Psoriasis is a chronic, non-contagious autoimmune disease that affects about 7.5 million people in the United States. It causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in red, scaly patches that can be painful and itchy.

The Current State of Psoriasis Treatment

Although there is currently no cure for psoriasis, there are many treatment options available that can help alleviate symptoms.

These include topical treatments (creams and ointments that are applied directly to the skin), phototherapy (exposure to ultraviolet light), and systemic medications (pills and injections that work throughout the body).

Limitations of Current Treatments

While these treatments can be effective, they also have their drawbacks.

Topical treatments can be messy and inconvenient, phototherapy requires regular trips to the doctor, and systemic medications can have serious side effects like liver damage or increased risk of infection. Additionally, many patients find that their psoriasis becomes resistant to treatment over time, meaning that they have to continually switch medications or increase dosages to see any improvement.

New Developments in Psoriasis Treatment

Thankfully, there are many new developments in psoriasis treatment that offer hope for those who struggle with this disease:.

1. Biologics

Biologics are a relatively new class of systemic medications that are specifically designed to target the immune system. They work by blocking certain proteins that cause inflammation, which can help reduce and even eliminate psoriasis symptoms.

Biologics are generally considered safer than other systemic medications because they are more targeted, which means they have fewer side effects.

2. Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy involves taking stem cells from a patient’s own body and using them to regenerate damaged skin cells. While this treatment is still in the early stages of development, early studies have shown promising results.

Researchers believe that stem cell therapy could be especially effective for people with severe psoriasis that has not responded to other treatments.

3. Immune Therapy

Immune therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs to teach a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

While it is still in the early stages of development, recent studies have shown that immune therapy could be effective for treating psoriasis as well. Researchers believe that this type of treatment could be especially effective for patients who have not responded to other treatments.

4. Gene Therapy

Gene therapy involves altering a patient’s DNA to correct a genetic mutation that causes a particular disease.

While it is still in the early stages of development, gene therapy could one day be used to treat psoriasis by correcting any genetic abnormalities that are responsible for the disease.

5. Nanoparticle Therapy

Nanoparticle therapy involves creating tiny particles that can deliver medications directly to the affected skin cells.

This type of treatment could be especially effective for psoriasis because it would allow doctors to deliver drugs directly to the affected area without causing side effects in other parts of the body.

Conclusion

While there is currently no cure for psoriasis, there are many new developments in treatment that offer hope for those who struggle with this disease.

From biologics to stem cell therapy to gene therapy, there are many different approaches being explored that could one day lead to a clear, psoriasis-free future.