Psoriasis is a systemic disease of the auto-immune system that is linked to every organ and whose treatment needs an integrated approach.
At a webinar on ‘Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis - An Overview’, doctors from Naruvi Hospitals, Vellore, said people should consult an expert when multiple lesions occur in any part of the body and home remedies did not help. “It may not be just psoriasis, and treating the skin alone may not be the solution. It is combined treatment that makes a disease with co-morbidities manageable,” said Renu George, senior consultant dermatologist, while speaking on the unpredictability of psoriasis and how to manage it.
People should stick to a doctor’s prescription and avoid over-the-counter antibiotics and antifungals as the disease must be treated depending on its severity. “Under allopathy, there are topical treatments with steroids, phototherapy sessions, non-biologic systemic therapies, and a new class of protein-based biologic drugs derived from living cells, which are tailor made for every patient,” Dr. George said. Exposure to sunlight for short periods in the early morning hours and application of almond, olive, coconut, and aloe vera oils could offer comfort but not complete cure, he added.
