AboutDr Alan Galbraith Expertise I can answer most questions on most drugs. Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease.
Organizations Institute of Biology, London.
Publications Author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" 5th Edition published in November 2007 by Pearson Education, Australia.
Question Treatment of psoriasis involve alternating a steroid cream and a non-steroid cream like calcipotriene or tazotarene.Because of continuous steroid creams like clobetasol Betamethasone and mometasone, I have developed striae and deposit of fats on the abdomen and legs and tigh.
I have psoriasis since 2000. Is it worthwhile to switch over to non steroid creams like calcipotriene or tazotarene. How far reasonable to depend on non steroid creams as above. My appointment has been fixed with dematologist in India and am going to request from steroid medicine though I am not sure whther the tazoretine or claciprtrol apart from cost factor is ok. Can U guide me Also guide me about the side effects and prolonged us Also let me know whether non steroid cream can be used for a month followed by steriod cream like clobetasole with salicylic acid. Thanx and Regards
Answer Dear Hareesh
Striae etc are common with prolonged corticosteroid use but these sometimes are better to put up with rather than the condition itself. The adverse effects of both your suggested creams are similar with up to 25% of patients suffering from moderate to severe skin irritation. Other adverse effects are not common. Both are only used in certain types of psoriasis and your dermatologist can only advise you on this. It is possible to alternate with a steroid preparation but again only your dermatologist can advise you on this as it depends upon many factors which I am not privy to.
