For patients who have the skin disease, psoriasis, it is next to impossible to take a “vacation” from the condition, and managing plaques associated with psoriasis can be a daily chore.  There are a variety of treatment options for psoriasis patients ranging from biologics, topical creams, and light therapy, and what works well for one patient may have no impact for another in terms of clearing.  Recently, scientists published the results of a meta-analysis in The Archives of Dermatology showing that using a combination of therapies can be more effective in clearing.  A meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that have similar research hypotheses.  For instance, in this study, the common measure was whether a certain treatment or combination of treatments cleared patients’ psoriasis.  This meta-analysis reviewed the results of 50 randomized, controlled clinical trials including over 8500 patients with psoriasis; the common measure was clearance, meaning a significant reduction in the severity of psoriasis in each patient.  Data suggests that including phototherapy in addition to topical regimens produces much better clearance than using a topical treatment by itself.  West Houston Dermatology Laser & Skincare Center offers patients with psoriasis numerous options for treatment and patient education.  In fact, Dr. Stephen Mahoney is a nationally recognized expert in treatment of psoriasis.