Treatment of psoriasis requires an integrated approach: experts

Learn about psoriasis, a systemic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs, and the integrated approach needed for treatment.

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.

Rheumatology consultant N. Raja urged people not to ignore joint paints as arthritis could precede skin lesions. “It is estimated that 10% to 40% of people with psoriasis can also develop psoriatic arthritis, and the incidence is equal in males and females affecting single or multiple small or big joints,” he said.

People with high blood sugar, cholesterol, hypertension, and visceral obesity could suffer co-morbidities such as heart diseases, diabetes, vision problems, depression, and arthritis. “Eat healthy, reduce stress, maintain an ideal body weight, and get good sleep,” Dr. Raja said.

Consultant dermatologist Monica Jain said the condition was often characterised by well-demarcated red-or-skin-coloured plaques, which are elevated lesions surmounted by silvery white scales. “Psoriasis is non-contagious, and 90% of all cases have the most common plaque psoriasis that develops on the scalp, elbows, knees, palms, and nails,” she explained.

Winters are known to trigger psoriasis. A low-fat diet, wearing loose fitting clothes, and avoiding stress and infections can prevent triggering the condition, the doctors said.