Review of effective ointments for psoriasis: which is the safest

April 27, 2020

Regular treatment with ointment is one of the mandatory methods of treating psoriasis on the arms, legs, face and other parts of the body. The oily texture of such external products allows the active ingredients to remain on the skin for a long time, which makes them more effective than creams and gels.

The list of ointments for psoriasis includes two main types of products:

• Hormonal. They can bring good results, but have many side effects.
• Non-hormonal. Less effective, but safer compared to hormonal ones.

The role of skin care during illness

With psoriasis, accelerated renewal of the upper layer of skin is observed. Normally, epidermal cells form within 3-4 weeks, but in case of illness this process is reduced to 4-7 days[2]. As a result, the skin loses elasticity and becomes dry and sensitive. Characteristic psoriatic plaques appear on the surface of the body. A person is bothered by itching in the affected areas.

Proper skin care helps:

• eliminate discomfort - relieve itching, burning;
• protect the skin from the addition of a secondary infection that provokes complications;
• accelerate the healing of plaques;
• soothe irritated skin.

Cyclosporine

Cyclosporin A is a waste product of the fungus Jolypocladium infantum Gams, which is a cyclic polypeptide consisting of eleven amino acid residues. In medicine, the drug is used as an immunosuppressant, especially for organ transplantation and the treatment of dermatoses (hyperproliferative, allergic, bullous, malignant). The therapeutic effectiveness of the drug is based on its effect on human immunity, since it is able to inhibit T-lymphocytes and suppress the active production of IL-2. Cyclosporine is prescribed for widespread, severe and resistant skin lesions.

For patients with severe psoriasis, another form of cyclosporine, Neoral, may also be recommended. However, this drug is not suitable for all patients. The drug is suitable only for adults who have extensive skin damage that has led to disability. Neoral is also prescribed to patients with psoriasis who do not respond to other systemic medications (acitretin or methotrexate) or who have contraindications to them. The active ingredients of the drug suppress immune activity, thereby slowing down the rapid turnover of skin cells and reducing the number of inflammatory cells.

Hygiene rules for psoriasis

You can't do without regular cleansing. Water treatments help get rid of external impurities and excess sebum. On the other hand, prolonged contact with water during the acute phase can worsen the skin condition. The plaques become soft, grow, and their area increases[3].

To avoid worsening, you should refrain from taking a bath and spend no more than 5-10 minutes in the shower. The water temperature should be average - no higher than 37-38 degrees. Hard sponges cannot be used. Mechanical impact can injure the skin, which leads to the appearance of new lesions.

Particular attention is paid to the choice of detergents. Key criteria:

• neutral pH level;
• no fragrance;
• homogeneous texture without abrasive particles;
• minimal amount (or complete absence)

Do not rub your skin after a shower. Such tactics will only increase irritation. It is better to gently blot areas with plaques with a soft towel.

With psoriasis, it is extremely important to keep your hands clean to protect yourself from introducing pathogenic bacteria to the affected skin. To avoid scratching, it is better to cut your nails short. If the plate itself is damaged, you should stop polishing or applying varnish.

Tips for use

1. It’s difficult to navigate on your own among the variety of drugs. The best ointment will be prescribed by the attending doctor, taking into account the current condition of the patient. 2. It is important to correctly combine drugs during therapy. Avoid the simultaneous use of products that are incompatible with each other, even if some are used externally and others internally. 3. Strictly follow the dosage and duration of treatment as indicated in the instructions. Especially when you use hormonal drugs.

If you choose the right ointment for psoriasis, it will quickly relieve the symptoms characteristic of this disease and speed up the recovery process. Ointments are a mandatory component of complex therapy.

Skin care cosmetics

1. Moisturizing. Such products protect the skin from excessive dryness, fight flaking and a feeling of tightness, and restore comfort. For psoriasis, you can use emollients - special pharmaceutical products with a complex effect. They deliver water to the deep layers of the skin, restore the lipid barrier and promote damage healing.
2. Exfoliating (keratolytics). These products soften plaques and promote healthy skin. The composition may include urea, lactic acid, salicylic acid.

For psoriasis, it is useful to use skincare products containing vitamin D3[4]. This substance helps suppress inflammation and strengthen the skin barrier. Another form, vitamin D2, is synthesized inside the body under the influence of UV rays. The compound also accelerates healing, so experts recommend taking short (no more than 15-20 minutes) sunbathing for psoriasis. Despite the benefits of tanning, you should not ignore products with an SPF filter. They protect sensitive skin from burns, which in psoriasis are no less dangerous than mechanical damage.

Oral retinoids

Drugs of the retinoid family, which are recommended for complicated forms of psoriasis, are associated with vitamin A. Soriatan is considered one of the effective drugs in this group. It is prescribed for the treatment of severe forms of the disease, especially its erythrodermic and pustular forms, which do not respond to other types of therapy. However, it is worth considering that taking this drug may be accompanied by serious complications. For example, it is prohibited for pregnant women, since after taking it the risk of congenital pathologies of the fetus increases significantly.

Compared to another drug from the retinoid group, tegison, soriatane is eliminated from the body much faster. However, it is advisable for women who have undergone treatment with soriatan to avoid pregnancy for three years after completion. They are also strictly prohibited from drinking alcohol for two months after finishing taking soriatane, since alcohol promotes its conversion in the bloodstream to tegison. This can cause birth defects in the baby, even if a long time has passed since the medicine was taken. In rare cases, soriatane is replaced with a less effective but gentler drug called isotretinoin. The appropriateness of taking a particular medication is assessed by a qualified doctor based on a comprehensive diagnosis of the patient and a series of laboratory tests.

