel), and Infliximab (Remicade).
Phototherapy for Psoriasis Treatment
Phototherapy is a medical treatment in which the skin is cautiously exposed to UV light. Phototherapy or light therapy involves exposing the skin to UV light on a routine basis under medical supervision.
These treatments are carried out in a doctor’s office of psoriasis clinic or at home with phototherapy unit. Light therapy is most effective when received in a consistent manner.
UVB Phototherapy
Ultraviolet B (UVB), which is present in natural sunlight, is an effective treatment for psoriasis. UVB goes into the skin and slows down the development of affected skin cells.
In this treatment, the skin is exposed to an artificial UVB light source for a set duration on a regular schedule. This treatment is undertaken in a medical setting or at home.
Broadband and narrowband are the two types of UVB treatment. The primary difference between the two is that narrow band UVB light bulbs deliver a smaller range of UV light. Narrow-band UVB is similar to broadband UVB in various ways.
Several research studies conclude that narrow-band UVB treats psoriasis more rapidly and generates longer remissions in comparison to broadband UVB. In addition, it may be effective with a lesser number of treatments per week than broad-band UVB.
UVB can be administered in combination with other topical and/or systemic agents to improve efficacy. However, some of these may increase burning and photosensitivity, or reduce the remission duration.
When UVB is administered in combination with systemic treatments, it may increase the efficacy significantly and allow lower doses of the systemic drug to be used.
Excimer Laser Treatment
The excimer laser has recently achieved Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of chronic, localized psoriasis plaques.
This laser delivers a high-intensity beam of ultraviolet light B (UVB) to target precise areas of the skin impacted by mild to moderate psoriasis. According to studies, this treatment is especially effective for scalp psoriasis.
The individual response of patients to this treatment will differ. Depending on the specific case of psoriasis, it can take between four to ten sessions to see outcomes.
Board certified dermatologist Dr. Tri H. Nguyen receives patients from Houston, Katy, Spring, The Woodlands, Texas, and nearby areas for innovative and advanced dermatology treatments.
For more information on procedures and treatments offered at Texas Surgical Dermatology PA please call 832.663.6566 or click here to contact our dermatologists. Helping patients in Houston, The Woodlands, Springs, Katy and other surrounding areas of Texas.
