Possible treatments for guttate psoriasis include topical medications, biologics, and ultraviolet light therapy. Antibiotics may also be necessary to treat a related infection.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition. If you have psoriasis, you have an overactive immune system that causes your body to produce too many skin cells. These extra cells move up to the skin surface and form scaly growths called “plaques” on your skin.

Guttate psoriasis is a type of psoriasis. Usually, your doctor will treat this type of psoriasis with creams or lotions.

Because guttate psoriasis often starts when you have strep throat or another bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection.

Read on to learn more about treatments for guttate psoriasis.

Your doctor will usually recommend skin creams and lotions to treat guttate psoriasis. These medications can slow skin cell growth and help with swelling, redness or discoloration, and itchiness.

Topical medications used to treat guttate psoriasis include:

  • topical corticosteroids
  • vitamin D analogs
  • topical retinoids
  • topical calcineurin inhibitors
  • salicylic acid
  • roflumilast (Zoryve)
  • tapinarof (VTAMA)

The plaques should clear up within 3 to 4 months.

If the creams haven’t helped and your skin hasn’t improved, your doctor might suggest ultraviolet light therapy, specifically psoralen + UVA (PUVA) therapy.

During this treatment, your doctor will expose your skin to ultraviolet A (UVA) light. The light gets into the skin and slows cell growth.

Before UVA therapy, you’ll use a topical medication called psoralen, which makes your skin more sensitive to the light.

Biologics can help treat moderate to severe guttate psoriasis. You will typically receive these as an injection.

Examples of biologics that may help include:

  • etanercept (Enbrel)
  • infliximab (Remicade)
  • adalimumab
  • ustekinumab
  • secukinumab
  • ixekizumab
  • brodalumab
  • guselkumab
  • risankizumab

Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria. Doctors prescribe these medications to treat streptococcal infections such as strep throat and tonsillitis. Both of these can trigger guttate psoriasis.

Antibiotics such as penicillin or erythromycin are effective for treating strep infections.

However, there isn’t any evidence that these medications improve guttate psoriasis or prevent flare-ups.

One way to help reduce the likelihood or severity of a guttate psoriasis flare-up is to avoid triggers.

Some known triggers for the condition include:

  • stress
  • skin injury
  • tonsillitis
  • streptococcal infection
  • sinus infection
  • the flu
  • upper respiratory infections
  • certain medications, such as beta-blockers and antimalarials

Contacting a doctor as soon as you have concerns about an infection and beginning treatment as soon as possible may help to reduce the likelihood or severity of guttate psoriasis symptoms.

Contact your doctor if you notice teardrop-shaped spots on your body or another unexplained rash, or if you have concerns about an infection. A strep test can tell whether an infection has triggered your guttate psoriasis.

You may need antibiotics to treat the infection. Your doctor can also recommend medications to directly manage symptoms of guttate psoriasis.

Topical medications such as corticosteroids, ultraviolet light therapy such as psoralen + UVA (PUVA) therapy, and biologics can help treat or manage guttate psoriasis.

Doctors may also recommend antibiotics if an infection such as strep throat or tonsillitis has triggered a flare-up.

Speak with a doctor if you have concerns about guttate psoriasis. They can advise on suitable treatments to help manage or prevent guttate psoriasis.