Medicines for psoriasis

You cannot get rid of the disease, but its course can be controlled. External medications[5] will help with this. Therapeutic creams and ointments relieve itching, trigger epidermal regeneration, and suppress inflammation. Experts recommend the use of complex-action drugs containing several active components at once [6].

A universal assistant for psoriasis - Akriderm SK. It contains two components: betamethasone and salicylic acid[7]. This composition provides a comprehensive effect. The product penetrates to the source of inflammation, promotes the healing of psoriatic plaques and eliminates the symptoms of psoriasis - itching, burning, redness, swelling. It helps fight pathogenic flora on the surface of the skin, which can help reduce the risk of relapse and secondary infection. This is how it differs from monocomponent analogues. In addition, the drug is well tolerated and causes virtually no side effects [8].

An exacerbation of psoriasis is accompanied by discomfort, but unpleasant symptoms can be avoided if you carefully care for your skin during periods of remission. It is important to avoid mechanical damage, protect yourself from sunburn, regularly use moisturizers, and in case of relapses, use topical medications prescribed by a specialist.

Links to medical research

1. Study of Dermovate ointment, .pdf (806KB)
2. Research on Cloveit ointment, .pdf (156KB)
3. Main directions in the treatment of chronic dermatoses
4. Instructions and study of the drug Afloderm on the website of the medical portal Medi
5. Study of the effectiveness of the drug Skin-cap, .pdf (410KB)
6. Study of the clinical safety and effectiveness of medicinal and cosmetic products from the PSORILOM line in patients with psoriasis (on the website of the official distributor)
7. Calcipotriol preparations in the treatment of psoriasis
8. Modern aspects of external therapy of psoriasis
9. New approaches to external therapy of chronic dermatoses

Top 10. Daivonex 0.005% 30 g

Rating (2021): 3.93

14 reviews from resources were taken into account: Reviewer

A drug based on a synthetic analogue of vitamin D3. The product acts on psoriatic plaques in the same way as sun rays. Painful areas dry out and peel off, gradually disappearing. The drug is suitable for long-term use.

• Characteristics

  Country: Ireland

• Average price: 1198 rub.
• Type: non-hormonal D-vitamin-like product
• Active ingredients: calcipotriol
• Age restrictions: from 6 years

Non-hormonal ointment with delayed effect. To obtain a visible result, you need to use the product for 2 courses of 6-8 weeks with breaks of 2-3 weeks. The exact duration of treatment is determined by the doctor. The drug is applied 2 times a day only to damaged skin; it is recommended to remove excess from healthy areas. Judging by the reviews, the ointment helps even in advanced cases. However, to obtain stable remission, it must be used in conjunction with other means. And the first results are visible only after 1-2 weeks from the start of treatment. And for some, the composition does not help at all - hence the low rating of Daivonex. In order not to be disappointed in the effectiveness of the product and not to waste money, it is better to undergo an examination by a doctor before using the ointment.

Advantages and disadvantages

• In complex treatment helps to achieve long-term remission
• Dries and exfoliates psoriatic plaques
• Reduces the number of lesions on the skin of the body

• Very expensive
• Requires long-term use

Top 2. Belosalik 30 g

Rating (2021): 4.72

250 reviews from resources were taken into account: Yandex.Market, Otzovik, IRecommend, OZON, Zdravcity.ru

Instant action product Already on the 2nd day of use, the number of psoriatic plaques is reduced, redness and peeling go away.

• Characteristics

  Country: Croatia

• Average price: 465 rub.
• Type: combined hormonal drug
• Active ingredients: betamethasone, salicylic acid
• Age restrictions: from 1 year

The drug has an exfoliating, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic effect. It is considered one of the most effective remedies for the treatment of psoriasis. Used to treat the skin of the body and head. Typically, the ointment is applied to the affected areas in a thin layer 2-3 times a day, both under bandages and without them. The maximum duration of treatment is 3 weeks. However, in case of acute psoriasis, the period can be increased by the attending physician. The drug is well tolerated and is even approved for use in children over 1 year of age. The only significant drawback of the drug (except for addiction) is withdrawal syndrome. After abruptly stopping the use of the ointment, new flaky plaques may appear on the body. Therefore, treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a dermatologist.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Promotes rapid healing of wounds
• Doesn't spread
• Plaques and red spots disappear quickly
• Affordable price
• Large volume

• Long absorbed
• After a course of use, new rashes may appear

See also:

• 10 best non-hormonal remedies for psoriasis

Top 5. Advantan ointment 0.1% 15 g

Rating (2021): 4.59

348 reviews from resources were taken into account: Yandex.Market, Otzovik, OZON, IRecommend

Approved for use in infants This is the only drug in the selection that can be used in the youngest patients - from 4 months.

• Characteristics

  Country: Italy

• Average price: 719 rub.
• Type: glucocorticosteroid drug
• Active ingredients: methylprednisolone aceponate
• Age restrictions: from 4 months.

A product that perfectly moisturizes the skin of the body. Although the fatty ointment is absorbed more slowly than a cream with the same name, it does not cause dryness and copes better with flaking. In the treatment of psoriasis, the product is considered quite effective: already from the first application, the unpleasant itching goes away and the redness goes away. The ointment is applied once a day, the course lasts up to 12 weeks in adults and up to 1 month in children. Advantan has anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects, and also enhances tissue regeneration: wounds heal faster and plaques disappear. But, despite the low age threshold for use and quick action, the product still has a number of disadvantages. Frequent use of the ointment reduces its effectiveness; in addition, the high price with a fairly low volume also does not add to the attractiveness of the product.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Softens body skin
• Delicate texture with high absorption rate
• Heals scratches and microdamages
• Stops itching
• Prevents and eliminates allergic reactions

• Treatment wears off with very frequent use
• Small tube: may not be enough for the course