The most common symptom of psoriasis is the formation of psoriatic plaques, which are formed by inflamed areas of the skin. However, the disease can appear not only on the skin. We understand how psoriasis starts, how it progresses and what the signs of psoriasis are.
Most often, the first symptoms of psoriasis appear at a young age, but psoriasis can overcome a person even in old age. The first symptoms of psoriasis can be subtle: the disease can start with lesions in small areas of the skin, often in the folds of the limbs or head. Therefore, many patients may not notice the first manifestations. Does the skin itch from psoriasis? In fact, one of the signs of psoriasis is itching. Moreover, at first a person may feel only itching and tightness, and only then red spots begin to appear on the skin.
The course of psoriasis greatly affects the quality of human life. Many patients experience not only physical but also psychological distress. However, modern medicine can effectively contain the manifestations of the disease. New drugs for psoriasis, developed in the 21st century, in particular, genetically modified biological drugs (GIBP), allow you to completely get rid of the manifestations of the disease and lead a productive life.
What is psoriatic plaque?
Psoriatic plaques are the most common symptom of psoriasis. The plaques are enlarged and inflamed areas of red skin that protrude above the surface of healthy skin and are covered with a layer of white scales. The plaque can be painful, itchy, cracked, and bleeding.
Psoriasis. signs
Manifestations of psoriasis on the skin and nails
LEATHER
- Inflamed plaques with redness.
- Tiles are often covered with white scales.
- Plaques can be painful and itchy.
- Sometimes they crack and bleed.
- Scattered plaques may appear on the scalp.
- The plaques can grow and coalesce with each other, covering a large area of skin. In severe cases, the whole skin is a large plaque. This condition is called erythroderma.
Nails
- Nails change color or cramps, spots or streaks appear on the nail plates.
- Over time, the nail thickens and changes color to gray, yellow or brown. May collapse and bleed.
- The nail can crumble and peel. The skin under such a torn nail is thickened due to the formation of a psoriatic plaque here.
The most common symptoms of psoriasis
Itching and bleeding with psoriasis
Itching and burning of the skin are common symptoms of psoriasis affecting 90% of patients. Itching caused by psoriasis is different from itching caused by other skin diseases. Itching in psoriasis can be very intense, it can even occur in those areas of the skin where there are no visible plaques. Itching of the skin as a result of itching in psoriasis can cause the appearance of new rashes as a result of mechanical trauma to the skin.
The appearance of cracks in the skin and bleeding with psoriasis
Psoriatic plaques can appear anywhere on the skin. Sometimes they crack as the skin becomes very dry on the plaque. As the plate grows, the cracks expand. As they get bigger, they can go deeper into the dermis - the layer of skin in which capillaries are located. Then the capillaries are damaged and burst, and the plaques begin to bleed.
The first symptoms of psoriasis can appear anywhere, but more often the skin begins to crack and bleed. Location of manifestations:
- elbows;
- knees;
- brushat;
- palms and soles.
Pustules with psoriasis
Pustules with a white or yellow fluid inside, appearing on the psoriatic plaques, are the main symptoms of pustular psoriasis. This is a rare form of psoriasis, and only 2% of patients develop pustules. Pustular psoriasis is a very dangerous condition. It can cause serious complications, so it requires urgent complex treatment and referral to a specialist.
How are pustules formed? How does pustular psoriasis start?
- First, with pustular psoriasis, plaques form, formed by dry and red skin that is painful to the touch.
- Pus-filled pustules then form on the plates.
- Pustules rapidly coalesce with each other, forming large bubbles.
- They are then dried and removed, leaving dry skin down, in which they may reappear soon.
Tear tablets for psoriasis
Small nodules with reddish or pink scales - skin spots that look like spots - are a distinguishing symptom of psoriasis with teardrops. A patient can experience from a couple to hundreds of teardrop-shaped elements. Nodules everywhere on the skin, but most often appear in:
- supet;
- stomach;
- back;
- hands;
- feet;
- scalp;
- ears;
- face.
The symptoms of guttate psoriasis develop quite quickly, over several days. Sometimes tear-shaped plaques cause itching in psoriasis. Usually such elements are small, not more than 10 mm in width.
Often, tear psoriasis develops after an infection, mainly of the respiratory tract.
Pain with psoriasis
Pain in the projection of a rash occurs when the skin is damaged and cracked as a result of excessive thickening caused by inflammation and rampant growth of keratinocytes. As a result, nerve endings in the dermis become irritated and send a pain signal to the brain.
But the pain appears not only because of the mechanical damage to the skin: the inflammation that appears in the body with psoriasis affects the way the brain perceives the pain. Moreover, each person has an individual threshold for pain sensitivity, therefore, pain in patients with the same picture of the disease may trigger a different reaction.
42% of patients complain of pain in the projection of lesions caused by psoriasis. To a greater extent, this symptom is common among:
- women;
- old people;
- patients with severe psoriasis;
- patients who have had psoriasis for a long time;
- patients with concomitant psoriasis diseases.
Peeling (dandruff) with psoriasis
The scalp psoriasis plaques are hidden and may not be visible. However, as in other areas of the body, psoriatic plaques fall off, forming dandruff-like scales. Do not confuse psoriatic flaking with dandruff, as dandruff is caused by a fungal infection and psoriasis is caused by inflammation. Therefore, these symptoms need to be treated in different ways.
Like other symptoms of psoriasis, escalation occurs during exacerbation and disappears during remission. Worsening of scalp psoriasis occurs for various reasons:
- cold weather;
- dry air;
- stress.
Comment on what to do when bloating and inflammation occurs in psoriasis
Changes in nails with psoriasis
- Half of patients with psoriasis develop nail psoriasis and in patients with psoriatic arthritis, this symptom occurs in 80% of cases. As a rule, the loss of nail plates precedes the development of psoriatic arthritis.
- Typically, nail psoriasis accompanies other types of skin psoriasis. Only 5-10% of patients with nail psoriasis do not have skin lesions.
- Nail psoriasis occurs in different patients, regardless of age, gender or duration of the disease.
- The changes may affect all or part of the nail plate. They appear on both one and several nail plates, and most often on the hands.
- Nail psoriasis usually accompanies common (vulgar) psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
- Psoriasis affects the condition of the nails in different ways. They can grow faster or become thicker. Nail plate often turns white, yellow or brown.
- Depressions and sheath-like lines appear on the nail.
- As the psoriatic process progresses, the nail begins to deteriorate and eventually rejects, losing its connection to the nail bed.
- Nail damage causes uncomfortable and painful sensations that significantly reduce the quality of life.