It can occur at any age, but the first symptoms usually appear gradually between the ages of 15 and 35 years.
The infection can be very disturbing due to the ugly spots all over the body, which also cause discomfort, and sometimes even pain. The manifestation can be of different degrees: from some scaly spots resembling dandruff, to large areas of skin with redness. Most often, psoriasis develops on the elbows, knees, waist and head. Pits or other irregularities may appear on the nails. Rash can appear in many ways, including pustules, skin cracks, itching and scratched areas. Psoriasis is not contagious.
signs and symptoms
- Dry red spots on the skin, covered with silver scales.
- Small smooth spots (most 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 emerge from the bottom layer of skin where they form. Outside, they die and separate from the tiny particles. With psoriasis, this whole process takes place within a few days: the cells die quickly and the 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. It feels a little pain in the affected joints, but it does not affect the health of the whole organism. Rarely does this pain limit mobility similar to that experienced with rheumatoid arthritis.
Causes
In psoriasis, skin cells reproduce rapidly to form a thicker, less cohesive layer of skin. This usually does not happen until treatment intervention.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic diseases (such as tonsils).
- Immune system response to disease.
- Skin damage.
- Reaction to a medicine 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 much it is related to the genetic apparatus.
Diagnosing
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually made on the basis of a physical examination. The doctor may need a skin cell sample 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 response to treatment. Each of them has its own characteristics, and each requires a unique approach, so the doctor has to deal with each individual case for a long time. The goal of treatment is to regulate the growth and maturation of your skin cells. For light cases, moisturizing soaps, shampoos, lotions and ointments will suffice.
The treatment can be performed with:
Creams and ointments
Calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is usually recommended. Calciporien controls the overproduction of skin cells. This is a remedy for mild to moderate psoriasis. Another option is treatment with retinoids like tazarotene. The doctor may also prescribe medications that contain a narcoticosteroid and a resin.
Preparations for external administration
A second generation retinoid can help slow down the growth of skin cells in severe psoriasis. Great care should be taken during treatment with this drug because it can cause side effects such as eye and lip irritation, hair loss, excessive sun sensitivity and birth complication if taken by a pregnant woman.
Another is a drug from the group of antimetabolites, which stops the growth of skin cells in psoriasis, and a drug that blocks the immune system. These drugs can also cause side effects, including kidney and liver damage, and are usually used only in the most severe cases.
Phototherapy
Psoriasis ointment along with ultraviolet A (PUVA), a combination of light-sensitive drugs, ultraviolet A (UVA) together suppress the growth of skin cells in some cases of psoriasis. But long-term PUVA treatment (250 times or more) can increase the risk of skin cancer, including melanoma, a potentially fatal form of skin cancer. Sunbathing in warm sun (given that all measures have been taken to avoid burns) and the use of coal tar along with B ultraviolet radiation (Heckermann method) are also effective treatment methods. A newer form of phototherapy called "Narrowband Ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) can be just as effective as PUVA and does not require pre-session medication. It does not develop the tendency to skin cancer as PUVA does.
Personal care
To keep the disease under control, you need:
- Eat foods rich in vitamins, rest for the number of hours the body needs and exercise regularly.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Psoriasis often occurs in skin folds in obese 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. Bend the skin after the bath, apply an oily moisturizer immediately after the procedure, while the skin still contains a lot of moisture. Do not use creams or lotions that contain alcohol. Use an air conditioner and keep the room temperature cool at all times.
- Use soaps, shampoos and ointments that contain liquid carbon tar and salicylic acid.
- Take sunbaths in moderate sun, but avoid sunburn.
- When the symptoms of the disease are extremely pronounced, use a cream containing 0, 5-1 percent cortisone for several weeks.