drug treatments

Topical drugs

Medications applied directly to the area of concern to affect only that area.

Oral drugs

Medications given by mouth that travel throughout the body systemically.

Transdermal drugs

Medications that travel through the skin and into the bloodstream, typically delivered through a medicated adhesive patch.

Anesthetic

A drug that causes a reversible loss of sensation or pain, used to temporarily deaden pain.

Antibiotic

A drug used to fight off or prevent infection.

Antifungal

A drug used to fight off fungal infections, such as athlete's foot and ringworm.

Antipruritic

A drug used to inhibit itching, a symptom associated with many skin disorders.

Antiviral

A drug used to treat viral infections, such as herpes.

Biologic

A drug derived from living organisms through molecular biology techniques, working like parts of the immune system. They can disrupt the autoimmune response that occurs in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Corticosteroid

A drug used to treat skin conditions linked to autoimmune diseases, such as vasculitis, and inflammatory diseases, such as eczema and psoriasis.

Immunosuppressant

A drug used to treat certain conditions (such as psoriasis and eczema) by suppressing the immune system.