Psoriasis is a disease that can have debilitating effects on a person's lifestyle. But there's no need for people to needlessly suffer. Doctors recommend phototherapy for psoriasis as treatment to ease most of its symptoms.
The disease is chronic and easy to diagnose due to its appearance on the skin. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can be located anywhere on the body and in varying degrees of severity.
Plaque type psoriasis is the most common form of the disease, affecting 80 to 90 percent of people suffering from the condition. It typically appears as raised areas of inflamed skin covered by white scales. This inflammation causes severe itching, swelling and pain. When located at the joints and connective tissue, this can cause psoriatic arthritis, most commonly in the fingers and toes. Dactylitis, an additional symptom, causes the extremities to be inflamed and appear larger than normal. Excessive swelling can also affect the hips, knees and spine.
Pustular psoriasis appears as raised bumps on the skin filled with pus and surrounded by red skin. While the pustules themselves are non-infectious, they can be painful when touched. While they often appear on the hands and feet, the pustules can also appear on other parts of the body.
The severity of the disease is calculated by the percentage of its spread over the body and its impact on the life of the patient. It can be determined to be mild, moderate-to-severe, or severe. Itching and pain, which cause irritation and lack of sleep, are only the base effects of Psoriasis. Depending on where the symptoms appear, the condition may have a serious effect on an individual's quality of life. For instance, if the affected areas include the feet or legs, it can inhibit an individual from walking or doing other physical activities. Psoriasis of the hands and fingers can be occupationally disabling, making it difficult or impossible for a surgeon to do surgery as an example. The condition can also affect a person psychologically, as sufferers may feel embarrassment, depression and social isolation due to how this disease affects their appearance.
While there is no known cause or cure for psoriasis, there are treatments that people can use to lessen its effects. In addition to phototherapy, there are other methods of treatment. Topical agents such as bath solutions, moisturizers and creams can help reduce dryness and itching. This, however, is only practical if the affected area is small. Another method is the use of medication that is ingested or injected. However, the toxicity levels of these drugs require users to have regular blood and liver check-ups.
Because of these factors, doctors and dermatologists prefer to use phototherapy for psoriasis. Used within scheduled sessions, Narrow Band UVB light treatment is the most common option chosen. It can be used on large, affected areas and is low-risk in conjunction with regular check-ups with a dermatologist. UVB light can stem the increase and production of skin cells with positive effect for the patient. Maintenance and monitoring is the only requirement, and unlike systemic agents, there is no need for extra check-ups for toxicity.
Many dermatologists offer phototherapy in their offices or patients can be prescribed a home unit that makes the therapy highly convenient. When monitored carefully by a physician, the positive effects of phototherapy can be realized with little risk to its users.
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