Dovonex Ointment

Dovonex is a widely used ointment containing vitamin D, designed to treat psoriasis. This is a long-term inflammatory condition affecting 1-3% of people globally. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation due to an overproduction of skin cells called keratinocytes. These cells produce keratin, which is important for the healthy growth of hair and nails. However, too much keratin can result in scaly patches known as psoriatic lesions.

Dovonex is used to treat psoriasis symptoms by stopping the production of immune cells and slowing down cell growth. Typically, you'll apply it twice daily, in the morning and again in the evening.

Dovonex contains calcipotriol, which is a vitamin D analogue. An analogue is a drug with a chemical structure similar to another drug. It's important not to mix up Dovonex (calcipotriol) with vitamin D supplements, which are used if you have a vitamin D deficiency or are at risk of one.

Calcipotriol treats psoriasis in two different ways:

There's another ointment similar to Dovonex called Dovobet. While Dovonex contains only calcipotriol, Dovobet includes both calcipotriol and betamethasone, which is a steroid. Both are effective for treating psoriasis, but research indicates that combining vitamin D with a steroid tends to give better results.

There's a generic version of Dovonex available as well. Both have the same active ingredient and come in the same doses. The main differences are in the packaging and the cost. It's completely up to you which one you choose, but usually, the generic option is less expensive.

Calcipotriol, which is the active ingredient in Dovonex, and corticosteroids are both commonly used as first-choice treatments for psoriasis.

In a study with 1,185 patients, some were given a placebo and others were treated with calcipotriol. The findings revealed that calcipotriol was more effective than the placebo at weeks six and eight.

In a different study with 168 patients suffering from scalp psoriasis, it was found that 42% of those treated with clobetasol propionate, a potent steroid, were completely healed within a few weeks. Many others also showed improvements, while only 2% in the control group experienced similar results.

This indicates that both medications work well in treating psoriasis.

If you have scalp psoriasis, avoid using Dovonex ointment on your scalp. Instead, you can use a calcipotriol scalp solution that's specifically designed for treating scalp psoriasis. It has the same active ingredient and concentration, but the formula and applicator are tailored for easy use on your scalp.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, have a chat with your doctor or midwife before using Dovonex. You should only use it if they've said it's okay. If you're breastfeeding, make sure not to apply it to your breast, as this could be harmful to your baby.

There are various creams and ointments you can use to treat psoriasis. Wynzora and Dovobet are similar to Dovonex, but the key difference is that Wynzora and Dovobet also include a steroid.

There are various emollients you can use, such as Fifty:50 and Dermol. While these won't directly treat psoriasis, they can help to moisturise your skin and soften those rough scales.