Find your fit

Treatments for plaque psoriasis generally fall into two categories: treatments that are applied to the surface of the skin (such as topicals or light therapy) and treatments that work from the inside of the body (like oral and injectable, biologic medications).

Not sure which treatment is right for you? Choose a path below.

I want a treatment that:

I prefer:

Based on your choices, you might want to consider: Topical treatments

See the table of topical treatments for psoriasis below.

What it is	What it does	How it's used	Monitoring required	Common side effects*
Salicylic acid	Helps to soften and remove psoriasis scales Relieves flaking	Applied directly to skin	At the discretion of dermatologist	Reddening of the skin Peeling of the skin Itching Sharp pain
Corticosteroids	Reduces redness, scaling, and itching	Applied directly to the affected areas of the skin	At the discretion of dermatologist	Application site burning or itching
Retinoids	The exact mechanisms of action are not known. May help skin cells grow normally and reduce inflammation	Applied directly to the affected areas of the skin	At the discretion of dermatologist Not suitable for pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant	Burning and redness of the skin Itchy and irritated skin Skin pain Worsening of psoriasis Skin peeling Dry skin Skin swelling Rash Stinging sensation of the skin

Not sure topical treatments are right for you?

*Always talk to your doctor before trying a new treatment. The above chart does not include an exhaustive list of side effects. Refer to the product information for each treatment to see the full list of warnings, precautions, and treatment considerations.

Based on your choices, you might want to consider: UV light therapy

See the table of UV light therapy treatments for psoriasis below.

What it is	What it does	How it's used	Monitoring required	Common side effects*
UVB phototherapy	Slows the growth of affected skin cells	Skin is exposed to artificial light source for set length of time	At the discretion of dermatologist	Redness Itchiness Temporary flare-ups
Psoralen + UVA (PUVA)	Slows down the growth of affected skin cells	Skin is exposed to artificial light source in combination with light-sensitizing medicine psoralen	At the discretion of dermatologist	Increased sensitivity to natural sunlight Nausea Redness Itchiness
Laser treatments	Targets select areas of the skin	Areas of skin are exposed to high-intensity beam of UVB	At the discretion of dermatologist	Reddening of the skin Darkening of the skin Blistering of the skin

Not sure light therapy is right for you?

Based on your choices, you might want to consider: Oral treatments

See the table of oral treatments for psoriasis below.

What it is	What it does	How it's used	Monitoring required	Common side effects*
Apremilast	Reduces the activity of the enzyme, PDE4, which results in a reduction of inflammation	Taken orally as a pill	Regular weight checks	Diarrhea Nausea Headache Migraine Depression Weight loss
Methotrexate	Blocks an enzyme needed by body cells to live. This interferes with the growth of skin cells in psoriasis	Taken orally as a pill	Regular blood tests to reduce risk of infection or bleeding	Upset stomach Stomach pain Vomiting Nausea Loss of appetite Dizziness Chills and fever Diarrhea Sores on lips or mouth A fall in the number of white blood cells Tiredness Sore throat Swelling of the glands
Cyclosporine	Suppresses the immune system to slow the growth of skin cells	Taken orally as a pill or liquid	Blood pressure Kidney function Liver function Blood lipids	High blood pressure Kidney or liver problems Headache Increased levels of lipids Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea Acne or oily skin Slight trembling of the hands Increased growth of fine hairs on the body Muscle or joint pains or cramping Weakness, anxiety Tingling in the fingers, toes, or mouth Night sweats Hearing loss Swelling of the face Increased potassium in the body (your doctor may instruct you to avoid high dietary potassium intake) Tender or swollen gums Decreased ability to fight infection
Acitretin	Helps to control the multiplication of skin cells, which leads to a more normal pattern of growth	Taken orally as a pill	Regular pregnancy tests Cholesterol Triglycerides Blood sugar levels Liver function	Dry eyes Dry mouth, chapped lips, runny or dry nose Dry skin, peeling of fingertips and/or palms and soles, itchiness, rash, sticky skin, brittle nails Chills, joint pain, increased sensitivity to touch Hair loss or abnormal hair texture

Not sure oral treatments are right for you?

Based on your choices, you might want to consider : Injections and infusions

See the table of injections and infusions for psoriasis
(also known as biologics) below.

