Technological advancements and new discoveries in the drug designing field has encouraged the rapid evolution of biological therapy. However, chronic skin problems like psoriasis still remain a condition that may not heal even with thorough treatments. Many clinical forms of the disease itself make it challenging for dermatologists to plan the treatment. Some patients do not respond at all to the biotechnological treatments, while some might develop antibodies to the drugs instead of responding positively.
About the disease
Psoriasis is chronic dermatitis causing red and itchy scaly patches, usually on the elbows, knees, scalp, or trunk. There is no typical cure to the condition as it occurs through immunogenic mediation. The severity of the disease depends on the profile of the patient. As it has a strong impact on the psychological aspect, you might suffer from poor quality of life if you have been suffering from psoriasis. There are some drugs available for treating the plaque psoriasis-like
- Anti-TNF (adalimumab, infliximab, and etanercept)
- Anti-IL-12/ IL-23 (Ustekinumab)
- 17A (Secukinumab)
But these are successful in controlling the symptoms only and not curing the condition permanently.
Drawbacks in treatment methods
Systemic medication can help you to manage moderate or even severe cases of psoriasis. The topical creams can bring relief if you have mild psoriasis if you are diligent in the application. But the medicines usually have steroids, which will cause various side effects like the lightening of skin color or thinning of the skin layers. The dermatologists prescribe interchange of steroid and non-steroid medicines at a particular schedule to protect you from adverse impacts of the steroids.
Topical ointments are helpful
If you have already consulted a dermatologist, you must know that there is no permanent cure to the problem. But there are some medicines and ointments that can reduce skin irritation and result in temporary remission of the condition. If you are fortunate, you might not experience the symptoms again. The ointments can soothe the skin and control the burning sensation that can be troublesome to bear.
Aggravating factors
When dermatologists say that it might not be possible to cure the disease, you must be wondering what is so dangerous about the skin condition that there is no specific treatment for it? Well, the disease depends on many factors that can act as triggers. And it is not possible to curb all the factors to treat psoriasis.
- When the weather is dry and cold, the problem increases. Psoriasis already makes tour skin dry and scaly. Over and above, if the weather is dry, the situation gets worse. SO this can be challenging as doctors cannot control the weather. You have to apply the ointments and creams continuously to keep your skin hydrated and prevent further drying.
- Creams are not effective medically as the scales in the patches are very thick and tough. The ointments cannot even penetrate through the rough scales. So the creams can only superficially hydrate the skin but without any medical effectivity.
- Systemic medicines may be convenient for use, but you have to bear lots of burdens. You might need continuous lab monitoring to detect side effects like reaction at the injection site, fatigue, stomach upset, or other infections.
Expensive medication
If you have heard of the latest medicines for psoriasis, you should also keep in mind that these are highly expensive. The insurance companies often deny coverage for the expenses to buy the new medicines as they suggest sticking to the old medication only. Even if you get the coverage, you have to e ready for higher copays on the costlier medicines. So it will create an access barrier.
Foregoing treatment
If the psoriasis is mild in your case, you will feel that there is no need to bear such unnecessary expenditures when the mild rashes are not causing much pain. The same thought process makes thousands of patients forego the treatment after the initial detection and medication phase. The typical concerns of the patients include
- Tension about possible side effects
- Impact of the medicines on people with cardiac problems
- Low immunity due to intake of immune control medication.
- Some don’t even know what can be the long-term impact of the skin condition, and so, they ignore the problem.
Limited options
Psoriasis is such a chronic ailment that does not have too many varieties of treatment options. For instance, if you are suffering from nail-predominant psoriasis, the ointments from the top healthy skin brand can give you temporary relief. But the genital psoriasis is problematic as you cannot apply the topical steroids that cause skin thinning. Even if the psoriasis is on the scalp, it will be difficult to apply the creams through the hair. Such restraints restrict the treatment options. That is why dermatologists always claim that you can suppress the disease’s symptoms, but complete remittance is almost impossible clinically.