Psoriasis is a skin condition that presents considerable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Patients have many treatment options, ranging from topical and symptomatic treatment to biological medicines.

Switzerland’s leading clinics offer comprehensive diagnosis and individual treatment of skin conditions in line with the latest clinical evidence.

Treatment in Switzerland in a department of dermatology and venereology provides:

  • A comprehensive examination to establish the precise cause of the condition.
  • Selection of the optimal individual treatment based on the patient’s physical indications and the clinical picture of the disease.
  • Clearing the body of metabolic waste products.
  • Elimination of infections.
  • Full restoration of the body.

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a skin condition. Its symptoms can, however, also appear on the nails; nail changes may accompany skin changes or occur on their own. In some cases the joints may also be affected, and they are the only internal organs that can be.

Psoriasis is a very common skin condition. It causes itching, inflamed rashes and scaling. About 4% of the world’s population has psoriasis. Specialists say that the earlier the signs of psoriasis appear, the more severe the course of the disease will be. Psoriasis is caused by overactive growth of skin cells, which leads to thickened patches on the skin. It may be chronic or relapsing. Contrary to a widespread misconception, psoriasis is not contagious. If you have been diagnosed with psoriasis and have already had several courses of treatment without result, there is still every reason for hope. Quite often, experienced doctors revise the diagnosis and, on the basis of clinical tests, find the true cause of the condition in other systems of the body.

Patients’ skin lesions are often visible, and the condition usually affects particular areas.

Psoriasis most often affects:

  • the elbows
  • the knees
  • the scalp
  • larger areas of skin

Symptoms of psoriasis

The symptoms of common psoriasis result primarily from benign, rapid, uncontrolled growth of the epidermis. Cells of the upper layer of the skin (the epidermis) “migrate” to the skin surface seven times faster than in healthy people. Normally the epidermis renews itself over 28 days; in patients with psoriasis this takes only three to four days.

The result: shiny, silvery-white scales form on sharply defined, heavily bleeding and inflamed areas of skin. The extensor sides of the arms (e.g. the elbows) and legs (e.g. the shins), the scalp, and the buttocks, chest and back are particularly affected, and sometimes also the eyebrows, armpits, navel, genitals or anal area (the natal cleft). The affected areas often itch.

The scales can often be removed with a fingernail. Psoriasis vulgaris is the more common form of psoriasis. There is also a form that mainly affects the large skin folds, such as the armpits, the groin, the navel and the folds, the palms and the soles of the feet. In severe cases the entire skin may be affected (erythroderma). This is life-threatening.

Psoriasis patches can merge over a large area, resembling the outline of a map (geographic psoriasis). Or clusters distributed over the whole trunk may resemble match heads in size and extent (guttate psoriasis).

Causes of psoriasis

The condition is most often triggered by:

  • stress, overwork and nervous exhaustion;
  • a weakened immune system;
  • various endocrine disorders;
  • infectious diseases and bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections;
  • genetic abnormalities;
  • intoxication of the body;
  • injuries and damage;
  • an unbalanced diet;
  • unhealthy habits.

Principles of psoriasis treatment

Despite recent advances in understanding how psoriasis develops, it remains difficult to treat; there is currently no cure, and no single treatment suits everyone.

Several treatments may need to be tried before the most suitable one is found, and to achieve the best effect or minimise side effects, different treatments may be used at the same time or in rotation.

Treatment for adults with psoriasis includes:

  • General measures
  • Topical preparations
  • Ultraviolet therapy
  • Systemic non-biological therapy
  • Systemic biological therapy

The choice of psoriasis treatment depends on a number of factors.

For example:

  • The nature of the disease
  • The severity of the disease: the affected body surface area and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index
  • The impact of the disease: symptoms and the Dermatology Life Quality Index
  • The patient’s preferences
  • The acceptability and practicality of the treatment
  • The patient’s age and general health
  • Coexisting conditions (e.g. psoriatic arthritis, kidney disease or liver disease)
  • Other medicines being taken
  • Plans to conceive or a current pregnancy
  • Treatment goals (e.g. improving nail psoriasis or achieving 90% improvement)