One common chronic skin disorder is Psoriasis. While it is common to appear on the skin, it can also occur in the nails. This is known as psoriasis of the nails or psoriatic nail disease. As a result, the nails become thickened, pitting, discoloured, deformed and grows abnormally. Therefore, it would be important to seek nail psoriasis treatment as soon as you detect this condition.
Psoriatic nails may loosen and separate from the nail bed; the disease may also cause the nail to crumble. There is no cure but several nail psoriasis treatments are available including topical treatments, oral medications, light therapy and surgery. The goal of the treatment is to improve the appearance and function of the nails.
When treating mild to moderate psoriatic nail disease, topical creams are preferred to use. Topical creams that have components like corticosteroid solutions, vitamins A and D derivatives and antifungal solutions are being rubbed gently around the affected nail. Corticosteroids are potent drugs for inflammation in which it hinders cell turnover through suppression of the immune system. Likewise, Vitamin D inhibits new cell growth. Anthralin, a topical cream, also works to slow down the growth of new cells. Occasionally, these topical nail psoriasis treatments do not take effect because the cream can be hardly absorbed by the nails.
Photo chemotherapies are more aggressive treatments, often used for more severe cases of psoriatic nail disease. It combines the prescription medication psoralen with exposure to ultraviolet light; this therapy is commonly called PUVA and is a very effective treatment option for nail psoriasis. PUVA therapy involves taking a light sensitizing medication (psoralen) before exposure to UVA light. PUVA therapies are administered two to three times per week for the prescribed time period. With PUVA therapies, nail psoriasis generally improves within three to six months.
When all other nail psoriasis treatments have failed, surgical or chemical avulsion therapy can be preformed. Complete removal of the nail is rarely recommended because the regrowing nail may be affected worse than prior to the removal. Chemical avulsion therapy involves the use of urea ointment for seven days and the nail is removed painlessly, with no blood loss. Often as a last resort, surgical removal of the nail can be preformed. The procedure is preformed under local anesthesia and the nail matrix can be ablated to prevent regrowth of the nail.
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