Medications and light treatments for psoriasis
To treat psoriasis, most people apply medication directly to their skin. If you need stronger treatment, your dermatologist may prescribe light treatments or medication that works throughout the body. You’ll find information about the different psoriasis treatments below. Within these pages, you’ll also find dermatologists’ tips to help you get the best results.
Medication applied to the skin
Light treatments
Medication that works throughout the body
Can't afford psoriasis medication?
If you cannot afford the medicine that your dermatologist prescribes, these resources may help: I cannot afford my psoriasis medication. Now what?
How to find the best treatment for your psoriasis
When you see a board-certified dermatologist, you receive a treatment plan created for your individual needs. Those needs include how psoriasis affects your life, the type of psoriasis you have, and the severity. Your dermatologist will also consider where the psoriasis appears on your body. For example, treatment for scalp psoriasis differs from that for psoriasis on the genitals.
You can play an important role in helping your dermatologist decide which treatment goes in your treatment plan. For treatment to be effective, you must use it. And you must use it as directed. If your dermatologist prescribes a medication that you apply to your skin twice a day, you must have the time to apply it. Should phototherapy be an option, you’ll need to go to a treatment center two or three times per week.
The above links take you to pages that explain what each treatment involves.
Board-certified dermatologists have expertise in treating psoriasis
During their medical training, dermatologists learn which psoriasis treatments can be:
Used to treat a patient and for how long
Safely used when a patient has another medical condition
Used to treat both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
Safely combined, and which can be risky when used together
Combined to reduce side effects
You can learn more about treatment for psoriasis by watching these videos, which feature dermatologists answering common questions about treating psoriasis: