About Prurigo Nodularis
Prurigo Nodularis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by itchy, stinging skin, and small raised bumps (referred to as nodules) that may leave scars when they go away. Itching symptoms may be so severe that they impact a person’s ability to sleep or conduct their day.
The exact cause of prurigo nodularis is still unknown but it is suspected that it is related to an over-active immune system or the nerves in the skin.
The act of itching skin affected by prurigo nodularis can lead to further growth of the lesions or nodules, which results in more itchiness. For this reason treatment is focused around breaking the cycle.
Treatment for Prurigo Nodularis
It is essential that our patients feel comfortable, and our dermatologist will take the time to develop an approach specifically tailored to you. We will look for signs and symptoms and base our diagnosis on your skin’s appearance and medical history. We will discuss treatment options with you and answer any questions you may have about prurigo nodularis.
A biopsy may be necessary during diagnosis to ensure prescription of the proper treatment.
Doctors may prescribe a variety of treatment options depending on the severity of your condition and individual needs. Common treatments are:
- Anti-itching emollients.
These ingredients, found in moisturizers can reduce the need to scratch and lead to reduced symptom burden. - Anti-itching medications.
Your doctor might prescribe anti-itching creams like pramoxine or capsaicin that have a bit more potency than the anti-itch emollients or over the counter drugs. - Anti-inflammatories.
Corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce the inflammation cycle that has occurred in your skin. These may be prescribed as a topical ointment that you can apply on the surface of your skin, or in some cases as an injection that targets the affected area. Steroids are very effective in many cases, but patients need to be aware of steroid withdrawal and follow the dermatologists’ orders to avoid this. - Surgery.
Not typically recommended for darker skin tones due to the formation of lighter patches following treatment. Surgery is conducted on frozen nodules and usually requires 2-4 treatments.
Clinical Trials for Prurigo Nodularis
If your symptoms do not go away with normal treatment, you may consider volunteering to participate in a clinical trial. Our clinical trial department is running trials to test new treatments for prurigo nodularis.
A clinical trial is an experiment to determine the safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment. There are two primary reasons to consider participating in a clinical trial.
If your prurigo nodularis has resisted standard treatment options, you might be interested in trying something that is currently in development. This is the best way for people to get access to the newest treatment options at no cost.
Also, participating in a clinical trial helps advance scientific knowledge on treatment options, which can help others who suffer from the same condition by moving along development on new treatments.
If you would like to participate in a clinical trial for prurigo nodularis, please click here to see our current listings, or call us at # 647-202-6393