The Gold Standard of Topical Therapy in Psoriasis

In episode 36 of Derms and Conditions, our host James Q. Del Rosso, DO sits down with Linda Stein Gold, MD, the Director of Dermatology Clinical Research and Division Head of Dermatology at Henry Ford Health. The two discuss various topical treatment options in the management of psoriasis. Dr. Stein Gold begins by reiterating that despite the development of new systemic therapies, topical therapy remains a mainstay in psoriasis management. She discusses a new formulation of betamethasone dipropionate that uses an emollient spray to deliver the corticosteroid into the superficial aspects of the skin while limiting deeper penetration and systemic absorption. Another option to limit adverse effects is decreasing the concentration of the corticosteroid, and Dr. Stein Gold describes a clinical trial that compared clobetasol 0.025% and 0.05% and showed that the lower concentration had similar efficacy but a much better safety profile. This episode is filled with clinical pearls for treating psoriasis and improving patient outcomes.