Is the pulsed dye laser an effective adjuvant to topical therapy for psoriatic plaques?

INTERVENTION: Aim to recruit 20 patients. Informed consent will be obtained. Two symmetrical, similar plaques will be selected by the investigator and randomly allocated to either topical therapy alone, or topical therapy and the pulsed dye laser treatment. The lesions will be photographed, measured and scored according to the validated Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). Both plaques will be treated with Dovobet ointment twice daily for four weeks, after which the plaque allocated to laser treatment would be treated with a short pulse width (500 microseconds) pulsed dye laser once monthly for three months, in addition to standard topical therapy (Dovonex ointment twice daily). The control plaques would be treated with standard topical therapy throughout. At the end of the treatment period, plaques would be examined by an investigator blinded to the treatment groups. The skin would be photographed and any residual lesion measured and scored according to the modified PASI score by an assessor blinded to the treatment groups. CONDITION: Psoriasis ; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases ; Psoriasis PRIMARY OUTCOME: Pulsed dye laser treatments when used three times over three months with standard topical therapy effectively prevents recurrence of psoriatic plaques when compared to standard topical therapy alone. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Not provided at time of registration INCLUSION CRITERIA: 20 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, who are on topical treatment only and have symmetrical plaques on legs between 2 and 5 cm in diameter.