ABSTRACT
Topical agents for the treatment of psoriasis are indicated regardless of the body surface affected, but they are the mainstay of therapy for patients whose affected area is <10% of their body surface area. This chapter provides an overview of the use of coal tar, anthralin, salicylic acid, and lactic acid in the treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis. There are several types of tar used to treat skin conditions: wood tar, shale tar, and coal tar. Coal tar is the liquid byproduct of the distillation of bituminous coal and has a pungent smell. Coal tar is a safe agent to use in mild to moderate psoriasis, but it does have some obvious disadvantages and side effects that include staining of clothes and furniture, messy application, unpleasant odor, contact sensitivity, burning sensation, photosensitivity and tar folliculitis. Another option for treatment of mild to moderate psoriasis is anthralin, also known as dithranol, the most commonly used form of anthralin.
