Psoriasis is not a sentence , dermatologists are sure. With the development of medicine and the study of the problem of skin diseases, more and more new remedies for psoriasis are being developed, which are prescribed depending on the form of the disease. Since there are at least ten varieties of pathology and the patient himself will not be able to accurately determine them, any drugs should be prescribed by a doctor.
Therapy is prescribed in order to achieve long-term remission , since the disease cannot be cured. The main method of treatment is the use of topical preparations. Psoriasis remedies can be both hormonal and non-hormonal, like the Losterin line of products .
The purpose of using external remedies for psoriasis is to relieve the patient of the main symptoms of the disease: burning and itching, pain, discomfort. For this, ointments and creams, powders and lotions, talkers and compresses are used.
Most often, especially in the acute period, ointments are prescribed – fatty-based preparations. Applied to the skin, the ointment reduces heat transfer, softens the epidermis (or crusts), making it more susceptible to the action of the therapeutic substance. Compresses are also made with ointment. A properly applied bandage prevents air from reaching the affected area, which ensures deep penetration of the active elements of the product. Vegetable oils, purified pork or bear fat, lanolin, petroleum jelly, greases, naftalan are used as an ointment base . As a therapeutic substance, boric or salicylic acid, plant extracts, sulfur, tar, ichthyol, resorcinol, and steroid hormones are added to the ointment.
Gels are suitable as a remedy for psoriasis for use in open areas. They have a cooling and protective effect, and thanks to the structure, it is easy to apply and quickly absorbed. Most often, gels are prescribed for psoriasis of the scalp, nails and pustular form of psoriasis. For chronic skin care, it is recommended to use sprays . The sprayer provides an accurate dosage of the product, economical consumption, and also makes it convenient to care for the scalp.
Glucocorticosteroid topical preparations
Hormonal drugs used in the treatment of psoriasis contain glucocorticosteroids , which are produced by the adrenal cortex, or synthetic analogues of these hormones. These psoriasis drugs are available in the form of creams, ointments, and sprays. Their choice is dictated by the power of exposure, penetration depth, localization and severity of the lesion, ease of use for a particular patient, etc. Thus, ointments are recommended for the treatment of psoriatic plaques on the body, and creams that are easily distributed are preferred for the treatment of the scalp. on the skin.
A number of therapeutic effects make glucocorticosteroid drugs the method of choice for exacerbation of psoriasis. They have anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antipruritic and epidermostatic effects.
Treatment with glucocorticosteroid external agents begins with mild or moderate drugs – hydrocortisone, prednisolone, alkomethasone . In the chronic course of the disease, skin lichenification , severe lesions, strong and very strong hormonal agents are prescribed with fluocinolone , flumethasone , dexamethasone, mometasone , budesonide , halomethasone , chalcinonide , clobetasol .
Due to the powerful action that depresses the immune system, strong side effects and addiction, there are rules for using hormonal drugs:
- they can be used as a remedy for psoriasis only during an exacerbation;
- the duration of use is determined by the doctor, and the cancellation occurs gradually by reducing the dose or switching to a weaker drug;
- they are used, as a rule, no more than 1-2 times a day;
- applied in a thin layer.
It should be noted that there are 4 generations of glucocorticosteroid drugs. First generation drugs have fewer side effects and less effectiveness, while second and third generation drugs are more effective, but at the same time more dangerous. In psoriasis, fourth-generation drugs are recommended for use , combining both high efficiency and safety. Examples: mometasone furoate , methylprednisolone aceponate , hydrocortisone butyrate.
High efficiency is provided by a combination of glucocorticosteroid drugs and salicylic acid, which has a keratolytic and antimicrobial effect.
Prolonged uncontrolled use of glucocorticosteroid drugs is fraught with the development of disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system and skin diseases – pyoderma, atrophy, hypertrichosis, rosacea , etc.
External Therapy
In addition to hormonal ointments, other external preparations are also used for psoriasis. Their use can be prescribed in both acute and chronic periods.
Keratolytic , antiseptic and local irritant effect is created by preparations with salicylic (1-2%) and boric acids (2%). With their help, other active ingredients quickly and deeply penetrate the skin.
Zinc ointments and pastes have an anti-inflammatory effect . In combination with sulfur, boron and naftalan , they become even more effective. Zinc preparations, in addition to relieving inflammation, have a resolving effect, slow down the pathological growth of skin cells, reduce infiltration and flaking.
Due to the good anti-inflammatory, irritating, epidermostatic action, preparations containing birch, juniper, pine and coal tar are widely used. Tar is a product of the dry distillation of wood. It contains organic acids and resins, phenol, xylene, toluene, benzene and many (over 10,000) other substances. Tar ointments have different concentrations – from 0.5 to 20%, their use depends on the severity of the skin lesion. Tar baths may also be recommended.
