What’s the Best Plaque Psoriasis Treatment?

There are actually five types of psoriasis but people are most familiar with plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis is identified by the scaly buildup that occurs on the skin. This build up is often grey or silver in color and looks like plaque on your skin – hence the name. There are many plaque psoriasis treatment options and for most cases an over-the-counter product should work well. Unfortunately a quick trip to your local pharmacy can be a little daunting when you are presented with the many different plaque psoriasis treatment products on the shelves. This article is designed to help sort through all of these products to help you find the best plaque psoriasis treatment for your skin condition.

What are the Most Common Plaque Psoriasis Treatments?

Most drug stores will carry various topical creams or lotions for psoriasis. You will likely see them priced anywhere from $7.99 to $29.99. At first glance the $29.99 plaque psoriasis treatment cream may look like the most expensive. However, if you look the quantity of product you are getting for the lower price the cost per ounce is likely to be more expensive than the $29.99 jar of cream. If you have a significant amount of plaque buildup or your psoriasis covers a large amount of your body buying the larger jar will be a much better value for your skin condition. Be sure to shop wisely!

The next common plaque psoriasis treatment product you may find at your local pharmacy is a bodywash. These are products that are designed to be used in the bath or shower. They should often be used together with a topical cream because the bodywash alone may not be enough to treat your plaque psoriasis. By using a bodywash to scrub the area where you have plaque psoriasis together with a cream you are increasing the power of your plaque psoriasis treatment. Many people have had a lot of success by combining two products for their treatment.

If the scaling on your skin has become very thick or causes significant itching then you may want to consider a bath soaking product. Bath soak products designed as plaque psoriasis treatments will often include colloidal oatmeal. Oatmeal baths are known for their soothing properties and the soaking will help to soften the scaling so it can be removed more easily. Not a lot of people will need a bath soaking product for their plaque psoriasis treatment but if your condition is severe you may benefit from a warm bath.

How do Plaque Psoriasis Treatment Products Work?

For over-the-counter drug products that are found at your local pharmacy the FDA has recognized two specific ingredients for plaque psoriasis treatments. They are salicylic acid and coal tar. Both of these ingredients have been studied and are proven plaque psoriasis treatment ingredients. Both of these ingredients work the same way. When applied to the skin they act as exfoliants that help the body to more quickly remove the dead buildup of skin cells. The main difference between the two is the smell. Salicylic acid really has no smell at all. Coal tar on the other hand can often have a very harsh odor. Unfortunately salicylic acid will not work for everyone so coal tar may be the only option for a lot of people. To get around the harsh smell many companies can mask the smell with a fragrance that is less offensive. The main difference between all of these plaque psoriasis treatment products is the amount of the active ingredient. The more higher the concentration the more stronger the product. The FDA provides specific ranges for the active ingredients to be effective. Those ranges are from 1.8% up to 3% concentration. Depending on how severe you condition is will determine the strength you need.

So what is the Best Plaque Psoriasis Treatment?

For best results you should use both a bodywash and topical cream. Look to get the strongest product available to start. You can always control the strength by using it less often or by using less of the product. You should also look for products that contain extra nourishing and conditioning ingredients. These often include aloe, herbal extracts or even food based ingredients like eggs. Eggs have all of the vitamins, minerals and proteins found in life. This nourishment can be extremely helpful for your skin. You may have to try a few different brands before you find the right one for your skin but it will not be too difficult to find your best plaque psoriasis treatment.