Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases.It can occur in patients of any age.The cause of the disease has not been fully determined, so it is impossible to completely cure psoriasis.That’s why it’s so important to recognize it in the initial stages of development.In this article, we’ll learn what psoriasis is, what it looks like, and how to treat it.
what is psoriasis
Psoriasis is a multi-etiological skin disease manifesting as a monomorphic rash.The pathology is chronic.Psoriasis occurs in waves, with possible relapses and remissions.
Lack of adequate treatment, alcohol abuse, stress, etc. can all trigger relapse.In adults and children, the rash gradually spreads and involves more and more areas of skin.Psoriasis is characterized by the formation of raised, reddish, dry patches with a scaly, silvery surface.This rash is called "psoriasis plaques."
Most commonly, psoriasis appears in the elbow, knee, and hip areas, where pressure and friction are greatest.In some cases, the rash appears on the scalp, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and external genitalia.Psoriasis plaques on the face are very rare.
reason
Many people wonder if psoriasis is contagious to others.The pathology is not contagious, meaning it cannot be passed on to others.Causes of psoriasis include:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Endocrine diseases (diabetes, thyroid dysfunction).
- Stress, nervousness and stress.
- Parasitic infections (giardiasis, ascariasis, pork or bovine tapeworm infection).
- Metabolic pathologies (silicone deficiency is particularly dangerous).
- Prone to allergies.
- Viral infectious diseases.
- Weak immune system.
- Taking medications for a long time.
In most cases, psoriasis develops between the ages of 15 and 30 for one or more reasons. According to medical statistics, more than 60% of psoriasis patients have relatives suffering from the disease.
Early symptoms of psoriasis
To understand how psoriasis starts, you should familiarize yourself with the main symptoms of the disease.You should be wary of:
- Formation of a brightly colored rash with clearly visible edges (usually at the site of injury - burns, cuts, frostbite);
- The central part of the plaque appears to be peeling off;
- Itching of psoriatic structures (occurs in only half of cases due to weakened immunity);
- The area where the rash occurs becomes swollen and inflamed.
At first, the rash is very small, about the size of a pinhead.They have a hemispherical shape and a smooth and shiny surface.After a few days, the rash becomes larger and covered with shallow scales that separate easily.When a plaque is scratched, droplets of blood will appear on its surface, indicating the presence of needle bleeding.
Occasionally, psoriasis may be complicated by effusion (serous fluid).The scales absorb this exudate and transform into a rough crust.If you remove it, the wet area remains underneath.This phenomenon is dangerous due to the increase in secondary bacterial infections.
Generally, early stage psoriasis lasts 2-3 weeks.If left untreated, plaques can grow to 5-7 cm in size, coalesce and form complete aggregates, covering large areas of skin.
What does psoriasis look like in its early stages?
Now let’s look at what psoriasis looks like in its early stages of development in different areas.For ease of understanding, we provide corresponding photos.
- leg.The disease begins with a single small rash, primarily located on the knees and feet, but can also be observed on any surface of the legs.
- elbow.In most cases, plaque psoriasis develops in this area and is characterized by small rashes and very severe peeling.The skin on the elbow becomes rough.
- hand.In this area, psoriasis can suddenly appear in the form of a small rash that many people mistake for allergies.Only after dry scales appear do people go to the doctor.The rash is usually located between the fingers on the palm of your hand.
- head.Psoriasis often affects the scalp, ear area, and back of the head.Rashes in this area are characterized by moist scales and are almost always itchy.
- Face.The rash affects the nasolabial folds, eyelids, eyebrows, and eyes.This form of psoriasis is considered atypical.
- nail.Psoriasis on the nails is more of a fungal disease.First, longitudinal streaks or spots appear at the edge of the nail, then spread to the root.At the same time, the nail plate itself can become dull and thickened.
psoriasis treatment
Treatment should begin with a visit to your dermatologist. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.Early treatment for psoriasis should be comprehensive.Today, new treatments have been developed that help to completely eliminate the scaly rash, although they do not completely cure the disease itself.During treatment, it is necessary to exclude all factors that cause pathological exacerbation, change the diet and adhere to a special diet.
drug treatment
Treatment strategies for early-stage psoriasis are gradually changing.If in the early days hormonal drugs with general effects were prescribed, now topical drugs are widely used.
