Historical development of local therapy of psoriasis vulgaris.

Throughout the history people have used various remedies for the treatment of psoriasis. Some of them were bizarre, some ineffective and harmful, and some have survived until today and are still in use. Salicylic acid, anthralin, coal tar, corticosteroids, vitamin D3 analogues, retinoids must be mentioned as remarkably effective ones. Phototherapy and laser therapy are both promising techniques, as well as immunomodulators. Underlying mechanisms of psoriasis and mode of action of therapeutics that have been elucidated over the time allowed for the development of more potent and promising therapy of psoriasis.