Psoriasis is one of the most common skin pathologies.It can occur in patients of any age.The etiology of the disease has not yet been fully established, and it is impossible to completely cure psoriasis.This is why it is so important to recognize it in the early phase of development.In this article we will see what psoriasis is, how it manifests itself and how to treat it.
What is psoriasis
Psoriasis is a polyetiological skin disease manifested by a monomorphic skin rash. The pathology is chronic.Psoriasis occurs in waves, with possible periods of relapses and remissions.
A relapse can be triggered by lack of adequate treatment, alcohol abuse, stress, etc.The rash in adults and children spreads gradually, involving more and more areas of the skin.Psoriasis is characterized by the formation of raised, reddish and dry patches, with a scaly, silvery-white surface.This rash is called “psoriatic plaques”.
Most often, psoriasis is observed in the elbow and knee area, on the buttocks, that is, in places of greatest pressure and friction.In some cases, the rash occurs on the scalp, palms, soles, and external genitalia.Psoriatic plaques on the face are very rare.
Causes
Many people wonder whether psoriasis is contagious to others or not.The pathology is not contagious, that is, it is not transmitted to other people.Among the causes of psoriasis are:
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid gland dysfunction).
- Stress, neuropsychic overload.
- Parasitic infestations (giardiasis, ascariasis, porcine or bovine tapeworm infection).
- Metabolic pathologies (silicon deficiency is especially dangerous).
- Predisposition to allergies.
- Infectious diseases of a viral nature.
- Weak immune system.
- Prolonged use of medications.
In most cases, psoriasis makes itself felt between the ages of 15 and 30 due to one or more causes. According to medical statistics, more than 60% of psoriasis patients have relatives who suffer from this disease.
Symptoms of psoriasis in the initial stage
To recognize how psoriasis begins, you must familiarize yourself with the main signs of the disease.You should be cautious:
- the formation of brightly colored rashes with clearly visible edges (most often they appear at the site of injury - burns, cuts, frostbite);
- the appearance of peeling in the central part of the plate;
- itching of psoriatic formations (appears only in half of cases due to weakening of immunity);
- swelling and inflammation in the area where the rash appears.
At first, the rashes are very small, about the size of a pinhead.They have a hemispherical shape and a smooth, shiny surface.After a few days, the rash increases in size and becomes covered with light scales that come off easily.When the plaque is scraped, droplets of blood appear on its surface, which indicate pinpoint hemorrhages.
Sometimes psoriasis can be complicated by exudative phenomena (serous fluid).The scales absorb this exudate and turn into a rough crust.If you remove it, wet areas will remain underneath.Such phenomena are dangerous due to the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.
As a rule, early-stage psoriasis lasts 2 to 3 weeks. If left untreated, the plaques grow to 5 to 7 cm, merge and form entire conglomerates, covering large areas of the skin.
What psoriasis looks like in the early stage
Now let's see what psoriasis looks like at the beginning of its development in different locations.To make it easier to understand, we present the corresponding photos.
- Legs.The disease begins with small, single rashes located mainly on the knees and feet, but can also be seen on any surface of the legs.
- Elbows.In most cases, a type of plaque psoriasis appears in this area, which is characterized by small skin rashes with very intense scaling.The skin on the elbows becomes rough.
- Hands.In this area, psoriasis appears suddenly in the form of a small rash, which many people mistake for an allergy.Only after dry scales appear do people consult a doctor.Often, the rashes are located between the fingers.
- Head.Psoriasis usually affects the scalp, ear area and back of the neck.The rash in this area is characterized by moist scales and is almost always itchy.
- Face.The rash affects the nasolabial folds, eyelids, eyebrows and eyes.This form of psoriasis is considered atypical.
- Nails.Nail psoriasis is more like a fungal disease.First, longitudinal stripes or dots appear at the edges of the nails, and then spread to the roots.At the same time, the nail plate itself becomes dull and thick.
