Psoriasis is a chronic, non contagious skin condition that millions of Americans suffer from. It can develop in several different forms, but about 80% of people who suffer from this condition have what is known as the plaque variety. Psoriasis is caused by your body over producing new skin cells, and rapidly pushing them to the surface. This creates a build up of skin which is most often seen on the knees, elbows, and scalp.

With the common plaque form of psoriasis, the skin build up looks like very thick scaly skin. Sometimes the skin area is red or inflamed looking, and it often itches. White or silver skin flakes tend to cover the thick scales of skin.

There are many different treatments for psoriasis, including topical creams and ointments, UV light therapy, and immune supressing drugs. Laser treatment for psoriasis is somewhat new, but it may hold hope for some psoriasis sufferers. Laser treatment is used for mild to moderate cases of psoriasis, where less than ten percent of the skin is covered with the plaque type psoriasis lesions.

One laser treatment for psoriasis actually seems to be a modification of UV light treatments. Instead of exposing large areas of the skin and body to UV lights as is done with phototherapy psoriaris treatments, the laser focuses a UV light onto specific areas of the skin only. Since only the psoriasis plaques are being treated, the laser is able to emit a much higher dose of UVB rays.

UVB laser treatments for psoriasis are usually spread a few days apart, and it can take four to ten treatments to see results. This form of laser treatment for psoriasis is still somewhat new.

Another form of laser treatment for psoriasis uses what's known as a "pulsed dye laser". These lasers also use light, but it's a different form than the UVB lasers use. Pulsed dye lasers are designed to destroy the small blood vessels which help the psoriasis plaques form. This type of laser treatment for psoriasis has been used effectively for about 15 years.

The pulsed dye laser treatment for psorasis is said to feel like someone is snapping your skin with a rubber band. Treatment is applied about once every three weeks, and for those who repond well, a targeted psoriasis plaque can be cleared up with four to six treatments.

Everyone responds differently to treatments of course, and each individual case of psoriasis can be more or less extreme than someone else's. In most cases however, using laser treatments for psoriasis tends to help clear up the problems faster than other treatments do, and some studies indicate the laser treatments can help sufferers have longer remission times as well.

Talk to your doctor or dermatologist, to find out whether laser treatment might be helpful for your specific case of psoriasis.