Plaque psoriasis isn't just a skin condition—it actually comes from within your body.¹ Because it affects the skin causing rashes, itchiness, and flaking, many people often confuse plaque psoriasis with other skin conditions like dandruff or eczema; it’s really a chronic autoimmune disease that should be thought about differently by treating the inflammation, not just the symptoms.^2-4 You know those feisty plaques? Many people try to manage them externally through topicals and creams—but not only can they be messy, they only treat the outside of a condition that should be treated from the inside. When all else fails, some will go to great lengths to deal with their symptoms, like wearing different kinds of clothes to cover up (yep, gloves in the middle of July, we’re looking at you) or other methods that take extra work to conceal the plaques; after a while these work-arounds may even start to feel normal, just like part of your daily routine. But what if you could treat from within?

Have you changed your diet or detergents? Spent long stints in front of a humidifier? Or maybe you even keep plastic wrap in your bathroom, spend Friday nights soaking your itchy, flaky skin in the bath instead of going out, or have a medicine cabinet overflowing with aloe, lotions, potions and oils? If so, it may be time to reevaluate how you see your plaque psoriasis. Here’s the thing: even if you think of your plaque psoriasis as “no big deal,” whether it’s an annoying itch or all over, it’s still plaque psoriasis—which means it’s still impacting your life.¹ All these extra steps you take for your skin every day may feel like a part of your normal routine, but really—you’re working much too hard.

The good news? You don’t have to suffer through your plaque psoriasis alone. You can work with your doctor to manage your plaque psoriasis and reconsider your treatment.

Some of the most popular prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for plaque psoriasis are topicals available as gels, ointments, oils, and more.¹ If you deal with plaque psoriasis flare ups, you probably have a drawer overflowing with them. Some may be useful at managing plaque psoriasis symptoms, but they are often inconvenient, or messy to apply under clothing (only to have them come right off once you put your clothes on). Others can also cause skin thinning and can only be used for a limited time. Plus, when applied to exposed areas like the hairline and face, they can feel like a neon sign pointing out your skin condition to the world, or causing other problems, like this:

“First thing in the morning I’m having to shower [the topicals off] and it’s like oily and greasy and nasty and I’d have to shampoo twice. With new people, various jobs [I wonder] ‘What am I wearing and is it light colored? Do I smell from these oils or creams?''

-plaque psoriasis patient

Now for some hope: there may be other treatments that are right for you. Especially because most topicals only treat symptoms on the outside—but, since plaque psoriasis comes from within, you may want to think about the benefits of treating plaque psoriasis from within.

Curious about oral treatment options? These oral medications go where most creams and topicals can’t, working from the inside to reduce the inflammation that happens in people with plaque psoriasis. And, when it comes to plaque psoriasis, less is less—as in less inflammation can lead to less redness, thickness, flakiness, and other symptoms of the condition, which is possible with an oral treatment option.^2,3 Some people with plaque psoriasis have their “aha” moment about changing their treatment when they realize how hard they’re working to get symptom relief.

Talk to your doctor to see if adding an oral option to your current regimen could have an impact on your daily routine.