Back to Homepage
What are some oral medications that can work for psoriasis? If you have moderate or severe psoriasis in which other treatments have not worked, including topicals, your dermatologist might actually prescribe an oral medication. Because of potential side effects, these are usually used only for brief periods, or it can be alternated with other treatments. Steroids, for example. If you have small persistent patches, we might inject triamcinolone or Kenalog directly into these lesions, and often they’ll alleviate them. Retinoids. Acitretin or soriatane and other retinoids are sometimes used in pill form to help reduce the production of skin cells. Side effects often include dry skin and muscle soreness. They’re also contra-indicated if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or if you’re trying to conceive. Methotrexate. Usually this is given weekly as a single oral dose and can decrease in production of skin cells and suppress inflammation. It’s less effective than biologic treatments, such as adilumumab or Humira, or infliximab, and many other of the biologic medications that are available. It might cause an upset stomach, a loss of appetite and fatigue. People taking methotrexate long-term will need laboratory monitoring to monitor their blood counts and liver function. Men and women should stop taking this medication at least three months before trying to have a child. The drug is also not recommended when you’re breastfeeding or pregnant.
