Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Aspirin Helps Control Plantar Psoriasis

Regular aspirin use is an inexpensive and relatively safe treatment for plantar psoriasis.

Q. I was diagnosed with plantar psoriasis more than a year ago. The palms of my hands and bottoms of my feet developed very dry skin that cracked and bled. They looked like they had dry glue all over them.

Prescribed Treatments for Plantar Psoriasis:

My dermatologist started me on steroid cream. When that didn’t work, he prescribed methotrexate. He then mentioned a drug that would have an 80 percent chance of clearing my skin but would cost thousands of dollars a year and might not be covered by insurance.

Accidental Aspirin Discovery:

I didn’t like those options, but when I caught the flu I treated the fever with aspirin for a couple of days. Within a few days my psoriasis cleared up almost completely.

I’m now taking one 325 mg aspirin tablet daily. If I miss a few days my condition worsens.

Compared to what my dermatologist was giving me, this treatment seems benign. Is it dangerous?

A. Regular use of aspirin can affect the digestive tract and lead to ulcers, even bleeding ulcers. Make sure your doctor knows you are taking aspirin, and be sure to ask both the pharmacist and the prescriber about potential interactions before you start taking any other drugs. Aspirin can interact with several of them.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
4.6- 31 ratings
About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.