PSORIASIS – OTHER TREATMENT
Cortisone given by mouth or by injection is not used in psoriasis except to treat severe unstable cases where local treatment is best avoided.
Methotrexate is a drug widely used in treating various cancers. It is effective in some cases of psoriasis because it depresses the over-activity of the cells in the skin.
This is no cure but can clear most of the lesions of psoriasis. However, in most cases, the rash comes back once treatment is stopped.
Another treatment routine involves using drugs known as psoralens in combination with ultraviolet light. UV light of long wave length (UV-A) is more effective and so special lamps which give this form of ultraviolet light are used. The combination of the first letters of the drug and the light has led to this treatment being called PUVA.
The long term effects of such treatment on the skin is still a matter of debate. It has been suggested that the incidence of skin cancer may be increased and the treatment should be reserved for severe and resistant cases. Again, like methotrexate therapy, it should only be used by those with extensive experience.
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