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Skin Problems & Treatments Health Center Psoriasis Health Center Assessment Email a FriendPrint Article Is Your Psoriasis Treatment on Target for You? This content is selected and controlled by WebMD's editorial staff and is brought to you by Janssen Biotech, Inc. Next Article: Skip to Article Content The 7 Types of Psoriasis Here are the main types of psoriasis that affect your skin, nails, and joints. Is Your Treatment Working? What to expect from your psoriasis treatment, and how to tell if it's effective. Treating Mild Psoriasis Find out the top treatments used to clear up mild to moderate psoriasis. Treating Severe Psoriasis Learn which treatments help clear up moderate to severe psoriasis. When to Try Biologics Understand the pros and cons of these newer psoriasis drugs. Psoriasis and Your Emotional Health Psoriasis can affect your self-esteem, your job, and your finances. Exercise and Psoriasis Exercise can help clear psoriasis. Here's how to avoid flare-ups when exercising. Psoriasis in Cold Weather 6 tips to prevent and treat psoriasis flares in winter. Psoriasis in Hot Weather 7 answers to questions about managing psoriasis in spring and summer. Psoriasis ExpressCheck Assess the management of your psoriasis – and what might improve it. False Psoriasis: When Should You Consider a Biologic? WebMD Feature By Stephanie Watson Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD When you have psoriasis, often you and your doctor will try a few treatments before finding one that really clears your skin. If you've already tried a few medicines and nothing has worked, your doctor may recommend a biologic drug.
Other drugs you may have taken are made from plants or chemicals. Biologics are made from proteins. They target the immune response that leads to the rapid skin cell growth of psoriasis.
Examples of biologic drugs include:
Alefacept (Amevive) Adalimumab (Humira) Etanercept (Enbrel) Golimumab (Simponi) Infliximab (Remicade) Ustekinumab (Stelara)Biologics are potent psoriasis treatments. They work well to treat moderate or severe psoriasis, says Mark Lebwohl, MD, chairman of the National Psoriasis Foundation Medical Board, and he says he prefers them over other psoriasis drugs.
But they also have two key drawbacks:
Biologic drugs are expensive. Depending on the drug and the dose, they can cost $10,000 to $30,000 a year. Biologics suppress the immune system. That means they can increase the risk for infection.Here are some reasons why your doctor might -- or might not -- prescribe a biologic drug for your psoriasis.
Should You Consider a Biologic?Whether you should consider a biologic drug depends on five factors, says Lebwohl.
How much of your skin is affected How much psoriasis affects your life Your health Whether your insurance company will cover the cost Your preferences?
1. How Much of Your Skin is Affected by PsoriasisDoctors often use biologic drugs on people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis.
Moderate psoriasis means that 3% to 10% of your body is covered with red, scaly patches. Severe psoriasis means that more than 10% of your body is covered.You may also want to take a biologic drug if you have mild psoriasis but it really bothers you.
2. How Much Psoriasis Impacts Your Life"One of the most important factors is how much the psoriasis actually bothers the patient. I have patients who want to start a biologic ... even if the psoriasis is in an extremely limited surface area," says Jenny Murase, MD. She's an assistant clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco and a practicing dermatologist with the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
You and your doctor will weigh the benefits of taking a biologic against the side effects. "Patients do have the final say in the matter, but certainly it's our job to guide them," says Lebwohl. If your psoriasis isn't really bothering you, your doctor may tell you that a biologic drug isn't worth the risks.
Your doctor may use the Koo-Menter Psoriasis Instrument to help decide your treatment. This one-page tool asks questions to find out how much psoriasis affects your life. The doctor can use your answers to find out whether you are a candidate for therapy that affects the whole body.
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Is Psoriasis Holding You Back? Assess the management of your psoriasis – and what might improve it. 
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