Understanding Psoriasis Treatment
An estimated 3% of adults in the US have psoriasis (Armstrong et al., 2021). There are several types of the condition, including plaque, guttate, inverse, pustular, and erythrodermic psoriasis. It can affect anyone of any age, but it is more common in adults than in children and often runs in families.
Conventional psoriasis treatments include:
Steroid creams.
Emollient creams and lotions.
Vitamin D analogues.
Immunosuppressant drugs.
Light therapy.
You might find these treatments helpful for managing inflammation and itching, especially during a psoriasis flare-up. But the underlying causes of psoriasis are linked to genes and lifestyle factors like nutrition and gut health. These root causes need a deeper and more holistic approach.
The Regenerative Medicine Approach
Regenerative and integrative medicine takes a whole-person approach to care. It covers diet and lifestyle change, and specific therapies that support your body's capacity to repair itself.
Psoriasis is more than a skin condition. It links to how the immune system works, the health of your gut, and whether your body is getting enough of the right nutrients. Supporting these areas can help you manage your psoriasis alongside any medical treatments you are already using.
Treatments That May Help
Laser light therapy
Laser therapy is a type of light therapy. It uses specific wavelengths of light to slow down rapid skin cell growth, reduce inflammation, and support skin repair.
One type, called excimer laser therapy, is approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for treating long-term psoriasis (National Psoriasis Foundation, 2025). It works by directing a focused beam of UV light onto affected areas of skin. This makes it especially useful for hard-to-reach places, such as the scalp and behind the ears.
Compared to conventional narrowband UVB therapy, laser therapy is:
Faster - typical treatment times are 10-15 minutes.
Requires fewer treatment sessions.
Can home in on affected skin while sparing the surrounding healthy skin.
This therapy has strong evidence for treating plaque psoriasis (Heidemeyer, 2023). It may be suitable if you have smaller patches of psoriasis or if other treatments haven't worked (Alyoussef, 2023).
Red light therapy
Red light therapy, also known as low-level laser light therapy, uses non-UV light to reduce inflammation, enhance circulation, and stimulate skin repair.
This is an emerging area of therapy, with moderate but not extensive evidence. But, it is considered safe and isn't associated with any side effects.
IV therapy
Biologics are powerful medicines given through an intravenous (IV) drip into a vein. They target the specific parts of the immune system that cause psoriasis flares. Unlike other treatments, they don't suppress the whole immune system. Doctors often recommend them for people with severe psoriasis when other treatments haven't worked.
Research shows they can be effective, though most studies so far have been short-term. A large study that began in 2007 and is due to be completed in 2028 is addressing this. Early results show that biologics can improve quality of life and are helping us better understand the risk of infections (National Institute for Health and Care Research, 2019).
Nutritional therapy
Around 70% of your immune system is found in your gut. What you eat, the nutrients you absorb, and the health of your gut lining all affect how well your immune system works. Autoimmune conditions like psoriasis are linked to a damaged gut lining. This is sometimes called "leaky gut." When the gut lining is compromised, bacteria, toxins, and partly digested food can pass into the bloodstream and trigger an autoimmune response (Christovich, 2022).
A nutritionist can help you build an eating plan that reduces inflammation, supports your gut, and helps manage psoriasis symptoms. As a nutritionist, some of the key nutrients I focus on with psoriasis clients include:
Vitamin A.
Zinc.
Collagen.
Vitamin C.
Healthy fats, especially omega-3.
Vitamin D.
I also investigate possible food sensitivities that might be adding to the problem. Sensitivities that often show up with psoriasis include wheat, gluten, egg, cow's milk, and soy.
Weight balance is another aspect that a nutritionist can help with. Obesity is a risk factor for developing psoriasis, and it can also reduce the effectiveness of medications (Burshtein et al., 2025). Personalised nutritional support can help you sustainably lose weight and maintain a healthy weight balance.
Omega-3 supplements
Many people don't get enough omega-3 fats in their diet. This is especially true of vegetarians and vegans who avoid oily fish and grass-fed red meat. These are the main food sources of two important omega-3 fats: EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid).
Plant foods do contain a type of omega-3, but in a different form. The body has to convert it into EPA and DHA. This process is not very efficient, and only a small amount is converted.