Psoriasis treatment
Therapy should begin with a visit to a dermatologist. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.Treatment of psoriasis at the initial stage should be comprehensive.Nowadays, new treatment methods have been developed that help to completely eliminate scaly rashes, although they do not completely cure the disease itself.During therapy, it is necessary to exclude all factors that provoke a worsening of the pathology, change the diet and adhere to a special diet.
Drug therapy
Treatment tactics for early stage psoriasis are gradually changing.If earlier hormonal drugs of general action were prescribed, now local agents are widely used.
The following ointments provide good relief from the manifestations of psoriasis:
- Keratolytic and moisturizing.
- Vegetable.
- Glucocorticoid.
- Cytostatic.
- Based on solid oil.
- Petroleum-based.
The doctor may also prescribe sedatives, antihistamines for severe itching, immunomodulators and vitamin-mineral complexes.Treatment should also include physical therapy.The following methods are widely used:
- paraffin baths;
- PUVA therapy;
- UV irradiation;
- sulfide and radon baths.
Electrosleep and magnetic laser therapy have beneficial effects.Cryotherapy (cold treatment) and hirudotherapy (leech treatment) are gaining popularity.
When treating psoriasis on the head, you should not comb the skin.The head should be washed daily with medicated shampoos with zinc, tar and selenium sulfide.
Home treatment
Before using any prescription, you should consult your doctor so that it does not provoke the development of complications. Treatment with traditional medicine is mainly aimed at strengthening the immune system and relieving the inflammatory process.Therefore, it is necessary to drink vitamin teas - decoctions of rosehip, lemon, viburnum, raspberry, chamomile, etc.
The most effective home therapy remedies include:
- Celandine.It relieves inflammation well and soothes the skin.The plates must be lubricated daily with the juice of this plant.
- hydrogen peroxide.To begin, dilute peroxide with water in a 1:3 ratio and use the solution to lubricate the psoriatic rash for disinfection.Use before applying ointments or lotions.
- Flaxseed oil.Perfectly relieves inflammation and heals the skin.Apply to the affected area twice a day.
- Baking soda.Neutralizes skin acidity, which increases with psoriasis.
- Solid oil.It helps very well at the beginning of the disease.You need to lubricate the affected areas before going to bed.
Prevention and recommendations
To reduce the risk of psoriasis, prevention is necessary. Follow these guidelines:
- moisturize your skin regularly with creams;
- prevent damage to the skin in the form of burns, scratches, bites, etc.;
- strengthen the immune system, play sports and walk more outdoors;
- give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol);
- Only take medicines prescribed by your doctor.
It is important to separately observe a special diet for psoriasis. It helps to achieve remission faster and reduces the duration of disease relapses.The table below contains a list of permitted, prohibited and restricted products.
| Products | Allowed | Limited use | Prohibited |
| Fish and meat | turkey, chicken, rabbit, lean river fish | lean beef and lamb | pork, sea fish |
| Cereals and flour products | oats, buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, millet, wheat flakes | rice | semolina, puff pastry, bakery products made with wheat flour, bread |
| Dairy products | low-fat cottage cheese, skim milk | kefir, fermented milk, sour cream | cheese |
| Vegetables | carrots, broccoli, cucumber, asparagus, lettuce, green beans | corn, pumpkin | peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant |
| Fruits and berries | kiwi, pineapple, mango, grape, nectarine, cherry | plum, blueberry, currant, cranberry, avocado | strawberry, citrus fruits, red apple |
| Nuts | almonds | pine nuts | everyone else |
| Candy | dried apricots, raisins, dates | dear | chocolate, sweets and other confectionery products |
| Spices | dill, parsley, chives | horseradish, garlic, onion | pepper, cloves, nutmeg |
| Oils | sunflower, olive, cotton, corn | butter | spread, margarine |
| Drinks | herbal teas, juices, compotes | Green Tea | black tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol |
Do not forget about the drinking regime.You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day.
Psoriasis is a rather unpleasant skin disease that causes a lot of inconvenience.It cannot be completely eliminated, but with a competent approach to treatment, a stable remission can be achieved.To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist.Psoriasis in the initial stage responds well to drug therapy.Do not self-medicate, as this will only worsen the course of the disease.