The following ointments are great for relieving the symptoms of psoriasis:
- Cuticle separation and hydration.
- vegetable.
- Glucocorticoids.
- Cell inhibition.
- Based on solid oil.
- Based on petroleum.
Your doctor may also prescribe sedatives, antihistamines for severe itching, immune modulators, and vitamin-mineral complexes.Treatment should also include physical therapy.The following methods are widely used:
- paraffin bath;
- PUVA therapy;
- UV irradiation;
- Sulfide baths and radon baths.
Electrosleep and magnetic laser therapy have beneficial effects.Cryotherapy (cold therapy) and leech therapy (leech therapy) are becoming increasingly popular.
When treating psoriasis on the head, it is not advisable to comb the skin.The head should be washed daily with a medicated shampoo containing zinc, tar and selenium sulfide.
treatment at home
You should consult your doctor before using any recipe to avoid complications.The main purpose of traditional medical treatment is to strengthen the immune system and relieve the inflammatory process.Therefore, it is necessary to drink vitamin tea - a decoction of rose hips, lemon, viburnum, raspberry, chamomile, etc. It is recommended to add honey to herbal tea.
The most effective home remedies include:
- Celandine.It works great to relieve inflammation and soothe the skin.The plaques must be lubricated daily with the juice of this plant.
- hydrogen peroxide.First, dilute peroxide with water in a 1:3 ratio and use this solution to lubricate the psoriasis rash to disinfect it.Use before applying ointment or lotion.
- linseed oil.Perfect for relieving inflammation and healing skin.Apply to affected area twice daily.
- baking soda.Neutralizes increased skin acidity caused by psoriasis.
- solid oil.It helps a lot in the early stages of the disease.The affected area needs to be lubricated before going to bed.
Prevention and advice
To reduce the risk of psoriasis, prevention is necessary.Please follow these guidelines:
- Moisturize your skin regularly with facial cream;
- Avoid skin damage in the form of burns, scratches, bites, etc.;
- Strengthen your immune system, exercise more, walk more, and breathe fresh air;
- Get rid of bad habits (smoking, drinking);
- Only take medications prescribed by your doctor.
It is important to pay attention to a special diet for psoriasis alone. It helps achieve remission more quickly and reduces the duration of disease recurrence.The following table contains a list of allowed, prohibited, and restricted products.
| Product display | allow | Limited use | prohibit |
| fish and meat | Turkey, chicken, rabbit, lean river fish | lean beef and lamb | Pork, sea fish |
| Grain and flour products | Oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, corn, wheat flakes | rice | Semolina, pastry, wheat flour baked goods, bread |
| dairy products | Low-fat cheese, skim milk | Kefir, fermented grilled milk, sour cream | cheese |
| vegetable | Carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, asparagus, lettuce, green beans | corn, pumpkin | Bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants |
| fruits and berries | Kiwi, pineapple, mango, grape, nectarine, cherry | Plums, blueberries, currants, cranberries, avocados | Strawberries, citrus, red apples |
| nut | almond | pine nuts | others |
| candy | Dried apricots, raisins, dates | Honey | Chocolate, candy and other confectionery products |
| spices | dill, parsley, green onions | horseradish, garlic, onion | pepper, cloves, nutmeg |
| oil | Sunflowers, olives, cotton, corn | butter | spread, margarine |
| drinks | Herbal tea, juice, preserves | green tea | Black tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol |
Don’t forget about your drinking habits.You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of drinking water every day.
Psoriasis is a rather unpleasant skin condition that can cause a lot of inconvenience.It cannot be completely eliminated, but with effective treatments, stable remission can be achieved.For this, you need to contact a dermatologist.Psoriasis in its initial stages responds well to medication.You should not self-medicate as this will only make the condition worse.