Psoriasis diagnosis: what helps? Cream, ointment, or gel?

The type of treatment that will work best for you depends on the clinical picture of your psoriasis:

• Psoriasis creams should generally be used on plaques that are not so dry because creams contain less fat than ointments.

• Psoriasis gels, solutions, or lotions are usually used on hairy skin (such as on the head or face).

  Special shampoos can also be used for this. Solutions are often prescribed for nail psoriasis. A gel is the remedy of choice when an area of skin needs to be cooled.

• With their high fat content, psoriasis ointments are mainly recommended for especially dry and severely scaly plaques.

You can find out more about the basic treatment options for psoriasis in the following section. Technical terms are clearly explained in our Alnovat psoriasis lexicon.

What must I remember when applying a cream to treat psoriasis?

Creams are basically made up of oil and water. They have different properties depending on which component (oil or water) is dominant.

Water-based creams are referred to as oil-in-water creams or O/W creams, whereas fat-based creams are called water-in-oil creams or W/O creams. 

Alnovat psoriasis cream is an oil-in-water cream. It achieves very good hydration.

For you, as the user, this means that the cream is absorbed quickly after being applied (in one to two minutes) and you can get dressed as normal. 

At the same time, the oils in Alnovat mean that it also protects the skin from becoming dry. This so-called protective film effect (also called occlusion) is attributable to components of the oils. Moisture is retained in the skin by the protective layer of oils. Ointments also have this effect, which protects the skin from drying out. The protective film ensures that the cream is properly absorbed into the skin, and stays there while its action takes effect.

Alnovat psoriasis cream is suitable for long-term monotherapy with daily application, and no additional care products need to be used. The cream is easy to use and has a pleasant marzipan smell.

What should I be aware of if I choose an ointment?

Compared to creams, ointments do not contain any water by pharmaceutical definition. However, they may absorb water, depending on their composition.

Therefore, it is advisable to use an ointment if the affected skin is very dry. Since ointments are very fatty and greasy, and remain on the skin for a long time (without being fully absorbed), it’s best to apply the ointment in the evening before going to bed. You should then cover the skin with a film, or wear gloves and/or socks. This means that the skin affected by psoriasis can be exposed to the ointment over a long period of time, and it also protects your clothes and bedding.

Experienced users descale their skin before applying a preparation

Descaling is especially important if you are using dry preparations that aren’t very moisturizing because otherwise the preparation will immediately fall off the skin with the dry scales.

Whatever you use as an external therapy, whether a cream, gel, or ointment, the active ingredients can be more effective in the skin if you gently remove any plaques beforehand, that is to say any loose scales.

Special creams, shampoos, and bath products are available for effective descaling, which mainly contain urea, salicylic acid, or certain oils.

However, you should keep baths or showers short so that the skin can retain as much of its natural moisture as possible.

If possible, you should avoid physical descaling, for example by scratching or using sponges or brushes, because it may make your psoriasis even worse. This effect is known as the Köbner phenomenon (named after the dermatologist Heinrich Köbner), in which physical pressure, bumps, scratches, or other physical stimuli trigger or intensify psoriasis.

Conclusion:

If you mainly have dry plaques, you should use an everyday cream to treat your psoriasis – creams contain less fat than ointments, so they can also be used on a daily basis.

We can recommend Alnovat psoriasis cream. You can buy it without a prescription in your local pharmacy or from online pharmacies.

What active ingredients are used in conventional psoriasis creams and products?

Most psoriasis creams and ointments contain the following substances: cortisone, vitamin D derivatives, or dithranol. You can find more information about the individual active ingredients in our psoriasis lexicon.

A cortisone preparation is often used for local therapy, which causes the skin to become thinner during the treatment period. The skin is only able to recover and return to its normal thickness by discontinuing the cortisone treatment. In addition to cortisone preparations, most people also use skin care products to help keep their skin supple during the cortisone treatment. These areas of skin are often dry and cracked.

That’s not the case with Alnovat cream. It does not contain cortisone – because its active complex is made up of natural ingredients– and it can therefore be used alone long term. Alnovat is also free of other adverse side effects of common pharmacological active ingredients. Yet Alnovat is still highly effective for mild to moderate psoriasis. You can find out what other users say about Alnovat here.

Which active ingredients does alnovat psoriasis cream contain?

Alnovat cream comprises a natural active ingredient complex made up of: Hazelnut oil, coconut oil, almond oil, nettle oil, and bitter almond oil. Other ingredients that aid the consistency and stability of Alnovat are: sorbitan monostearate, polysorbate 80, cetylstearyl alcohol, methyl paraben, butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, propylparaben.

Based on this physical, natural active complex, Alnovat is not only very well tolerated, but also free from cortisone and other pharmacological active ingredients. So Alnovat cream is suitable for long-term local psoriasis monotherapy. 

Almond oil, for example, is known to have a relaxing effect on the skin, and bitter almond oil is responsible for the natural marzipan smell. (However, the smell disappears a few minutes after applying Alnovat cream.) 

