It can occur at any age, but the first symptoms usually appear gradually between the ages of 15 and 35.
The infection can be very disturbing due to ugly spots all over the body, which also cause discomfort and sometimes pain. The manifestation can be of different degrees: from a few spots with scales resembling dandruff, to wide areas of skin with a rash. Psoriasis most often develops on the elbows, knees, waist and head. Holes or other irregularities may appear on the nails. The rash can manifest in many ways, including pustules, tears on the skin, itching, and scratched areas. Psoriasis is not contagious.
Signs and symptoms
- Dry red spots on the skin, covered with silvery scales.
- Small smooth spots (more common in children) all over the body.
- Swollen and tight ligaments.
Warning signs and symptoms
Redness and hair loss all over the skin.
Psoriasis is a common skin condition that affects the life cycle of cells. It usually takes about a month for new cells to come out of the lower layer of the skin, where they are formed. They die on the outside and are separated by small particles. In psoriasis, this whole process takes place in a few days: the cells die quickly, and the spots covered with a thick, hairless crust spread across the skin.
Arthritis accompanies psoriasis in one in 10 cases. For most of these people, the effects of psoriatic arthritis are minimal. Pain is felt in the affected joints, but it does not affect the health of the whole organism. Rarely, this pain limits mobility similar to that seen in rheumatoid arthritis.
Causes
In psoriasis, skin cells multiply rapidly and form a thick, less cohesive layer of skin. This usually does not happen until treatment intervention.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic diseases (such as tonsillitis).
- Immune system response to disease.
- Skin damage.
- Reaction to a drug or vaccine.
- Stress.
- Excessive alcohol consumption.
- Environmental factors such as direct contact with sunlight or chemicals (disinfectants, paints).
Doctors suggest that psoriasis is a disease caused by many factors and is hereditary. But scientists have not yet fully understood how much this is related to the genetic apparatus.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually made on the basis of a physical examination. The doctor may need a sample of skin cells for analysis to determine the nature of the disorder and the possibility of fungal infections.
Treatment
Psoriasis is very difficult to control for one reason - there are a large number of types of psoriasis by type, severity and sensitivity to treatment. Each of them has its own characteristics, and each of them needs a special approach, so the doctor has to deal with each individual case for a long time. The goal of treatment is to regulate the growth and maturation of your skin cells. For mild cases, moisturizing soaps, shampoos, lotions and ointments are enough.
Treatment can be carried out with:
Creams and ointments
Calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is usually prescribed. Calciporien controls the excess production of skin cells. This is a remedy for mild to moderate psoriasis. Another option is treatment with retinoids such as tazarotene. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that contain norcoticosteroids and resin.
Preparations for external administration
Second-generation retinoids can help slow the growth of skin cells in severe psoriasis. Caution should be exercised when treating this drug as it may cause side effects such as eye and lip irritation, hair loss, sun sensitivity and complicating childbirth if taken by a pregnant woman.
Another is a drug from the group of antimetabolites, which stops the growth of skin cells in psoriasis, and a drug that blocks the immune system. These drugs can also cause side effects, including kidney and liver damage, and are usually used only in the most severe cases.
Phototherapy
Ointment for psoriasis together with ultraviolet A (PUVA), a combination of light-sensitive drugs, ultraviolet A (UVA) together suppress the growth of skin cells in some cases of psoriasis. But long-term treatment with PUVA (250 times or more) can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, a potentially deadly form of skin cancer. Sunbathing in the warm sun (taking into account all measures taken to avoid burns) and the use of coal tar with ultraviolet B radiation (Heckermann method) are also effective treatment methods. A newer form of phototherapy called "narrowband ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) can be just as effective as PUVA and does not require medication before each session. It does not develop a predisposition to skin cancer like PUVA.
For personal care
To keep your disease under control, you need:
- Eat foods enriched with vitamins, rest for as many hours as the body needs and exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Psoriasis often occurs in the folds of the skin in obese people.
- Do not rub or scratch areas with psoriatic lesions.
- Wash every day to remove dead cells. Avoid warm water or harsh soap.
- Moisturizes the skin. Pat the skin after bathing, apply a greasy moisturizer immediately after the procedure, while the skin still has plenty of moisture. Do not use lotions or creams that contain alcohol. Use air conditioning and keep the room temperature cool at all times.
- Use soaps, shampoos and ointments that contain liquid carbon tar and salicylic acid.
- Sunbathe in moderate sunlight, but avoid sunburn.
- When the symptoms of the disease are very pronounced, use a cream with a content of 0. 5-1 percent of cortisone for several weeks.