Treatments for Nail Psoriasis

Psoriasis has many clinical implications, one of which is the localization of psoriatic process on nails with partial (and sometimes full) effect of the nail bed.

According to statistics, nail psoriasis is observed among 15% of patients on average, suffer from severe form of nail psoriasis, which can become the reason for functional limitations (for example, upon work with computer), as well as social limitations. Men and women equally often suffer from this form of psoriasis.

At the moment, reasons for nail psoriasis development are unknown. Treatments for psoriasis are conservative (including home UVB therapy), however, in case of severe effects of nail bed surgical treatment can be required.

At the moment there are no methods which guarantee full recovery from nail psoriasis. Medicines help only to remove disease exacerbation for a time. Corticosteroids, vitamin D preparations, retinoids and UVB phototherapy are mainly used for therapy. UVB lamps are used for phototherapy. More information about you can find here: https://uvb-lamps.com/blog/increasing-the-effects-of-phototherapy-on-psoriasis/.

New directions in nail psoriasis treatment are the use of preparations, which block negative reaction of immune system, which induces external evidences of psoriasis. These preparations are based on monoclonal antibodies, biologic response modifiers, necrosis factor blockers. However it is not known yet what impact taking these preparations will have in long-term perspective.

Nail care in case of psoriasis

Daily regular nail care is a part of complex nail psoriasis treatment, in the course of which relapse periods are interchanged by remission. Care recommendations are the following:

• cut nails short;
• ensure proper hand and foot hygiene;
• avoid microtraumas of nails, hand and foot skin;
• stay off manicure, pedicure and other cosmetic procedures for nails;
• use gloves when doing housework.