Ambulatory treatment of psoriasis: combined use of occlusive dressings with locacorten tar at night and 'open' treatment with locasalen during the day.

Fifty patients with refractory psoriasis were treated with a combined method consisting in the application of occlusive dressings with Locacorten Tar ointment at night and of 'open' treatment (without occlusive dressings) with Locasalen ointment during the day. The aim of this trial was to obtain the benefit of the occlusive-dressing method without having to hospitalize the patients. The mean time required for the eradication of psoriatic scales was 3.46 days, while that needed for complete recovery was 14 days. The results clearly indicated that this combined approach has all the advantages of occlusives dressings but allows the patient greater freedom during the day. The very good effect of the treatment is also attributable to the triple action obtained with this combination: the anti-epidermoplastic effect of flumethasone pivalate, the squamolytic effect of salicylic acid, and the keratoplastic action of the tar compound.