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 annoying due to ugly spots all over the body, which also cause discomfort and sometimes even pain. The manifestation can be of different degrees: from a few specks with scales that resemble dandruff, to large areas of skin with a rash. Most often, psoriasis develops on the elbows, knees, waist and head. Pits or other irregularities may appear on the nails. The rash can manifest itself in many ways, including pustules, skin lacerations, itchy, 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 emerge from the lower layer of the skin, where they form. On the outside, they die and are separated by tiny particles. With psoriasis, the whole process occurs in a few days: the cells die quickly and the spots covered with a thick hairless crust spread over the skin.
Arthritis accompanies psoriasis in one in 10 cases. For most of these people, the effects of psoriatic arthritis are minimal. There is some pain in the affected joints, but it has no effect on the health of the whole organism. Rarely, this pain limits mobility in a similar way to that experienced with rheumatoid arthritis.
causes
In psoriasis, skin cells reproduce rapidly to form a thick, less cohesive layer of skin. This does not usually occur until the treatment intervenes.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic disease (such as tonsillitis).
- The immune system's response to disease.
- Damage to the skin.
- Reaction to a medicine or vaccine.
- Fatigue.
- 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 it is associated with the genetic apparatus.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually made on the basis of a physical exam. Your 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 a reason: there are a great many types of psoriasis by type, severity and responsiveness to treatment. Each of them has its own characteristics, and each requires 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 skin cells. For mild cases, soaps, shampoos, lotions and moisturizing ointments will suffice.
The treatment can be carried out with:
Creams and ointments
Calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is usually prescribed. Calciporien controls excessive skin cell production. This is a medicine for mild to moderate psoriasis. Another option is retinoid treatment such as tazarotene. The doctor may also prescribe drugs that contain a norcoticosteroid and a resin.
Preparations for external administration
A second-generation retinoid can help slow the growth of skin cells in severe psoriasis. You need to be very careful while being treated with this drug because it can cause side effects such as eye and lip irritation, hair loss, excessive sensitivity to the sun, and complicate childbirth when taken by a pregnant woman.
Another is a drug from the group of antimetabolites, which blocks the growth of skin cells in psoriasis, and a drug that blocks the immune system. These medicines can also cause side effects, including kidney and liver damage, and are usually only used in severe cases.
phototherapy
Psoriasis ointment together with ultraviolet A (PUVA), a combination of photosensitive drugs, ultraviolet A (UVA) together suppress the growth of skin cells in some cases of psoriasis. But long-term PUVA treatment (250 times or more) can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer. Even sunbathing in the heat (taking into account that all measures have been taken to avoid burns) and the use of coal tar together with ultraviolet B radiation (Heckermann's method) are effective methods of treatment. A new form of phototherapy called "narrow band ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) can be as effective as PUVA and requires no medication before each session. It does not develop skin cancer propensity like PUVA does.
Personal care
To get your disease under control, you need to:
- Eat foods rich in vitamins, rest for the number of hours your body needs, and exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Psoriasis often appears in the skin folds in obese people.
- Do not rub or scratch areas with psoriatic lesions.
- Wash every day to exfoliate dead skin cells. Avoid hot water or harsh soap.
- Moisturize the skin. Pat your skin dry after bathing, apply an oily moisturizer right after the procedure, while your skin still contains a lot of moisture. Do not use alcohol-containing lotions or creams. Use an air conditioner and keep the room temperature cool all the time.
- Use soaps, shampoos, and ointments that contain liquid carbon tar and salicylic acid.
- Sunbathe in moderate sunshine, but avoid sunburn.
- When the symptoms of the disease are extremely pronounced, use a cream with a content of 0. 5-1 percent cortisone for several weeks.