Psoriasis is an auto-immune mediated chronic inflammation of the skin, characterised by patches of red or white scaly skin. Normal skin cells flake off every four weeks and new skin cells grow to replace the ones that are lost. In psoriasis, skin cells known as keratinocytes grow too quickly and build up to form the thickened scaly patches. It appears most often on elbows, ankles, scalp, hands, feet and lower back and can also affect fingernails and toenails. In some cases, psoriasis leads to inflammation in the joints leading to psoriatic arthritis.
Benefits of WBCT in psoriasis
- Results are most obvious in the skin with decreased itchiness and flaking within a few days
- Results have been shown to last for 3-6 months after a course of treatments
- Reduces inflammation in swollen joints in psoriatic arthritis
- increased antioxidative capacity
- reduced conduction velocity of peripheral nerves
- reduced acetylcholine, one of the neurotransmitters in atopic pruritus, reducing the itching (Klimenko, 2008)
- increased anti-inflammatory cytokines
Recommended protocols for WBCT in psoriasis
Protocols suggest 25 to 30 treatments of between two and three minutes at a time over a period of two weeks.