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 unpleasant 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 spots with scales that resemble dandruff, to wide areas of skin with a rash. Most often, psoriasis 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, skin tears, 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 appear from the lower layer of skin where they form. Outside, they die and are separated by small particles. In psoriasis, this whole process takes several days: the cells die quickly and spots covered with a thick, hairless crust spread to the skin.
Arthritis accompanies psoriasis in one in 10 cases. For most of these people, the effects of psoriatic arthritis are minimal. Some pain is felt in the affected joints, but it does not affect the health of the whole organism. This pain rarely restricts mobility, similar to that in rheumatoid arthritis.
Reasons
In psoriasis, skin cells reproduce quickly to form a thicker, less cohesive layer of skin. This usually does not happen until treatment intervenes.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic diseases (such as tonsillitis).
- The immune system's 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 inherited. But scientists have not yet fully understood how it is linked 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 many types of psoriasis in type, severity and response to treatment. Each has its own characteristics and each requires a special approach, so the doctor must deal with each case for a long time. The goal of treatment is to regulate the growth and maturation of your skin cells. In mild cases, moisturizing soaps, shampoos, lotions and ointments are sufficient.
The treatment can be done with:
Creams and ointments
Calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is usually prescribed. Calciporien controls the excess production of skin cells. It 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 a narcotic steroid and a 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 medicine 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 that stops the growth of skin cells in psoriasis, and a drug that blocks the immune system. These drugs can also cause side effects, including damage to the kidneys and liver, 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 inhibit 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 fatal form of skin cancer. Sunbathing in the warm sun (given that all measures have been taken to avoid burns) and the use of coal tar together with ultraviolet B radiation (Hackermann method) are also effective treatments. A newer form of phototherapy called "narrow-band ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) may be as effective as PUVA and does not require medication before each session. It does not develop a predisposition to skin cancer the way it does. makes PUVA.
Personal hygiene
To keep your disease under control, you need to:
- Eat foods fortified with vitamins, rest for the number of hours your body needs, and exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Psoriasis often occurs in the folds of the skin in overweight people.
- Do not rub or scratch areas with psoriatic lesions.
- Wash daily to exfoliate dead cells. Avoid hot water or harsh soap.
- Moisturize the skin. Tap the skin after a bath, apply a greasy moisturizer immediately after the procedure, while the skin still contains a lot of moisture. Do not use lotions or creams containing 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 extremely pronounced, use a cream containing 0, 5-1 percent cortisone for several weeks.