Curatoderm

Curatoderm contains tacalcitol, which is a type of vitamin D analogue. It's commonly used as an initial treatment for psoriasis and is available as an ointment or a lotion. The lotion is particularly used for treating psoriasis on the scalp.

Psoriasis is a long-term inflammatory condition triggered by an overactive immune system. This leads to an excessive production of keratinocytes, the cells responsible for making keratin, which causes the skin to become rough, inflamed, and red. While there isn't a cure for psoriasis, treatments are aimed at easing and managing your symptoms.

Tacalcitol, found in Curatoderm, is a vitamin D analogue. It helps by regulating the production of keratinocytes, the cells that make keratin, which are produced in excess when you have psoriasis. It binds to the vitamin D receptors in your skin and immune system, slowing down their production. This helps reduce the thick, dry scales and inflammation associated with psoriatic skin.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, it's best to avoid using Curatoderm unless it's really needed. We don't know how tacalcitol might affect the baby during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it's safer to steer clear.

A study looked into how effective and safe tacalcitol ointment is for treating psoriasis. It involved 157 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis covering 7-20% of their bodies. They used the ointment once daily for six months.

The results indicated a 67% improvement in symptoms such as redness, swelling, and scaling. The area of the body affected by psoriasis was reduced by 33%. Furthermore, 23 patients experienced a significant improvement in their psoriasis score, with a 90% reduction within 109 days.

The treatment was shown to be safe and well-tolerated, with no serious side effects reported.

Curatoderm belongs to a group of medicines known as 'vitamin D analogues'. Calcipotriol is another medication in this group that's also used to treat psoriasis.

Vitamin D analogues are man-made compounds that resemble vitamin D in structure. It's important not to mix them up with vitamin D supplements, which are used to boost your vitamin D levels. Instead, these analogues attach to the vitamin D receptors in your skin and immune system to help decrease keratin production.

Calcipotriol and tacalcitol are both effective for treating psoriasis. There's not much difference between them, so you can choose whichever one you prefer.