Everyone deserves healthy skin! Treat plaque psoriasis today with the best medication options available. The best psoriasis treatments for people with moderate to severe skin plaques can help reduce plaque severity and size, so that you can feel a whole lot more comfortable in your skin, literally and figuratively. Those with moderate to severe psoriasis may have plaques encompassing 3% or more of their body, but medications designed to suppress the immune system and reduce plaques can help people have more normal skin- reducing scaling, irritation, pain, and even bleeding. If you are suffering from plaque psoriasis, medications like Otezla and Humira can improve your life. If you are interested in learning more about the best psoriasis treatments for people with moderate to severe skin plaques, check out these most frequently asked questions.
Otezla, also known as apremilast in its generic form, is a medication that comes as an easy to-swallow pill. Drugs like Otezla can alter the immune system enough to reduce inflammation in the body. Otezla can give you up to 75% clearer skin, provided you take it regularly as directed. Most often, Otezla is taken twice per day with or without food. It should be noted that Otezla has been clinically tested and has been FDA-approved for safety and effectiveness. The most common side effects of Otezla are related to upset stomach and headache.
For those who don’t mind injections, Humira can be a more effective option for some patients. Humira is a drug much like Otezla, in that it alters the immune system enough to slow it down, giving skin a chance to regrow normally. Also known as adalimumab, Humira works specifically by blocking TNF proteins that contribute to plaque formation. Another medication called Enbrel, or generic etanercept, also has this effect. To take Humira, it must be injected under the skin. But the good news is that you only need to inject it once per week or in some cases once every other week. By comparison, Enbrel must be taken once per week and sometimes even twice per week. Side effects are usually limited to pain and irritation specifically at the site of injection.
Another type of injectable medication that many people have found effective is Stelara. Each Stelara syringe contains a single dose of ustekinumab that is administered under the skin once, then again after four weeks. After the second dose, it must be taken every three months to be effective. Reactions at the injection site may occur as may minor symptoms like headache, sore throat, and back pain.
If you are looking for an effective injection for psoriasis plaques, Taltz is a great choice. For patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, clinical studies have shown that 4 out of 10 patients can achieve visibly and completely clear skin, while up to 90% had shown at least a significant improvement. Taltz works by blocking a protein called interleukin-17A that contributes to inflammation. In the form of an auto-injector, Taltz is exceptionally easy to take. Dosages are determined by the doctor and will vary from person to person depending on the severity of their condition and how they respond to the medication.
Neoral, also known as cyclosporine, has been often used to prevent organ rejection, but can also be used to treat plaque psoriasis. It weakens the immune system enough to slow down skin cell turnover. This oral medication can be taken up to twice per day, and with or without food, but it’s important to take it the same way everyday, so you’ll need to decide what works best for you. Side effects include headache, dizziness, shaking, upset stomach, and abnormal body hair growth. Drinking grapefruit juice while taking these medications can increase the likelihood of these side effects.
Provided you have the patience, Soriatane can work wonders for many patients. Derived from Vitamin A, Soriatane is a type of Retinoid. It can help patients with severe psoriasis who have not responded to other therapies. On the downside, it needs to buil-up in your system to work, so it can take a few months before you see the desired results. Because of its aggressiveness, it can cause severe birth defects in women who are pregnant. Other possible effects include hair loss and inflammation of the lips. Topical retinoid medications like Tazorac are available to be applied directly on plaques, but likewise should not be taken by pregnant women.
Another aggressive medication called Rheumatrex does pose some danger when it comes to possible liver damage and reduced blood cell count. However, in cases of severe psoriasis, these risks may be worth it to many patients. And with close monitoring, a doctor can help determine if the medication is safe for you. Also called methotrexate, Rheumatrex stops inflammation and decreases skin cell production, so that skin can return to normal. Upset stomach, fatigue and a loss of appetite are common side effects.
If you are looking for a more natural treatment option for psoriasis, light therapy has been known to help treat plaques on plenty of patients. Regular exposure to UV rays, from either artificial or natural sunlight can help slow down cell turnover and reduce plaques. UVB phototherapy methods are fairly new and showing a lot of promise in terms of treating plaques, but UVA rays are even better as they penetrate deeper, delivering more effective results.