VIDEO: Topical therapies and the psoriasis treatment landscape

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When we think about the placement of topical therapies, it's important to know that topical therapies remain one of the most widely used therapies for patients with limited psoriasis. And there are several different kinds. And that your doctor and you can work together to decide which one may be the best. Probably one of the most commonly used topical therapy is topical corticosteroid.

Aside from that, we also have non-steroid options, things such as topical Vitamin D agents and other topical therapies that target different parts of the inflammatory cascade. It's also important to know that we also have therapies topically that are really targeted against the scale on the skin. Oftentimes in psoriasis, patients can develop these plaques with very fixed scales on the top, and there are agents that help break down the scale.

It's also important to know that while topical therapies can be helpful for limited area psoriasis, in certain circumstances where psoriasis involves critical areas, such as genital area or the facial areas or the palms and soles, if topical therapies are not helpful in those areas, it's important to consider then transition to a more aggressive treatment, such as for example oral therapy or biologic therapy to adequately treat those areas.

And sometimes you may also notice, even at when the limited psoriasis is involving less critical areas, for example, the elbows or the knees, if topical therapies are not helping there, you may want to talk to your doctor about other options regarding treatment of those areas. And sometimes that can involve going to the doctor's office and potentially receive small injections that are directed just at the skin itself to help calm down those spots.