Psoriasis defined as a chronic skin disorder that commonly affects 1% to 3% of the world s population. Psoriasis is characterized by periodic flare-ups of red patched covered by a silvery and flaked scale typically on the scalp. There are several variations of psoriasis, but the most common is plaque psoriasis.
The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown. It is believed that a combination of several factors contribute to the development of psoriasis. There is currently no cure for psoriasis and the existing treatments available are aimed at controlling the symptoms of the disease as opposed to curing it.
Treatment options available for psoriasis range from topical therapies to photo therapy and systemic therapy for the more severe cases of the disease. All of these treatment options are considered by psoriasis patients to have several drawbacks in terms of convenience, safety, or effectiveness. The advent of new biological therapies may potentially offer patients suffering from psoriasis hope of long term treatment which is safer than the current available options.
Topical therapies have remained the mainstay of treatment for many patients suffering with mild psoriasis. Topical treatments work relatively quickly at clearing lesions and are typically well tolerated by the majority of psoriasis sufferers. However, topical treatments must be used repeatedly to