PsoriasisIt is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. This is a genetic disease that manifests itself in the form of characteristic formations on the patient's body: papules or plaques of a reddish-pink color visible to the naked eye, the surface of which is scaly and covered with scales. The disease, as a rule, is accompanied by intense itching and pain, causing suffering to patients, both physical and moral. Psoriasis rashes can appear anywhere on the body, but most often they are located on the patient's scalp, elbows, and hands. Chronic psoriasis on the head often causes moral discomfort to patients because it cannot be hidden under clothing.
What is the origin of the name of the disease "psoriasis"?
The name of the disease "psoriasis" comes from the Greek word - Psora - to scratch (-sya). In fact, itching of rough, scaly, silvery-white, difficult to treat skin is a typical manifestation of this disease.
Who is affected by this disease?
A disease like cutaneous psoriasis affects approximately 3-5% of the population in different countries. Men and women - equally. Psoriasis can develop at any age, but it usually first appears around age 20, often earlier in women than in men. However, the Medical On Group corporation has collected impressive statistics on the treatment of children and elderly people suffering from this disease.
In addition to heredity, psoriasis has the following causes:
- overly active division of skin cells;
- stress;
- decreased immunity after illness.
Answers to frequently asked questions
Is psoriasis contagious?
Common psoriasis vulgaris is a hereditary, genetic disease, accompanied by metabolic disorders, endocrine glands, damage to the immune system. Psoriasis is not contagious! It is not an external infection, and there is no need to fear or avoid people suffering from this affliction.
Is it likely that the children of parents with psoriasis also have this disease?
Since we are talking about an inherited genetic disease, there is such a probability and it is quite high: if both parents suffer from psoriasis, then their children will get sick with this disease with a probability of approximately 33. 3%.
Is it good for sick people to spend as much time in the sun as possible?
It is generally accepted that the sun's rays in a certain amount contribute to the treatment of psoriasis, but in some cases, exposure to the sun, on the contrary, can exacerbate the process. In any case, before any medical procedure and if any changes in the condition of the skin are detected, it is recommended to consult a professional dermatologist.
What causes periodic outbreaks and disease decline?
Experience shows that mental stress, stress and neuroses, unhealthy lifestyle and diet cause exacerbated manifestations of psoriasis. Furthermore, cases in which the disease has worsened even more precisely as a reaction to irrationally formulated treatment are not uncommon.
Does smoking, drinking alcohol affect the course of the disease?
Yes. Smoking and drinking alcohol harm the development of the disease and may contribute to the intensification of the manifestations of psoriasis.
Psoriasis treatment. It's possible?
Hereditary psoriasis on the legs, arms or head is one of the most common but difficult-to-treat skin conditions. Psoriasis is characterized by scaly redness of the skin, the appearance of which is not caused by an infection, but by increased cell division. In a healthy person, a complete renewal of skin cells takes place in almost a month, and in a patient - seven times faster.
Exacerbation of psoriasis can be caused by stress and excessive physical exertion, wounds and cuts in the skin, streptococcal infection of the upper respiratory tract, and reaction to medication. Unfortunately, it is impossible to protect yourself from all this, which means that medicine is still not able to prevent an attack of the disease or cure it completely. But to control the course of psoriasis, choosing effective methods of treating symptoms, modern dermatologists are quite capable.
Can psoriasis be cured permanently?
Since we are talking about an inherited genetic disease, the treatment of psoriasis offered by modern medicine comes down to getting rid of the external manifestations of the disease, clearing the patient's skin of rashes for a long time.