Topical Therapy of Psoriasis with Fluocinolone Acetonide

Abstract

It has been the general experience that intralesional injection of suspensions of certain corticosteroids will consistently induce complete involution of lesions of psoriasis,^1-3 the effect being purely local. The same compounds have had little effect when applied as ointment or lotions. The effectiveness of intralesional injection is based on the injection of a suspension which creates a depot of crystals insoluble in tissue, and inhibition of the lesion continues (apparently) until the crystals are no longer present. In essence, this is a form of tissue-depot therapy. Intralesional injection, however, has certain limitations and disadvantages: It is time consuming, uncomfortable for the patient, and atrophy, usually reversible, of the skin and subcutaneous tissue is often a sequel. A method which is free of these limitations and objections would be highly desirable. Twelve patients with chronic patches of typical psoriasis have been used to study the possible effectiveness of an alternate