Squamous lichen is a very common skin disease and dermatologists are often found with it. This disease not only looks aesthetically unpleasant (irregularly shaped red scaly spots on the skin scare many others), but it brings mental distress, physical and psychological problems and, in the future, serious complications.
Therefore, knowing the insidiousness of the disease and the pitfalls of its chronic course (frequent relapses) in a family where there are already patients with scaly lichen, its members are especially afraid of getting sick and are wary of any changes in the skin.
How to recognize the early signs of psoriasis (another name for scaly lichen)? How does the disease start? At what age does the disease occur most often? What you need to know in order not to miss the first symptoms of psoriasis and start treatment on time? Is there a difference in the early manifestations of the disease in men and women? We will try to answer these and many other questions in this article.
What triggers the first signs of psoriasis?
Despite the fact that psoriasis is not hereditary (this has been shown by the latest research), there are many factors that, with a predisposition to psoriasis, can trigger its clinical manifestation.
- Usually, the onset of psoriasis is preceded by some sort of nervous breakdown or mental trauma. This factor most often provokes the development of psoriasis.
- A hormonal imbalance can push the disease, therefore, women during pregnancy, breastfeeding and during menopause need to pay special attention to themselves: adhere to a healthy lifestyle, avoid negative emotions, do not stay in the sun for a long time andbeing outdoors more often.
- The trigger for the development of psoriasis can be a change in the surrounding climate (moving to another place of residence, resting in a warm country in January). Therefore, it is better to refrain from a sharp change in latitude, and also from winter to summer (moving to an area with a climate with a large temperature difference), if there is a scaly lichen in the family history. In the event of a forced move, it is very important to pay special attention to your body during this period.
- Outbreaks of chronic infection can also lead to the appearance of psoriatic plaques. Chronic diseases must always be treated, but in a family where there are already cases of psoriasis, an outbreak of streptococci in the body is especially dangerous. However, tooth decay, chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis, gingivitis - all these slow diseases pose a threat to any organism.
At what age do the first signs of psoriasis usually appear?
The first signs of psoriasis can appear at any age. Scaly lichen spares neither the elderly nor children. There are cases of onset of the disease in childhood and the appearance of psoriatic plaques after 80. But more often the first signs of psoriasis are revealed at a young age from 14 to 30 years. As a rule, such patients, even at such a young age, already have concomitant diseases, for example, such as obesity, allergies, diabetes mellitus, neurasthenia, thyroid pathology.
The first signs of psoriasis in humans
The manifestation of psoriasis depends on the type of disease. But, in any case, the first symptoms in the skin forms of psoriasis are the appearance of a rash. The rash is a rounded epidermal papule What is the development mechanism of psoriatic papules?
Provocative factors trigger the inflammatory process, which is based on hyperkeratosis (pathological cell proliferation). As a result, the epidermis thickens, begins to protrude above healthy skin, forming a lump. This is the main element of the scaly lichen - psoriatic papule.
The papule has a bright pink color, which differs in intensity. Initially, the papule is dark pink (to a deep red color), then it becomes more faded and flaky. The dead scales of the epithelium have a silvery-gray color, they are very easily separated by scraping. In the underlying layer of the dermis, new blood vessels appear which supply nutrients to the emerging cells of the epidermis. For this reason, during remission, even in the absence of plaque, the skin will be reddish in color. As the process escalates, the elements increase and occupy an ever larger area. The skin in these places is dry, cracked, bleeds, that is, there is an obvious clinic of psoriasis.
The favorite places for the first rashes in psoriasis are the scalp, face (in teenagers), natural skin folds (in children), joints (elbows, knees), feet and soles of the feet. Psoriatic plaques, unlike eczema, are usually found on the outer surfaces of the joint extensor.
They talk about the initial stage of psoriasis if no more than 10% of the skin surface is affected. An experienced dermatologist will recognize the symptoms of psoriasis immediately, but sometimes allergic dermatitis or rheumatoid arthritis (with psoriatic joint damage) is confused with psoriasis.
The first signs of plaque psoriasis
Plaque soriasis is vulgar skin psoriasis, so its early signs are the easiest to spot. Psoriasis begins with the appearance of a small number of small nodules, which are usually located in the joint area. They resemble a small abscess filled with light colored contents. The primary elements of psoriasis do not bother the patient and are barely noticeable. They can pass on their own, but after a while they reappear in greater numbers and become more noticeable. If you scrape the papule, it immediately becomes covered with silvery scales. In the summer, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the rash can disappear. As the disease progresses, its quantity increases, it covers larger areas, and individual elements merge into extensive plaques.