What it is	What it does	How it's used	Monitoring required	Common side effects*
Adalimunab	Binds to a protein called TNF-alpha. This leads to a decrease in the inflammation process and helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as pain, itching and scaly patches on skin)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Injection site reaction Cough and cold symptoms, including sore throat Headache Rash Nausea Pneumonia Fever Abdominal pain
Brodalumab	Binds to a protein called interleukin-17 (IL-17RA). This helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as itching, pain, and scaling)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Headache Joint pain Feeling tired Mouth or throat pain Diarrhea
Certolizumab pegol	Binds to a protein called TNF-alpha. This leads to a decrease in the inflammation process and helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as pain, itching, and scaly patches on the skin)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Upper respiratory infections (such as flu, cold) Fatigue Skin infections Liver function elevations Injection site reactions (pain, redness, rash, swelling, itching, or bruising) Itchy reddish-purple skin rash and/or threadlike white-grey lines on mucous membranes (lichenoid reactions)
Etanercept	Binds to a protein called TNF-alpha. This leads to a decrease in the inflammation process and helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as pain, itching and scaly patches on skin)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Injection site reactions (redness, swelling, itching, or bruising) Upper respiratory infections (sinus infections) Headaches
Guselkumab	Blocks the action of a protein in the body called interleukin 23 (IL-23). This helps reduce inflammation and other signs and symptoms of psoriasis	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Infections of the nose, sinuses, or throat (common cold) Injection site reactions (pain, redness, swelling, itching, or bruising) Stomach flu Diarrhea Headache Joint pain Fungal infections of the skin (e.g., athlete’s foot) Herpes simplex infections (e.g., cold sores, genital herpes)
Infliximab	Binds to a protein called TNF-alpha. This leads to a decrease in the inflammation process and helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as pain, itching and scaly patches on skin)	IV infusions given in a doctor’s office	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Shortness of breath Rash Headache Abdominal pain Back pain Coughing Diarrhea Dizziness Fatigue Itchiness Pain Upper respiratory infections Upset stomach Urinary tract infections
Ixekizumab	Binds to a protein called IL-17A. This helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as itching, pain, and scaling)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Upper respiratory tract infections Injection site reactions (rash, pain, itch or swelling) Nausea Athlete’s foot Sore throat
Risankizumab	Blocks the action of a protein in the body called IL-23. This improves skin clearance and reduces the signs and symptoms of psoriasis such as burning, itching, pain, and redness	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Upper respiratory tract infections with symptoms such as sore throat and stuffy nose Feeling tired Fungal skin infection Injection site reactions Headache Itching Burning when you urinate or urinating more often than normal
Secukinumab	Binds to a protein called IL-17A. This helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis (such as inflammation, pain, itching, and scaly patches)	Self-injected under the skin	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Upper respiratory infections Diarrhea Cold sores Itchy rash Runny nose
Ustekinumab	Blocks the action of two proteins in the body called interleukin 12 (IL-12) and interleukin 23 (IL-23). This helps reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriasis such as inflammation, pain, itching, and scaly patches	Injections given at the doctor’s office or at home	Monitoring for infections (including tuberculosis)	Upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold Headache Sore throat, nasal congestion Allergic reaction (skin rash)

Not sure injections and infusions (biologics) are right for you?

Did you know?

Up to 30% of people with psoriasis go on to develop psoriatic arthritis. Learn more about psoriatic arthritis

Treating psoriasis: A doctor’s tale

Starting your new chapter with psoriasis starts with finding the right treatment for you—and to do that, you need to find the right doctor. One who understands where psoriasis starts, and who is aware of all the treatment options available.

Dr. Melinda Gooderham is just that: a dermatologist who understands the ins and outs of life with psoriasis, and the different ways to treat it. We asked her to tell us a little bit about her experience.

On becoming a dermatologist

My grandfather had psoriasis, and though I never met him, I feel like I knew about the disease from a young age. Maybe it contributed to my becoming a dermatologist! I like dermatology because it allows me to treat people of all ages, from the very young to the very old. And of course, there’s the fact that I get to make a significant impact on the lives of my patients. I love it.

On the true cause of psoriasis

Part of being a dermatologist is educating people, helping them understand their disease. In the case of psoriasis, my patients rarely think that psoriasis is something internal. They all think that since it shows up on their skin, it starts on their skin. I tell them psoriasis is caused by an overactive immune system—their skin cells are multiplying faster than normal—we can just see it on your skin.

On different ways to treat psoriasis

Usually by the time I see people, they’ve tried multiple topical therapies, which I think are a good option if you only have a few psoriasis patches. Sometimes, people are coming to me because they want to try a different type of treatment, in which case, it’s just a matter of helping them find what’s right for them. But if someone comes to me with psoriasis all over their body, I talk to them about systemic therapy—treatments that work from inside the body—unless there’s some reason that I can’t.

On achieving clear skin

I’ve been treating people with psoriasis for many years, and the common thread among all of them is this: there’s nothing like being able to do what they weren’t before. Going to buy shorts for the first time, taking your kids to Great Wolf Lodge^® and going in the pool instead of sitting on the sidelines…they’ve always hidden their skin, and when the time comes that they don’t have to anymore—well, there’s no greater reward than that.