Press Release

BEERSE, Belgium, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ — Janssen-Cilag announced today that STELARA(TM) (ustekinumab), the first in a new class of biologics, has been approved by the European Commission for use across Europe. The approved indication of ustekinumab is for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who failed to respond to, or who have a contraindication to, or are intolerant to other systemic therapies including ciclosporin, methotrexate and PUVA (psoralen plus ultraviolet A light). With the approval by the European Commission, ustekinumab is approved in 27 countries in the EU. Psoriasis, a chronic skin disease that affects …read more

Anyone who has had eczema can tell you if the itch doesn’t drive you nuts, the pain will. Some people don’t have pain until they’ve scratched the itchy skin, while others have pain because the fragile sore skin breaks down, causing sores.
Some people have just patches of eczema here or there, but others can be totally covered by it. The skin of someone who has eczema starts off looking "normal," but it’s very, intensely itchy. So, the people who have eczema begin to scratch. But, eczema isn’t called the itch-scratch-rash skin disease for nothing. As the person scratches, it causes …read more

Have you ever wondered what eczema is and why it causes pain? Do you live with a rash that you think may be eczema?
If so, I found a video that does a great job of explaining what eczema is and what to look for. Just click on the TV screen below to watch the familydoctor.org video.

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Tags: pain blog, eczema

If you’ve never had a sunburn, you’re one very fortunate soul. Those of us who have had sunburns and those of us who have had severe sunburns can tell you that they rank pretty high on the misery scale.
We’re always warning people about using sunscreen, using sunscreen properly, and choosing the right sunscreen, but it is still possible to be burned through your clothing. Fellow writer and blogger, Melanie McMinn, writes about how easy it is to get sunburned in New Zealand, likely because the "clean air, the hole in the ozone layer that hovers over us combined with the …read more

Yesterday, I wrote about 5 truths about psoriasis, and today I’ll write about  ways to manage psoriasis. It is important to understand, though, that not all methods help all people, so there may be some trial and error involved in finding the right treatment for you.

Phototherapy: Some people respond to having light therapy that is directed towards the psoriasis patches. This therapy isn’t the same as going out into the sun though; it’s supervised and timed. That being said, there are portable units that can be used at home.
Creams and ointments: Using creams and ointments is called topical treatment – …read more

Psoriasis is an annoying and often painful skin disease. You can have it on one or two spots or it can cover virtually all of your body. The worst part? There really isn’t a cure, just ways to manage it.
There are a lot of misconceptions about psoriasis so here are five truths about psoriasis:

Psoriasis is NOT contagious. It’s a skin disease that you’re born with.
There is no cure yet for psoriasis. Many treatments, either by cream or ointment, or pill form can help control the breakouts, but nothing has yet been found to stop them completely.
Psoriasis doesn’t occur just …read more

Thankfully, we’re past the point where mothers still put butter on burns (right mom???), but we always seem to have a need to put *something* on a burn. Whether it’s instinct or training from our childhood, we feel that we must do something to help relieve and heal a burn.
The very first thing you do for a minor to moderate burn (NOT a third-degree to the bone burn) is to apply cold water. Let cold water (not ice) run over the burn. This will clean it but, most importantly, slow the burning process in the skin and body tissue.
Now, at …read more

People in the United Kingdom who have chronic hand eczema and for whom steroid creams didn’t help, may find relief in a drug that is now available in the UK. Toctino (alitretinoin) is a medication that is taken once a day and has been found effective in the symptoms of chronic hand eczema: itchy blisters and painful cracks and patches on the skin.
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Tags: chronic pain blog, pain blog, eczema, chronic hand eczema, toctino, alitretinoin, itchy blisters

Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease that can be rather mild, with just a few patches on the skin, or it can be very severe, covering large portions of the body with its scaly, red or silver, itchy and/or painful patches.
Psoriasis not only does a number on your skin – it can do a number on your emotional health as you try to hide the patches so no-one else will know. One celebrity knows what that’s like because she has lived with psoriasis since the age of 2 years. She now has come out publicly to support the Stop Hiding, …read more

August is Psoriasis Awareness month. Psoriasis is a skin disease but it can also lead to a type of arthritis called psoriatic arthritis. As with rheumatoid arthritis psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation and pain in the joints, can can cause disability.
Here are some posts regarding psoriasis:

Efalizumab for Psoriasis May Trigger Psoriatic Arthritis
Press Release: FDA Committee Unanimously Recommends Approval of Ustekinumab for Plaque Psoriasis
Press release: New Guidelines for the Management of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
Biologic agents for treatment of psoriasis
Press release: Ustekinumab Phase 3 data show long-term improvement of chronic plaque psoriasis
Press release: Humira (adalimumab) Receives FDA Approval For Moderate to Severe …read more