There is no cure for inverse psoriasis, but at-home, over-the-counter, and prescription treatments may alleviate symptoms.

Inverse psoriasis is a skin condition that causes shiny patches on the skin folds. On fairer skin tones, these patches may look like redness or other color changes, and on darker skin tones, they may be violet or brown.

Inverse psoriasis usually affects areas of your skin that rub together, such as the:

  • armpits
  • groin
  • area under the breasts
  • area under or around the buttocks

Inverse psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated condition. There is no cure, but certain at-home, over-the-counter (OTC), and prescription treatments may alleviate your symptoms.

How to tell if you have inverse psoriasis

Inverse psoriasis is different from other types of psoriasis. Its symptoms typically include:

  • shiny, smooth rash
  • red on lighter skin or violet/brown on darker skin
  • no dry scales or crust
  • can be moist to touch
  • can be itchy

Be sure to speak with a primary care professional or dermatologist if you suspect that you have inverse psoriasis.

The main goal of all psoriasis treatments is to alleviate inflammation. Home remedies may help with mild symptoms. For moderate or severe symptoms, you may need over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription drugs.

Be sure to check with a healthcare professional before trying any home remedies. You may be at risk of developing an allergic reaction.

Take short baths or showers in lukewarm water

The following practices for showers and baths may help reduce inflammation caused by psoriasis:

  • use lukewarm (not hot) water
  • limit time spent in the water to 15 minutes
  • try to take only one bath or shower a day
  • avoid using loofahs and washcloths; clean your skin gently using only your hands and fragrance-free soap for sensitive skin
  • rinse product off your skin gently
  • gently dry the affected area of your skin by blotting water from your skin with a towel

Moisturize

Gently apply fragrance-free moisturizer on the affected area within 5 minutes of taking a shower or bath. You can also use moisturizers when your skin feels dry or irritated.

Wear loose clothing

Tight-fitting clothing may cause friction, which can irritate your skin and worsen your psoriasis.

Eat plenty of fiber

If inverse psoriasis affects your genitals or buttocks, eating fiber can help ease bowel movements and decrease skin irritation in the affected area.

If home remedies are not enough to relieve your inverse psoriasis symptoms, you might consider OTC topicals (medications applied to the skin), such as topical steroids and nonsteroid medications.

Topical steroids

Topical steroids are a common treatment for inverse psoriasis. OTC steroids are mild (less concentrated) than prescription steroids. Hydrocortisone cream is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter topical steroids.

It’s important to know that long-term topical steroid use may cause:

  • skin thinning
  • bruising
  • stretch marks
  • enlarged blood vessels
  • poor wound healing

Nonsteroid topicals

Nonsteroid OTC topical medications come in many different forms, such as:

  • lotions
  • foams
  • soaps
  • bath solutions
  • shampoos

They usually contain one of two main active ingredients — salicylic acid and coal tar. Both are FDA approved for the treatment of psoriasis.

Be sure to speak with a healthcare professional before trying any OTC treatments.

If home remedies or OTC medications are not effective in managing your psoriasis, a doctor will likely prescribe you a stronger treatment.

Options include prescription-strength topical steroids and nonsteroids (calcineurin inhibitors, vitamin D analogs, VTAMA, and roflumilast) and systemic therapy. Systemic therapy targets the whole body rather than the skin area psoriasis affects.

Oral systemic therapies for inverse psoriasis include:

These drugs — with the exception of apremilast, which is immunomodulatory — are immunosuppressants, which means they can calm an overactive immune system. However, they have many side effects and are usually reserved for moderate and severe psoriasis cases.

Injectable biologics

Biologics target specific cells inside your body and affect the immune system by interfering with the inflammatory process. There are currently 12 injectable biologics approved for psoriasis.

Biologics are expensive and can cause some side effects. Similarly to oral therapies, they are usually reserved for people with moderate or severe inverse psoriasis.

Inverse psoriasis is a type of psoriasis that causes shiny patches on your skin folds. Although there is no cure, many home remedies as well as OTC and prescription medications can help you manage the condition.

You cannot entirely prevent inverse psoriasis, but there are things that you can do. For example maintaining a moderate weight and avoiding common psoriasis triggers can help curb its spread to other areas of your body and reduce the frequency of your flare-ups.