Cure For Psoriasis

Psoriasis oral medications have been used for decades to treat psoriasis. In recent years patients with moderate to severe psoriasis have increasingly switched to newer biologic medications that are injected into the bloodstream but psoriasis oral medications (also known as “systemics”) are still an important and commonly used treatment for psoriasis.

One of the main advantages of psoriasis oral medications is how long the drugs have been around. In comparison to some of the newer psoriasis drugs on the market, systemics have been around a lot longer thus, medical practitioners know a lot more about their long-term effects and what to watch for.

If your psoriasis causes significant discomfort or pain or covers a sizable part of your body, your dermatologist is likely to discuss the possibility of using a systemic. Some insurance companies also require psoriasis patients to try an oral medication before starting a biologic, since biologics are far more expensive. The primary oral medications prescribed for psoriasis are methotrexate, cyclosporine, and acitretin.

How should you use these psoriasis oral medications?

Each systemic medication has its own advantages and potential complications. Although patients sometimes stay on one medication for months (or even years), dermatologists have found that they may be able to maximize the advantages and minimize the complications of these drugs by prescribing them in sequence.

Methotrexate and cyclosporine clear psoriasis more quickly than Soriatane, for instance, but are less appropriate for long-term “maintenance” therapy due to the potential for liver and kidney damage. Cyclosporine, for instance, cannot be taken continuously for more than a year. Some dermatologists will therefore prescribe an initial dose of methotrexate or cyclosporine, add Soriatane after a month or two, and then gradually taper off the more powerful systemic.

In other cases, dermatologists simply rotate through the various systemic medications to lessen the risk of side effects. Systemic drugs are also frequently prescribed in combination. This appears to enhance their efficiency as well as allowing each drug to be given in lower doses thus, minimizing potential for any one long-term side effect.