ABSTRACT
Psoriasis is commonly described as a chronic relapsing disease characterized by erythematous well-circumscribed plaques with thick, silvery scale and a predilection for the extensor surfaces of the extremities, lower back, and umbilical area. In the United States, psoriasis affects approximately 2.2%–2.5% of the general population. Inverse psoriasis accounts for roughly 2%–6% of these cases. The male-to-female ratio is approximately equal. Inverse psoriasis often appears as glossy, sharply demarcated erythematous plaques with little to no scale. Often, lesions are moist and can be fissured. Inverse psoriasis can be difficult to diagnose in the intertriginous areas because lesions often lack the characteristic silvery scale seen in plaque-type psoriasis. Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive agent derived from the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum Gams. Cyclosporine is used to prevent allograft rejection and is Food and Drug Administration approved for the treatment of psoriasis. Common side effects can occur locally at the site of prolonged topical corticosteroid application, resulting in skin atrophy, irreversible striae, and telangiectasias.
