Symptoms and first signs of psoriasis

Characteristic species-specific signs of psoriasis play a decisive role in diagnosis and treatment.

According to statistics, the most common type of chronic dermatosis is psoriasis. It is a complex and multifaceted disease of polyetiological origin. For various reasons, a large number of different types have been identified that have their own characteristic signs of psoriasis. The need to distinguish types by symptoms arises due to the ambiguous reaction of the skin to drugs and other methods of exposure.

Until recently, the disease was considered harmless to health and life, until cases of death were recorded due to incorrect identification of the cause, type and treatment. In addition, a person can be affected by several forms of the disease at the same time, the symptoms of which must be taken into account when prescribing treatment.

The disease affects people regardless of gender and age category. The first symptoms of psoriasis can appear in both babies and adults for no apparent reason. Depending on the type, not only the onset differs, but also the development of the disease, which can be fast or slow, with a gradual increase in symptoms.

Timely noticing the first symptoms and signs of psoriasis is the key to the effectiveness of the treatment, which will allow:

• Do not allow the disease to take over large areas of the skin;
• Rapid removal of external symptoms of the disease and prevention of damage to internal organs;
• Take timely measures to prevent relapses and prolong the quiet periods of the disease.

The terms "symptoms" and "signs", although similar in meaning, have significant differences. Symptoms are a person's subjective feelings that can be confirmed or refuted by research data.

Signs are an objective examination and research data with which the doctor makes a diagnosis.
For example, pain is purely a symptom, while skin rashes are a sign.

This is important to remember, because only by feeling the symptoms it is impossible to make a correct diagnosis, and only a specialist can determine the signs of psoriasis, its specific type and form.

General signs

Regardless of whether the disease appeared suddenly and began to develop rapidly or the initial manifestations were gradual, clinicians consider the beginning of the formation of papules in various areas of the skin - small scaly nodules of a dark pink color, dense to the touch and protruding above the surface.

The first thing that the patient may notice is the formation of a rash in those places that are more exposed to friction than others, and the skin on them is the driest, that is:

• On the hands, palm areas or elbows;
• Below the knees;
• In the inguinal folds;
• On the sides of the lower back;
• On the shin;
• On the scalp under the hair.

The location of the lesion directly depends on the form of the disease. Psoriasis vulgaris prefers to appear on the elbows, and the tear type begins to spread from the lower back, areas of the skin under the chest and shoulder blades.
The first rashes on the skin are usually barely noticeable, do not form clusters and do not cause discomfort. But if at this stage you do not consult a specialist and ignore the onset of the disease, damage to the fingernails and toenails will gradually begin, after which the disease will spread to the mucous membranes and then spread to the joints.

The appearance of the first signs of psoriasis may differ depending on gender or age. In infants, the psoriatic rash most often begins in the inguinal folds and resembles the signs of miliaria. In adults, the onset can be of two types:

1. Round rashes of various sizes, deep pink or red in color, with very visible whitish scales. Gradually, although each patient has his own way, the areas of the rash thicken and noticeably rise above the surface of the skin. Rashes form psoriatic plaques, similar to drops from a paraffin candle.
2. Small, firm papules form small clusters on the elbows, palms, and sometimes along the knee joints and ankles. These signs are so insignificant that a person simply does not pay attention to them, confusing them with ordinary irritation. It is important to listen to yourself to see if characteristic symptoms of psoriasis such as itching and pain to the touch have appeared. If you miss the first symptoms of psoriasis, then single papules quickly turn into plaques that are very difficult to get rid of.

You can distinguish psoriasis from other skin diseases using a triad of characteristic symptoms, these are:

1. "Stearin stain effect". When scraping the surface of the poster, small transparent flakes easily come off.
2. "Terminal Movie Effect". If you remove the exfoliated scales, in their place there will be a thin shiny surface of the skin, bright in color.
3. "Blood Dew Effect". Microscopic droplets of blood appear at the scraping site after a short period of time.

