Use of a polyester fiber sponge as an adjunct in the treatment of psoriasis.

Twenty patients with symmetric lesions of psoriasis were asked to use a polyester fiber sponge in addition to their other anti-psoriatic medications. The sponge was used to remove scales from those lesions on the left side only. The hypothesis was that removal of scales would enhance penetration by topical corticosteroid and/or coal tar preparations. At the end of four weeks, as well as at each weekly evaluation, all patients showed a statistically significant difference between the treated and control sides. In 70 percent of the subjects, results were graded good to excellent when the treated side was compared with the control side after four weeks' evaluation.