Salicylic acid, ceramides-containing moisturizers may be adjuvant therapies for psoriasis

Key takeaways:

• There is a significant knowledge gap surrounding the use of skin care to improve the skin barrier among patients with psoriasis.
• Salicylic acid and ceramides-containing skin care may remove or soften psoriatic plaques.

Salicylic acid and ceramides-containing skincare products may soften psoriatic plaques, allowing for improved absorption of topical treatments, suggesting skin care may play a role in managing psoriasis, according to a study.

“Skin care is rarely mentioned in published guidelines and algorithms to treat psoriasis, unlike atopic dermatitis,” Leon Kircik, MD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and colleagues wrote. “This review aims to summarize aspects of skin barrier dysfunction in patients with psoriasis and to provide insights into the role of gentle cleansers and moisturizers in managing psoriasis and promoting a healthy skin barrier and better patient outcomes.”

After conducting a literature review of 41 clinically relevant papers, the authors agreed upon five statements concerning the history and guidelines of using gentle cleansers and moisturizers to promote a healthy skin barrier in patients with psoriasis.

Firstly, the authors agreed that psoriasis is associated with barrier defects, although the cause-and-effect relationship is complex and requires further studies.

Nevertheless, the authors also found that guidelines surrounding habits to create a healthy skin barrier rarely mention skin care for psoriasis patients. Only one guideline mentioned adding salicylic acid-containing skin care to a regimen of topical or systemic therapy to remove scales. Overall, the authors believe that the lack of literature surrounding skin care for patients with psoriasis demonstrates a potential knowledge gap.

After further review, the authors suggest that skin care could potentially be involved in the management of psoriasis, despite disease severity, as an adjuvant treatment of acute psoriasis or as a treatment for healing skin that is in an asymptomatic state.

Moisturizers have been found to soften plaques and enhance topical treatment absorption. The use of skincare products containing ceramides has particularly been proven to enhance the appearance of psoriasis-ridden skin by preventing further development of psoriasis, providing much needed relief for patients.

“Clinicians and patients would benefit from increased awareness of the importance of skin care in psoriasis,” the authors wrote. “Early initiation and maintenance of well-tolerated treatment regimens and the use of carefully selected adjunctive skin care are potential considerations for increasing patient compliance and outcomes.”