Psoriderm

Psoriderm comes as a shampoo or cream, using coal tar to help with scalp and plaque psoriasis. You can buy it from a pharmacy without needing a prescription. The pharmacist will simply ask you a few questions to ensure it's safe for you to use.

Coal tar products have been used to treat psoriasis for centuries and are regarded as safe and effective. They can also be combined with other psoriasis treatments, such as phototherapy.

Coal tar treatments, such as Psoriderm, are believed to help manage psoriasis in a few ways. Although the exact cause of psoriasis isn't fully understood, it's thought to be linked to a problem with the immune system, leading to the rapid production of skin cells. This causes inflammation and the formation of crusty, flaky patches on the skin. Coal tar is thought to work by targeting specific receptors involved in this immune response problem and also offers anti-inflammatory benefits to ease symptoms.

Coal tar is believed to help reduce plaque build-up by slowing down DNA synthesis, which in turn decreases your body's production of skin cells. This should help normalise the rate at which you produce skin cells and improve your psoriasis.

Psoriderm contains coal tar, which is usually used for treating mild to moderate psoriasis. However, if your symptoms are more moderate or severe, a treatment combining a corticosteroid and vitamin D might be more suitable for you.

Treatments such as Dovobet include a powerful corticosteroid that helps reduce inflammation by 'turning off' the inflammatory genes triggered during the inflammatory process.

This should help ease the discomfort from psoriasis. Dovobet includes a type of vitamin D, which can slow down the quick production of skin cells, helping to reduce scaling and plaque formation. Vitamin D is also believed to enhance the effectiveness of corticosteroids when used together, potentially allowing for a lower dose and shorter treatment duration.

Another way to treat psoriasis is by using emollients, which are a type of topical moisturiser. They help to hydrate the skin, ease itching, and stop your skin from becoming dry. Studies indicate that other topical treatments work better on moisturised skin, so emollients can be used together with other treatments to enhance their effectiveness.

The effectiveness of Psoriderm for psoriasis can vary between individuals. For some, it may completely clear up their psoriasis and help them achieve long-term remission. However, it doesn't have the same effect for everyone.

A review of topical treatments for psoriasis found that 33% of people using coal tar shampoo for scalp psoriasis saw an improvement in their symptoms, although the size of their plaques remained the same.

Coal tar treatments can help ease psoriasis symptoms and can be combined with other treatments, such as phototherapy or other topical options, for better results.