Omega-3 supplements derived from fish, krill, or algae can help to address this problem. A meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials found significant improvements in psoriasis redness, itching, and scaliness when using omega-3 supplements (Clark, 2019). While these results are promising, the authors note that we need larger trials to confirm the findings.
Turmeric and curcumin
Curcumin is an active compound in turmeric root. It has a long history of use in herbal medicine for managing inflammation and is seen as a safe and effective therapy.
A meta-analysis that included 7 human trials and 19 preclinical animal and cell studies found that curcumin modulates inflammatory pathways and can improve the severity of psoriasis (Zhang et al., 2022). Because these are small-scale studies, the authors recommend larger, high-quality studies to confirm their findings.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Some research suggests probiotics (good gut bacteria) and prebiotics (that feed the good bacteria) can support skin health and a healthy microbiome.
Research in this area is limited but encouraging. A 12-week, open-label trial with 63 psoriasis patients compared the use of a skin cream for psoriasis versus a skin cream plus probiotic and prebiotic supplements (Buhas et al., 2023). The study found that people using the skin cream alongside probiotic and prebiotic supplements had lower levels of inflammation, healthier skin, and a better quality of life.
Mindfulness and meditation
Mindfulness and meditation can help people become aware of their thoughts and feelings without judgment. They may help with long-term health conditions like psoriasis that can cause anxiety and distress.
There is limited research in this area, but it is promising. A systematic review of six randomized controlled trials found that 8-12 weeks of mindfulness or meditation significantly improved psoriasis symptoms and quality of life (Bartholomew et al., 2022). Longer studies are needed to investigate any long-term benefits.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Many people with psoriasis turn to alternative therapies like herbal medicine and acupuncture. These practices have been in use for thousands of years, and modern research is now catching up with their benefits. A systematic review found that acupuncture, meditation, nutrition, curcumin, and Chinese herbal medicine have the most robust evidence for managing psoriasis (Gamret et al., 2018).
One of the most popular skin herbs in Chinese herbal medicine is Indigo naturalis (Qing dai). A systematic review of human, animal, and cell studies found that it has a good therapeutic effect, few side effects, and can be used alongside conventional treatments (Wang et al., 2024).
What the Evidence Supports
The amount of evidence behind these regenerative treatments varies a lot. Laser light therapy and other forms of phototherapy are accepted by many doctors and often used alongside medications. These treatments tend to have more and larger human studies behind them. Others, like IV therapy, have a good amount of data from short-term human trials, but the long-term effects haven't been studied yet.
Where the Evidence Is Limited
Many alternative treatments like mindfulness, red light therapy, nutritional therapy, and probiotics have promising but limited evidence. It can be hard to fund large scale trials of these therapies, which means we often have to rely on smaller studies.
It is difficult to create randomized controlled trials for dietary interventions. Instead, a lot of nutritional research focuses on individual supplements which are easier to study. However, a review of integrative therapies supports the use of mindfulness, nutrition, and probiotics for reducing the severity of psoriasis alongside conventional treatments (Min et al., 2024).
Combining Treatments
Many people with psoriasis find that a combination of approaches works best. Healthy eating, lifestyle changes, and mindfulness can support the body from the inside and help tackle some of the root causes of the condition. Steroid creams, light therapy, and biologics help to reduce inflammation and itching, especially during a flare-up.
Using these treatments together gives you a more complete approach to psoriasis care.
Finding the Right Provider
Here are a few things to look for when choosing a provider for regenerative treatments:
Insurance: Check they have insurance for the treatments they offer. · Training and qualifications: What qualifications do they have to provide this treatment? How do they keep their skills up to date?
Professional memberships: Check which professional bodies they belong to and what their Codes of Conduct or Codes of Practice are.
Feedback and reviews: A reputable provider is open and honest about customer feedback. They may use an independent third-party website like Trustpilot to gather client reviews.
Once you're satisfied with their training and qualifications, ask for a free, no-obligation call to get a sense of what they are like to work with. If they feel like a good fit, go ahead and book. If not, you can move on to another provider.
Takeaway
Psoriasis is a chronic condition that needs ongoing care, so it's important to understand your treatment options. Conventional medications can help reduce inflammation and slow down skin cell growth. Lifestyle changes and regenerative therapies are useful for deeper, more holistic support. They work well together, and a combined approach can be especially helpful if your psoriasis isn't responding to regular medications.
