Laser treatment

For the treatment of psoriasis, various laser therapies are now available which allow for a precise irradiation of the affected skin areas. Special UV-B lasers are used which, similar to conventional light therapy, inhibit the growth of the upper skin layers and regulate the immune system. The laser can be directed specifically at the plaques, thus protecting healthy skin. Furthermore, fewer treatments are necessary than with conventional light therapy. The treatment is suitable for patients with localized psoriasis foci, but is not suitable for large-scale application.

Biologicals

The treatment of psoriasis also includes the use of so-called biologicals. This relatively new class of substances consists of antibodies that are used for therapy refraction. This means that biologicals are used when other drugs are not effective and do not achieve a successful treatment.

Specifically, these are the active ingredients Infliximab and Adalimumab. These drugs belong to the TNF-alpha inhibitors and have an anti-inflammatory and regulating effect on the immune system. These are powerful drugs that are used for the treatment of various chronic inflammatory diseases and unfortunately can also be accompanied by many side effects. Their use must therefore be carefully considered.

What can I achieve through nutrition?

Opinions on nutrition in psoriasis vary widely. There are many dietary tips, diet plans and recommendations for people with psoriasis, but their usefulness can be questioned. People who suffer from psoriasis have a certain genetic predisposition to the disease.

Different triggering factors lead to the onset of the disease and phases of illness. From the point of view of orthodox medicine, nutrition plays a rather subordinate role, so that patients with psoriasis should generally not have a special diet plan. In the end, patients should take care to reduce overweight and avoid alcohol.

Both can put a strain on the liver and make the disease worse. Alcohol in particular, like many medications for psoriasis, places an additional burden on the liver and should therefore at best not be consumed at all. Overweight and a very fatty diet promote inflammatory processes in the body and can thus also promote a deterioration in the appearance of the skin.

However, this does not mean that radical zero diets are sensible. Instead, one should pay attention to a balanced and healthy diet, fresh vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, a drug therapy cannot be avoided even by a healthy diet.

Home remedy for psoriasis

There are many different home remedies for the supportive treatment of psoriasis. Whether or not a household remedy is effective varies greatly from person to person. In most cases the simple principle applies: the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

What is effective for one person does not help another person at all. In the following, some household remedies for use in psoriasis are presented:

1. compresses with black tea: For these simple compresses you only have to boil some black tea. Once the tea has cooled down to a comfortable temperature, a clean cotton cloth can be soaked with it.

The cloth is now wrung out well and placed on the affected area;

2. curd wrap: some curd cheese is placed on a clean cotton cloth. Now the cloth is folded up and pressed onto the affected area of skin. The cooling compress provides quick relief of the symptoms;
3. salt bath: a salt bath can help to soften the flaky skin a little and facilitate the subsequent care.

To do this, put 2 to 3 handfuls of sea salt in a bath and bathe in the water for about 10 to 15 minutes. Afterwards the skin is cared for as usual. There is an increasing number of recommendations from various non-scientific sources for the use of Manuka Honey in psoriasis.

However, there is no scientific evidence of any effect. In fact, Manuka Honey can actually cause more pain in psoriasis and should not be applied to psoriasis. The increased sensation of pain is due to the honey‘s active ingredient, methyl glyoxal.

Also for normal honey no recommendation can be given. The clinical picture of psoriasis can neither be improved by eating the honey nor by applying it to the skin. Tea tree oil is mentioned in some forums as a household remedy for use with psoriasis.

External application in bath water or directly on the affected skin areas is usually recommended. Although some sufferers believe that tea tree oil relieves their symptoms, the oil should be used with caution. It can lead to contact allergies and eczema. We therefore advise against using it at this point.