It can occur at any age, but the first symptoms usually appear gradually between ages 15 and 35.
The infection can be very worrying due to unsightly spots all over the body, which also cause discomfort and sometimes even pain. The manifestation can be in different degrees: from some patches with scales that resemble dandruff, to extensive areas of skin with a rash. Most of the time, psoriasis develops in the elbows, knees, waist and head. Dimples or other irregularities may appear on the nails. The rash can present itself in a number of ways, including pustules, skin tears, itching, and scratchy areas. Psoriasis is not contagious.
Signs and symptoms
- Dry red patches on the skin, covered with silvery scales.
- Small smooth spots (most common in children) all over the body.
- Swollen and tense ligaments.
Warning signs and symptoms
Redness and hair loss all over the skin.
Psoriasis is a common skin disease 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. Outside, they die and are separated by tiny particles. In psoriasis, this entire process takes place in a matter of days: the cells quickly die and the patches covered in a thick, hairless scab spread across 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 has no effect on the health of the entire organism. This pain rarely limits mobility in a manner similar to that experienced in rheumatoid arthritis.
causes
In psoriasis, skin cells reproduce quickly to form a thicker, less cohesive layer of skin. This usually doesn't happen until treatment intervention.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic disease (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 hereditary. But scientists have yet to fully discover how much this is associated with the genetic apparatus.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually based on a physical examination. 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 many types of psoriasis by type, severity and responsiveness to treatment. Each one of them has its own characteristics, and each one requires a special approach, so the doctor has to deal with each individual case for a long time. The aim of treatment is to regulate the growth and maturation of skin cells. For mild cases, moisturizing soaps, shampoos, lotions and ointments will suffice.
Treatment can be performed with:
creams and ointments
Calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is usually prescribed. Calciporien controls overproduction of skin cells. This is a medicine for mild to moderate psoriasis. Another option is treatment with retinoids such as tazarotene. Your doctor may also prescribe medications that contain a norcoticosteroid and a resin.
Preparations for external administration
A second-generation retinoid can help slow skin cell growth in severe psoriasis. Great care must be taken when treating with this medication as it can cause side effects such as irritation of the eyes and lips, hair loss, excessive sensitivity to the sun and complicating delivery if taken by a pregnant woman.
Another is a drug from the antimetabolite group, which prevents the growth of skin cells in psoriasis, and a drug that blocks the immune system. These medications can also cause side effects, including kidney and liver damage, and are usually only used in the most severe cases.
Phototherapy
Psoriasis ointment together with ultraviolet A (PUVA), a combination of drugs sensitive to ultraviolet A (UVA) light, suppress 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 hot sun (taking into account that all measures have been taken to avoid burns) and the use of coal tar together with ultraviolet B radiation (Heckermann method) are also effective methods of treatment. A new form of phototherapy called "narrowband ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) may be as effective as PUVA and does not require medication before each session. Does not develop prone to skin cancer in the same way as PUVA.
personal care
To keep your illness under control, you need to:
- Eat foods fortified with vitamins, get the number of hours your body needs, and exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Psoriasis usually appears in the skin folds in obese people.
- Do not rub or scratch areas with psoriatic lesions.
- Wash every day to exfoliate dead cells. Avoid hot water or strong soap.
- Moisturize your skin. Pat the skin after showering, apply an oily moisturizer immediately after the procedure, while the skin still contains plenty of moisture. Do not use lotions or creams that contain alcohol. Use an air conditioner and keep the room temperature cool.
- Use soaps, shampoos and ointments that contain liquid carbon tar and salicylic acid.
- Sunbathe in moderate sunlight, but avoid sunburn.
- When symptoms of the disease are extremely pronounced, use a cream with a content of 0. 5-1 percent cortisone for several weeks.