If you are allergic to any of these substances, you should first discuss Alnovat treatment with your physician, possibly test Alnovat on a small patch of skin, and stop using Alnovat if any adverse reactions occur.

Test for yourself whether Alnovat is the right therapy for your psoriasis, whether you are satisfied with its efficacy, and whether Alnovat is the right psoriasis cream for you.

What is the difference between an over-the-counter psoriasis cream and a prescription one?

Alnovat psoriasis cream is an over-the-counter preparation, which can be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription.

Our Alnovat psoriasis cream is a fully certified, clinically tests, and approved medical device, which can be bought in pharmacies without a prescription.

Alnovat is not yet listed by statutory health insurers and therefore can’t yet be reimbursed by them.

However, some health insurance companies do offer full or partial reimbursement for certain preparations. You can ask your health insurance company whether they offer this for Alnovat and whether you need a physician's recommendation - a “green prescription” - in addition to the sales receipt.

Irrespective of whether Alnovat is listed for reimbursement, Alnovat is a tested and approved medical device with proven efficacy for mild and moderate psoriasis – and it is a therapy recommended by doctors. Alnovat can be obtained without a prescription from brick-and-mortar pharmacies and mail order pharmacies. You can find a list of Alnovat psoriasis cream suppliers here. 

What feedback did the testers give us for alnovat psoriasis cream?

Long-term testing demonstrated that scaling, itching, and redness considerably improve in the course of long-term treatment with Alnovat psoriasis cream. 

80% of the test participants reported that their scaling was visibly better after three months of treatment with Alnovat cream. 

Thanks to Alnovat cream therapy, the itching of 81% of the testers became considerably better or somewhat better.

In total, 75% of the users stated that their redness became somewhat better to much better.

Based on the users’ experiences, we can sum up by saying that using Alnovat cream has a positive impact on the most common symptoms of mild to moderate psoriasis. Thus, Alnovat is the optimal, natural alternative to conventional creams and ointments.

In response to the question: “How much does your psoriasis bother you?” (from 0 (not all) to 6 (a lot)):

• before using Alnovat cream, the average score was 4.7 points. 

• after one month of treatment with Alnovat cream, this score had decreased to 3.1 points.

Here you can find out everything about reported experiences with Alnovat psoriasis cream. If you are particularly interested in the results experienced by users, you can read and see more here - a picture paints a thousand words. You can find a detailed analysis of the testing with Alnovat cream on Farbenhaut.de.

What is psoriasis? What are the symptoms?

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin condition. Areas of skin affected by psoriasis are red and scaly. These locally demarcated areas are called plaques. They are also often very itchy.

Where does psoriasis occur?

Psoriasis can occur anywhere on the skin. Certain areas of skin are often affected: the outside of the knee and elbow, the sacrum (base of the spine) and anal fold, the face, the scalp (mainly at the hair line), the skin behind and in the ears, and the genital area.

What are the causes and triggers of psoriasis?

The cause of this skin condition is an immune system disorder, which causes the immune system to mistake the body’s own tissue for foreign tissue and attack it. A continuous inflammatory process leads to greatly accelerated regeneration of the skin, and scaling of the affected areas. 

Possible triggers of psoriasis are: Infections, stress, hormonal changes, skin injuries, mechanical irritation, and medications. You can find out more about this and elbow psoriasis here.

What is needed for a diagnosis?

A doctor (skin doctor - dermatologist) diagnoses psoriasis based on the appearance of the skin, in the same way that a diagnosis is made in cases of neurodermatitis or other skin conditions. The most important psoriasis symptoms are sharply demarcated areas of red skin covered in silvery-white scales. It can also lead to cracks in the skin, which cause bleeding and a burning or itching sensation.

If the condition is diagnosed early, further progression of the condition can be prevented. At an early stage, lots of options are available for the effective treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis often starts on the elbows or other body parts that are inherently drier and under more stress.

Conclusion: what is the best cream to treat psoriasis?

If you have been diagnosed with mild to moderate psoriasis, your plaques are not too dry, and you would like to benefit from the advantages of a cream that can be used every day, we can recommend Alnovat psoriasis cream to treat your psoriasis.

In addition, you can use the natural and well-tolerated active complex of Alnovat psoriasis cream to help your skin heal.

85% of the over 680 users in a long-term test would continue to use Alnovat. In their experience, the cream greatly reduced the main symptoms of psoriasis: scaling, redness, and itchiness. 

A picture paints a thousand words. - Here you can view before and after photos of our users from the test. If you want to see what it’s like for yourself, you can order Alnovat psoriasis cream from your pharmacy.

Here you can find out more about why we make of Alnovat what we do.

You can find answers to key questions about Alnovat in the FAQs about Alnovat psoriasis cream. If you are interested in the background of psoriasis or would like to read more about a particular  technical term, take a look at Alnovat psoriasis lexicon.

Now it only remains for us to wish you and your skin all the best, and to remind you that finding out whether Alnovat psoriasis cream is right for you and your skin is something you should simply try for yourself.