Steroids: Ointments and creams containing corticosteriods may clear the skin temporarily and control the condition for some patients. These medications must be used under a dermatologist's supervision. Side effects include thinning of the skin, dilated blood vessels, bruising and skin color changes. Psoriasis may become resistant to the steroid preparations after prolonged treatment.

Vitamin D: A synthetic Vitamin D derivative can be useful for those with localized psoriasis and is sometimes combined with other therapies. This synthetic vitamin is only available in prescription form as a topical cream or ointment. Ordinary Vitamin D supplements, as would be found in a health food store, have no value in treating psoriasis.

Cyclosporine: This oral medicine suppresses the immune system. Side effects include hypertension, impaired kidney function and skin cancer in patients previously given ultravoilet light treatments. These risks restrict usage to patients with severe psoriasis.

Biologics: This new class of injected psoriasis medicines target and block specific portions of the immune response. Since these drugs are only recently available, their side effects are unknown. Biologics are used to treat patients with widespread psoriasis and those with psoriatic arthritis.

Retinoids: Prescription Vitamin A-related therapies may be prescribed alone, or in combination with light therapies, for severe cases of psoriasis. Side effects include elevation of fat (lipid) levels in the blood, along with dryness and irritation of the skin, lips and eyes. Retinoids can also cause birth defects in unborn children. Retinoids are available in both topical and oral formulations.

Methotrexate: This oral, anti-cancer drug can produce dramatic clearing when other treatments have failed, but must be used under the close supervision of a physician. Methotrexate can produce serious side effects, particularly liver disease; regular blood tests are required of those taking it.

PUVA: A type of medication known as psoralen can be prescribed for those undergoing ultraviolet A (UVA) light booth treatments (PUVA). Psoralen makes the skin very sensitive to light and should only be used under the close supervision of a dermatologist. PUVA treatments can cause nausea and increase the risk of photodamage and the development of skin cancers.

Almost all psoriasis patients benefit from exposure to sunlight, which decreases inflammation and slows the rapid growth of skin cells. However, this exposure puts healthy tissue at risk for wrinkling, skin cancer and eye damage, and is not available in all climates or at all times of the year. Treatments using full body UVB light boxes have been used for many years because of their reliability to deliver measured doses. However, UVB light booth phototherapy carries similar risks to sun exposure and therefore, treatments are prescribed only for patients with extensive disease.

New Treatment Option: BClear^TM Targeted PhotoClearing System^TM

There is a potent, new, advanced light therapy for the treatment of psoriasis. The BClear Targeted PhotoClearing System allows physicians to provide targeted, high-dose UVB light to clear psoriasis plaques in fewer treatments than required by traditional therapies.

How it Works

The BClear system uses a fiber optic delivery device to provide the same proven UVB light used in full body lightbox therapy. However, light provided by BClear is much higher in intensity and is delivered directly to the psoriatic lesion. Higher doses of light therapy substantially reduce the number of treatments needed to clear psoriasis, while targeted treatments protect healthy skin from premature aging, thinning and increased cancer risk.

What to Expect

Depending on the areas to be treated and the extent of involvement, each BClear treatment may take as little as a few minutes or last up to 30 minutes or longer. Typically four to twelve treatments are required for psoriasis clearance. Each case is unique and although not all patients will not attain 100% improvement of psoriatic lesions, high clearance rates have been achieved with the BClear system. In general, patients treated with the BClear system have reported relief for extended periods of time. Remission periods in the range of two to four months or longer are common. Clearance and remission rates are sometimes extended when psoriasis medicines are used in combination with BClear treatments.

No anesthesia is required during treatment and most patients feel no discomfort. A few patients report a warm, sunburn-like sensation that develops after treatment and lasts for a few days. Patients can resume their normal activities immediately with no downtime.

Who Should Seek Treatment?

Patients with mild to moderate psoriasis covering less than 20% of their body are good candidates for BClear therapy. Patients with plaques that have been resistant to other therapies and those patients with plaques located under the arms or in the folds of the skin may also benefit from BClear's high-dose, targeted light treatment.

Insurance Coverage

BClear treatments are commonly reimbursable, which minimizes out-of-pocket expenses for many patients. Since insurance reimbursement varies from state to state and carrier to carrier, prospective patients should consult with their physicians and insurance carriers for coverage elegibility.

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