Scaly lichen is a very common skin disease and is most commonly encountered by dermatologists. This disease not only looks not very aesthetically pleasing (red scaly spots with an irregular shape on the skin scare many others), but brings mental discomfort, physical and psychological problems and serious complications in the future.
Therefore, knowing about the insidiousness of the disease and the pitfalls of its chronic course (frequent recurrences) in a family that already has patients with scaly lichen, its members are particularly afraid of disease and are wary of any changes in the skin.
How to recognize the first signs of psoriasis (another name for scaly lichen)? How does the disease begin? At what age does the disease most often appear? What you need to know so as not to miss the first symptoms of psoriasis and start treatment on time? Is there a difference in the first 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 inherited (this has been proven by recent studies), there are many factors that predispose to psoriasis can cause its clinical manifestation.
- Psoriasis is usually preceded by a nervous breakdown or mental trauma. This factor most often provokes the development of psoriasis.
- Hormonal imbalance can trigger the disease, which is why women during pregnancy, lactation and menopause should be especially careful with themselves - to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, to avoid negative emotions, not to stay in the sun for longand be outdoors more often.
- The trigger for the development of psoriasis can be a change in the surrounding climate (moving to another place of residence, vacation in a hot country in January). Therefore, it is better to refrain from a sharp change in latitude and even from winter to summer (moving to an area with a climate with a large temperature difference), if there is scaly lichen in the family history. In case of a forced move, it is very important to be especially careful with your body during such a period.
- Chronic foci of infection can also lead to the appearance of psoriatic plaques. Chronic diseases should always be treated, but in a family where there are already cases of psoriasis, the streptococcal focus in the body is particularly dangerous. However, caries, chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis, gingivitis - all these sluggish 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 the disease in early childhood and the appearance of psoriatic plaques after 80 years. But more often the first signs of psoriasis appear at a young age of 14 to 30 years. As a rule, such patients, even at such a young age, alreadyhave concomitant diseases, such as obesity, allergies, diabetes, 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 of cutaneous forms of psoriasis are the appearance of a rash. The rash is a rounded epidermal papule. What is the mechanism of development of psoriatic papules?
Provoking 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 knot. This is the main element of scaly lichen - psoriatic papule.
The papule has a bright pink color that varies in intensity. Initially, the papule is dark pink (to a deep red color), then it becomes whiter and scaly. The dead scales of the epithelium have a gray-silver color, very easily removed by scraping. New blood vessels appear in the underlying layer of the dermis, supplying the emerging cells of the epidermis with nutrients. Therefore, during remission, even in the absence of plaque, the skin will have a reddish color. As the process becomes more difficult, the elements increase and take up more and more space. The skin in these places is dry, cracked, bleeding, that is, there is an obvious clinic of psoriasis.
Favorite places for the first rashes in psoriasis are the scalp, face (in adolescents), natural skin folds (in children), joints (elbows, knees), feet and soles. Psoriatic plaques, unlike eczema, are usually located on the outer extensor surfaces of the joint.
They speak of the initial stage of psoriasis if no more than 10% of the skin surface is affected. An experienced dermatologist will immediately recognize the symptoms of psoriasis, but sometimes allergic dermatitis or rheumatoid arthritis (with psoriatic joint damage) is confused with psoriasis.
The first signs of plaque psoriasis
Posterior soriasis is vulgar skin psoriasis, so its first signs are most easily noticed. Psoriasis begins with the appearance of a small number of small nodules, which are usually localized in the joints. They look like a small abscess filled with light-colored contents. The primary elements of psoriasis do not bother the patient and are hardly 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 is immediately covered with silvery scales. In summer, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the rash may disappear. As the disease progresses, its amount increases, covering wider areas and individual elements merge into extensive plaques.
Sometimes the first signs appear immediately violently and abundantly. In response to the provoking factor, the skin is covered with bright pink-red psoriatic plaques, which cause severe itching. But such an onset is unusual for psoriasis.
The first signs of nail psoriasis
The first changes in the nails can be varied and resemble a fungal infection. Stratification, brittleness, thickening of the nail plate, depressed spots or grooves are seen throughout the nail. Moreover, 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 discoloration of the nail. The nail plate may turn yellow, gray or white. Bleeding may occur under the nail. All these signs can be on all nails or only on one.
The first signs of psoriasis of the feet and palms
In some patients, the only clinical sign of psoriasis is the defeat of the feet or palms in the form of dense psoriatic lesions covered with scales. When scraped, a shiny shiny surface appears, which with further injury begins to bleed ("bloody dew syndrome").
The first signs of psoriasis of the scalp
Scalp psoriasis resembles seborrhea due to profuse scaling. It can continue separately, without affecting other areas of the skin, for a long time. Patients are treated for dandruff by buying special shampoos without even realizing that they have psoriasis of the scalp. After some time, the lesion affects the back of the ear, neck and goes down. And only in this case, patients begin to sound the alarm and go to the doctor.
The first signs of psoriatic arthritis
In psoriatic arthritis, the rash may not be present. The first signs of psoriasis will be complaints of joint deformity, 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, 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 men, in whom the first symptoms of psoriasis usually appear around the age of 25-30, the first signs of psoriasis in women appear earlier. The trigger for the development of the disease is often hormonal changes in puberty. In general, the development of psoriasis in women is associated with frequent changes in hormone levels throughout their lives. For the appearance of psoriasis the most significant and dangerous periods in women are:
- the menstrual cycle (especially its appearance);
- pregnancy;
- birth;
- lactation period;
- menopause.
If psoriasis appears already during conception, then pregnancy can have a beneficial effect on skin manifestations and a period of remission will begin. But after birth, perhaps the deterioration of all processes. Most often, according to statistics, the first signs of psoriasis in women appear during childbirth and during menopause. For other positions, the symptoms and signs of psoriasis in women and men do not differ. But childhood psoriasis has its own characteristics.
What to do when the first signs of psoriasis are detected?
In any case, if the first signs and symptoms of psoriasis are found, you should urgently consult a dermatologist to begin timely treatment of the disease. The doctor will prescribe the treatment of psoriasis, taking into account the severity of the course and the specific 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 chosen by a competent specialist.
Furthermore:
- if you find the first signs of psoriasis in yourself or your family, try to remember what may have provoked the disease and avoid these factors in the future;
- be outdoors more often and don't forget about sunbathing;
- temperament - take a contrast shower, do not forget about douching;
- try to go to the sea and swim more;
- take good care of your skin, protect it from injuries, 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 not suppress them), the ability to remain calm in the dramatic moments of life will help you maintain remission for a long time;
- you can take valerian, maternity (consult your doctor) if you are emotionally unstable;
- dress in cotton, especially focus on underwear, which should be only made of natural fabrics, do not wear synthetics;
- treat chronic infections in a timely manner;
- go to bed earlier, organize a good rest.
If possible, when the first signs of psoriasis or any suspicious symptoms appear, consult a dermatologist in Germany:
- You will be convinced of the reliability (or erroneousness) 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 recommendations and detailed instructions;
- You will buy quality medicines prescribed by a doctor to alleviate any exacerbations;
- In the future, if necessary, you will be able to keep in touch with your doctor using Skype, phone or email.