Coal Tar with Other Treatments
Tar preparations are also sometimes used in combination with other medicines.
Coal Tar and Topical Steroids
Coal Tar is sometimes used in combination with topical steroids. In this case a topical steroid cream is usually used in the daytime, and the Coal Tar cream - at bedtime.
Coal Tar and Salicylic acid
Sometimes they use Coal Tar in combination with the Salicylic acid, which helps to soften and to remove the psoriatic scales and therefore helps the Coal Tar to easier access the skin underneath the psoriatic plaques.
Coal Tar and Zinc
The combinations of Coal Tar with Zinc do not have significant advantages over the mono component Tar medicines.
Coal Tar and UVB
Coal Tar is sometimes used with UV phototherapy, because Coal Tar is capable of increasing the photosensitivity of the skin.
Tar may also cause a photo-toxic effect in some people; therefore in some people in the process of Coal Tar + UV therapy occur headaches, nausea, vomiting and irritation of the skin.
The Goeckerman regimen: Coal Tar + UVB
Back in 1925, William H. Goeckerman, M.D., proved the combined Coal Tar + UVB treatment to be more effective than any of these 2 psoriasis treatments by themselves.
The Goeckerman regimen: Tar is applied to the skin about two hours prior to exposure to UVB, and then wiped off before UVB exposure. A person will usually start out with a 1-minute dose of the UVB. The UVB dose time is gradually increased until the psoriasis lesions clear or reaches maximum improvement.
The Goeckerman regimen usually requires three or four weeks of treatment.
It will clear psoriasis in more than 90% of people and can produce a prolonged remission - from a few months to a year or more (it's very individual).
How and Where to Obtain the Coal Tar + UVB Psoriasis Treatment
- Unfortunately, the Goeckerman regimen was considered a more energy-consuming and a less cost-effective psoriasis treatment by the US Health Insurance Companies. Therefore it might be impossible to find an inpatient clinic in the USA, which would be offering the Goeckerman regimen for psoriasis treatment.
- It may be hard, but not impossible to find a day treatment program, that provides this kind of psoriasis treatment in some cities around the US.
- You may talk to your doctor in order to work out a plan to apply the tar at home and then to go to the clinic for the UVB treatment.
- Another possibility is to conduct the treatment altogether at home. You can do it if you have a personal UVB home unit. Also consult with your doctor to work out the best Coal Tar + UVB home treatment regimen.
Coal Tar and the Sun
Coal Tar is a photosensitizer.
Therefore, you may get an unusual skin reaction (i.e. a fast sunburn) if you decide to suntan after the application of the Coal Tar psoriasis medicine. Sunburn may aggravate psoriasis, just like any other skin trauma.
Dermatologists advice not to expose the skin to the sun for 24 hours after the application of the Coal Tar psoriasis medicines.
If you want to try the Goeckerman regimen (i.e. Coal Tar + UVB) with the natural sunlight substituting the UVB unit, you have to talk to your dermatologist.
Your doctor may help you to develop a carefully controlled treatment regimen that combines the benefits of natural sunlight and Coal Tar psoriasis medicines, and eliminates any potential dangers.
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