The classification of specific forms of psoriasis is of great importance for determining the disease. An unambiguous system has not yet been developed, experts distinguish the main groups according to characteristic symptoms and signs.

Classification

The main division of the disease is into two large groups according to the nature of the skin rashes, these are:

1. Non-pustular forms, which are characterized by spreading over the entire surface of the skin, including such types as:
   • Simple (vulgar) or ordinary psoriasis, characterized by a stable chronic course with the development of plaques. The vulgar form of the disease is the most common, occurring in 85% of cases.
   • Psoriatic erythroderma. A dangerous type, always occurring in a severe form, affecting the thermoregulatory and barrier abilities of the skin. Very often, erythrodermic psoriasis ends with pyoderma or sepsis.
2. Pustular forms, which are characterized by the formation not of papules, but of pustules - blisters of inflamed skin filled with serological fluid. These forms of the disease can be generalized (spread over the entire surface of the skin) or localized, mainly in the area of the palms and soles.
   • Generalized psoriasis of Tsumbusha type;
   • Annular type of erythema;
   • Barber's palmoplantar type (chronic pustulosis of the extremities);
   • Annular type pustular psoriasis;
   • Persistent acrodermatitis (psoriasis of the soles and palms);
   • Psoriatic herpetiform impetigo.

This classification system does not yet include such types of diseases as:

• seborrhoeic;
• exudative;
• Drug-dependent form;
• Inverse psoriasis on the surface of skin folds and folds.

Characteristic signs of different types of psoriasis

The general symptoms of psoriasis fully characterize only the vulgar form of the disease, which is the most common of all known forms of the disease. A characteristic feature of plaque psoriasis are the places where the first rashes appear, these are:

• Bending of arms and legs;
• The border between the forehead and the crown;
• The back of the hands.

type of tear

A distinctive feature of this type of disease is the formation of single papules shaped like a drop. The first signs of guttate psoriasis appear on the thighs and then spread over the entire surface of the skin. In the majority of cases, guttate psoriasis develops against the background of infectious diseases caused by streptococci.

Atypical appearance

This form is characterized by the formation of the first manifestations in places atypical for psoriasis, namely:

• skin folds,
• Lateral surfaces of the body
• Armpits.

Pustular (exudative) type

The beginning of the disease is characterized by the appearance on the surface of the palms, feet or legs of small bubbles (papules) filled with serous fluid of a non-infectious nature. The skin around the papules is always inflamed, and the blisters themselves are very unstable and open to infection.

In most cases, exudative psoriasis develops in patients suffering from endocrine diseases, metabolic disorders and obesity.

Psoriasis of the folds

Distinctive features of this form are the appearance of manifestations on the skin. The rash appears in the form of large red spots that are not covered with scales and do not protrude above the surface. This type covers areas with intense sweat glands, such as:

• Contract the joints of the hands and below the knees;
• Armpits and inguinal folds;
• External genitalia;
• The area of skin under the breast in women.

Quite often, this form is complicated by the addition of a fungal or streptococcal infection.

Psoriatic arthritis

One of the most insidious forms of the disease, which is characterized by a long latent course. The patient notices the first symptoms of psoriasis when the joint damage has become total. The signs of this type of psoriasis are expressed in pain and swelling of the joints and their subsequent deformation.

Seborrhea type

The localization of rashes of this type is initially concentrated on the face, the first signs appear in the area of the nasolabial triangle, behind the ears, along the edge of hair growth. Further distribution goes along the shoulder blades on the back and along the chest. The rash is covered with yellowish scales, and the boundaries with healthy skin are blurred.

Onychodystrophy, nail psoriasis

This type is almost incurable. The pathology exclusively affects the nail plates, which change their color to dark yellow or gray. The nail structure becomes thinner, and the cuticle area becomes inflamed for no apparent reason.

Conclusion

It is important to always remember that psoriasis is not only a skin disease, but also a very serious disorder of the body's internal systems. In no case should you self-medicate or turn to healers. The choice of an effective treatment regimen can only be made by an experienced specialist after a careful examination.