Sometimes the first signs immediately appear violently and abundantly. In response to the provoking factor, the skin becomes covered with bright pink-red psoriatic plaques, which cause severe itching. But such an onset is rare for psoriasis.
The first signs of nail psoriasis
The first changes in the nails can be varied and resemble a fungal infection. Delamination, brittleness, thickening of the nail plate appear, depressed spots or furrows are visible throughout the nail. In addition, the first pathological signs appear on the edge of the nail, then they move to the root. One of the initial symptoms of nail psoriasis is nail discoloration. The nail plate can turn yellow, gray, or white. Bleeding can appear under the nail. All of these marks can be on all nails or just one.
The first signs of psoriasis of the soles of the feet and palms
In some patients, the only clinical sign of psoriasis is lesion of the soles of the feet or palms in the form of dense psoriatic lesions covered with scales. During scraping, a shiny, shiny surface appears which, with further injury, begins to bleed ("bloody dew" syndrome).
The first signs of scalp psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis resembles seborrhea due to profuse scaling. It can proceed separately, without affecting other areas of the skin, for a long time. Patients are treated for dandruff by purchasing special shampoos, without even realizing that they have psoriasis on their head. After some time, the lesion affects the back of the ear, the neck and goes down below. And only in this case, patients begin to sound the alarm and go to the doctor.
The first signs of psoriatic arthritis
With psoriatic arthritis, rashes may not be present. The first signs of psoriasis will be complaints of deformity of the joints, which increase in size and become painful. The fingers and toes are swollen and resemble sausages. As the disease progresses, the gait changes. It can be problematic to diagnose psoriasis in this form, as many patients are treated for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In this case, the presence of psoriasis in relatives and careful differential diagnosis with diseases affecting the joints helps to make the correct diagnosis.
The first signs of psoriasis in women
Psoriasis is the same for both men and women. But unlike in men, where the first symptoms of psoriasis usually appear around the age of 25-30, the first signs of psoriasis in women appear earlier. The trigger mechanism for the development of the disease is often hormonal changes in the pubertal period. In general, the development of psoriasis in women is associated with frequent changes in hormone levels throughout their life. For the onset of psoriasis, the most significant and dangerous periods in a woman are:
- your menstrual cycle (especially her appearance);
- pregnancy;
- childbirth;
- lactation period;
- menopause.
If psoriasis occurs already at the time of conception, pregnancy can have a beneficial effect on skin manifestations and a period of remission will begin. But after childbirth, perhaps an aggravation of all processes. Most often, according to statistics, the first signs of psoriasis in women occur during childbirth and during menopause. For other locations, the symptoms and signs of psoriasis in women and men do not differ. But children's psoriasis has its own characteristics.
What to do when the first signs of psoriasis are found?
In any case, if the first signs and symptoms of psoriasis are found, it is urgent to consult a dermatologist to start treating the disease in a timely manner. The doctor will prescribe the treatment of psoriasis, taking into account the severity of the course and the specifics of the manifestations of the disease. It has been shown that if less than 5% of the skin is affected by psoriasis, all symptoms can be eliminated. But the treatment must be selected by a competent specialist.
Moreover:
- if you find the first signs of psoriasis in yourself or in your family, try to remember what may have caused the disease and avoid these factors in the future;
- stay outdoors more often and don't forget to sunbathe;
- temperament - take a contrast shower, do not forget to wet;
- try to go to the sea and swim more;
- take care of your skin, protect it from injury, use moisturizers;
- for psoriasis of the head, choose shampoos without aggressive ingredients; do not dye your hair;
- review your diet;
- avoid conflicts and stressful situations; learn to control your emotions (but do not suppress them), the ability to remain calm in the dramatic moments of life will help to maintain remission for a long time;
- you can take valerian, motherwort (consult your doctor) if you are emotionally labile;
- dress in cotton, especially focus on underwear, which should be made only of natural fabrics, do not wear synthetics;
- treat chronic infections in a timely manner;
- go to bed earlier, plan a good rest.
If possible, when the first signs of psoriasis or any doubtful symptoms appear, come for a consultation with dermatologists in Germany:
- You will be convinced of the reliability (or error) of the diagnosis:
- Thanks to experienced specialists, you will be able to quickly eliminate the symptoms of psoriasis (especially if these are the first signs of the disease);
- You will receive expert advice with detailed recommendations and instructions;
- You will buy quality medicines prescribed by a doctor to alleviate a possible exacerbation;
- In the future, if necessary, you will be able to stay in contact with the treating doctor via Skype, telephone or email.