Since tar becomes dangerous under the influence of sunlight (there is an increased likelihood of burns, the development of a cancerous tumor, skin diseases), it is not recommended to use it on open areas of the skin, and direct sunlight should be avoided during treatment. Preparations containing tar are contraindicated in patients with pustular skin lesions, diseases of the urinary system and in the exudative form of psoriasis.
Naftalan oil produced in the area of the Azerbaijani resort of the same name has high efficiency and multidirectional action . Naftalan has been used in dermatology for more than a hundred years. Currently, it is introduced into the composition of ointments, creams, naftalan is added to therapeutic baths, combined with ichthyol, grease, and sulfur. The composition of Naftalan oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, cyclopentanoic acids and resins. Naftalan has antipruritic , disinfecting, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and keratolytic effects. Back in 1965, dermatologist N. G. Tereshina noted the powerful effect of naftalan baths: 85% of patients had a long remission – from 7 to 12 months.
Preparations containing Naftalan oil also have contraindications. So, they can not be used in the acute stage of psoriasis, since itching and redness of the skin may increase, the affected areas increase and new lesions appear. With caution , naftalan -containing products should be used on large areas of the body, with hemorrhagic syndrome, kidney diseases, and anemia.
Widely used external preparations with a synthetic analogue of vitamin D3 – calcipotriol . Vitamin has the ability to normalize metabolic processes in the skin, slows down cell division, and has anti-inflammatory properties. External preparations with calcipotriol have a very high efficiency, comparable to glucocorticosteroid drugs, but unlike the latter, they have a long period of use (from 1 month to 1 year). Among the side effects of the use of drugs with D3 are dermatitis, exacerbation of psoriasis, hypercalcemia.
Preparations for internal use
Internal therapy for psoriasis is supportive, but not the main treatment. There are 2 groups of drugs – psoralens and retinoids . Psoralens are tablets or injections designed to increase the body’s sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Under the influence of psoralens and sunlight (PUVA therapy), the division of epidermal cells slows down.
Retinoids – analogues of vitamin A – also have an epidermostatic effect, and drugs are indicated for use in extensive plaque lesions of the skin. However, retinoids have a long list of side effects and a low rate of excretion from the body (up to 1.5 years). In view of this, vitamin A is not prescribed to pregnant women or women planning pregnancy.
Herbal preparations
After removing the acute condition, it is preferable to use non-hormonal psoriasis remedies, for example, Losterin , salicylic and zinc ointments, products based on birch tar, grease, naftalan , etc.
Losterin line of specialized products , developed by dermatologists, is intended for daily care of dry, sensitive, irritated skin with chronic skin diseases.
(in combination with Losterin cream )
Positive dynamics in the form of a decrease in hyperemia and itching in psoriasis was noted already on the 9th day of application of Losterin cream . The patient continued to apply the cream further.
Shampoo Losterin in the treatment of psoriasis
Positive dynamics in the form of a decrease in flaking, hyperemia and infiltration in psoriasis was noted 10 days after the start of daily use of Losterin shampoo . The maximum effect was achieved after 20-28 days
The active ingredients that make up the preparations of the Losterin line effectively relieve inflammation, itching and flaking of the skin, moisturize the skin, help restore the affected skin, and have an antibacterial effect.
Shampoo ” Losterin ” is intended for daily care of dry, sensitive, irritated scalp and hair in diseases such as seborrhea (dandruff), seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, furunculosis, various types of mycoses (fungal infections of the scalp).
Losterin shower gel and cream are recommended for people suffering from various forms of dermatitis / dermatosis with severe dry skin: psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, lichen planus, ichthyosis, xerosis, as well as for the prevention of exacerbations of chronic dermatosis and prolongation of remission.
In addition to Losterin , ointments, creams, lotions, therapeutic baths and lotions with extracts of celandine, string, sage, valerian, eleutherococcus, wild rose, arborvitae, viburnum fruits, Japanese Sophora, bark of sea buckthorn buckthorn , barley, celery, leaves are widely used for the treatment of psoriasis . and cherry fruits.
Vegetable oils are widely used in the treatment of psoriasis . So, olive oil has powerful moisturizing and keratolytic properties, sea buckthorn oil reduces irritation and inflammation, linseed oil stimulates the regenerative processes of the epidermis. With psoriasis of the scalp, it is recommended to use burdock oil, which, among other things, helps to restore health to the hair.
Unlike hormonal drugs, products based on natural ingredients do not cause addiction, withdrawal syndrome and can be used for long courses.