Skin pathologies are an unpleasant phenomenon not only from the aesthetic and physiological, but also from the psycho-emotional side. People prone to psoriasis often suffer from numerous complexes regarding their appearance. What are the main causes of psoriasis and how to deal with this obsessive pathology?

What is psoriasis and its causes

Psoriasis is a chronic pathology characterized by the appearance of a skin rash. Usually pink nodules appear on the patient’s body, covered with silver-colored scales. Individual plaques are connected into "islands", resembling a geographical map. Rashes are often accompanied by severe or moderate itching. Such a pathology worsens the appearance of the skin, causing a person not only physical, but also psychological discomfort. If joints are affected by psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis may develop in the future. Psoriasis of pregnant women is considered no less dangerous, which can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the mother and the fetus, in some cases even to miscarriage.

Note. Cases of psoriasis account for approximately 2% of the healthy population. In a quantitative ratio, the disease manifests itself equally in both men and women.

The main cause of psoriasis in adults and children is a genetic predisposition. In other words, a child whose parents suffer from this pathology has extremely high chances of getting sick.The risk group also includes people who have a systematic trauma to the skin, a violation of the nervous and endocrine systems, as well as chronic streptococcal skin infections.

Among the external causes of psoriasis are:

  • inflammatory pathologies (lichen, dermatitis, fungal pathologies, etc.);
  • the effect of drugs used externally (including various insect repellents, etc.);
  • mechanical damage to the skin (burns, injections, insect bites, etc.).

Among the internal factors include:

  • constant stress;
  • reduced immunity;
  • HIV or other infections. Https: //www.youtube.com/watch? V = Jwj-n6NOQsA

Stages of the development of the disease

There are three stages of psoriasis:

  1. Progressive. The very beginning of the pathology, usually proceeds very rapidly. Small rashes in the form of nodules form on the surface of the skin. At the top of each of them a small gray flake is noted. Overwhelming, the rash adorns the body with plaques that itch a lot. Due to a violation of the barrier function of the skin, plaques can get wet, causing an infection.
  2. Stationary. After the initial phase, the course of the disease seems to stop - the nodules do not disappear, but the appearance of new formations is not observed. An existing rash is covered with a crust or dry scales. Inflammation gradually subsides.
  3. Regressive. The last phase of psoriasis is marked by a gradual resorption or reduction of papules. Over time, skin areas where depigmentation is observed remain in place of the plaques. Such a process is final in the cycle of psoriasis, but does not mark recovery. Untreated psoriasis can occur again and then all stages, starting with the very first, can be repeated with a purity of once a month or less.

According to the severity of the lesion, 3 stages are also distinguished:

  1. Easy. The defeat is no more than 3% of all integuments.
  2. Medium. The percentage of damage is 3-10%.
  3. Heavy. 10 and more percent of defeat.

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Is psoriasis contagious

Psoriasis is not transmitted by airborne, sexual, or domestic routes. Contact with the patient does not threaten the health of his loved ones. The main factor leading to the manifestation of this unpleasant pathology is genetic.

Symptoms and signs in adults and children

Seek help from a specialist by tracking the following symptoms of psoriasis:

  • painful microtrauma or cracked skin;
  • exfoliation of nails, changing their shape;
  • the formation of blisters in the area of ​​the palms and feet;
  • excessive peeling of the skin;
  • the appearance of rashes in the form of spots on any area of ​​the skin (often on the knees and elbows, sometimes on the face).

Affected nails and swollen joints that cause pain during movement are a sign of complications arising from psoriasis. This phenomenon may be accompanied by chills, hyperthermia, deterioration in well-being.

There are also cases of diagnosing psoriasis in children (most often in preschool and primary school age, less often in newborns and infants). So, in very young children, psoriasis can resemble eczema or diaper rash. In this case, pink zones form on the skin, sometimes thin scales can be traced on their surface. In older children, the pathology begins with itching, after which a rash and small nodules appear, gradually increasing and merging with each other.

Diagnostics

Dermatological pathologies in patients should be diagnosed by a dermatologist. As a rule, a routine inspection is sufficient for this. In order to exclude other dermatological diseases, the specialist takes into account the psoriatic triad.

Often, the problem is accompanied by three basic symptoms:

  • The phenomenon of stearin stains (the surface of the plaques is similar to stearin shavings).
  • The phenomenon of the terminal film (in the place of the removed scales in the area of ​​spots, the covers are shiny and smooth to the touch).
  • The phenomenon of pinpoint bleeding (small blood droplets form on integuments that have undergone scraping of scales).

Sometimes a patient may need a blood test or skin flakes.

Psoriasis treatment in adults and children

The treatment of psoriasis in patients of different ages is based on 3 basic factors: drug therapy and alternative therapy, as well as diet.

Drug treatment

It is considered the most effective approach in getting rid of psoriatic plaques. Therapy can be carried out with the following types of drugs:

  1. Pills:

  • Methotrexate. Applicable in case of severe psoriatic forms. It is not used for a long time, because it causes multiple side effects.
  • Diprospan. The drug is on a hormonal basis, acts quickly, reduces the manifestation of pathology. It is prescribed in especially rare and severe cases, since a strong negative effect of the drug on the body is noted.

  1. Ointments and creams:

  • Hormonal ointments. They guarantee quick results, but often negatively affect the functionality of the body. These include Momat, Uniderm, Flucinar, Nazacort, Kenalog and so on.
  • Non-hormonal ointments. Relatively safe, but less effective than hormonal. These include salicylic and zinc ointments, Kartalin, Dayvobet and so on.

Note. Choosing a remedy for the treatment of psoriasis alone is unacceptable, since an incorrect dosage can aggravate the course of the pathology. Immediately before using the ointments, the patient is prescribed hormone tests. The use of such drugs is recommended to be combined with additional treatments for skin diseases.

Folk remedies

It is permissible to treat the symptoms of psoriasis on your own with the help of traditional medicine recipes. Doing this is exclusively in the initial stage of the pathology.

The most popular folk remedies for eliminating skin pathologies include:

  • Solidol. This tool is recommended to lubricate plaques once a day. Therapy continues until the patient's condition improves completely.
  • Soda. Papules and skin around should be lubricated with a soda solution. The treated areas are wrapped with a film and left for 1-2 hours.
  • Linseed oil. With its help, papules are processed twice a day for 14 days.
  • Celandine. The juice of this plant is recommended to burn plaques three times a week.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Physiotherapy is rightly considered an integral part of the complex treatment of psoriasis. Such methods are used exclusively in the regressive stage of the disease, in the acute phase of the disease they cannot be used.

The following physiotherapeutic effects are recognized as the most effective:

  1. Electrosleep. As a result of this effect on the patient, the excitability of the nervous system is reduced, and the psychological state is also stabilized. As a result, the progression of plaques occurs, and in a short time the disease reaches remission.
  2. UV exposure. To eliminate psoriatic plaques, a zonal or general technique is used. For therapy, the so-called medium-wave irradiation is used.
  3. X-ray therapy. Using this method, affected areas of the skin are treated with x-rays. This approach is used in cases where other methods of physiotherapy have not yielded results. Such radiation has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and accelerates the destruction of papules.
  4. Ultrasound Therapy It involves local exposure to ultrasound by vibrations with a frequency of 800-3000 kHz on the affected areas of the body. As a result, the inflammatory process is reduced, as well as pain and itching.
  5. General cryotherapy. It is carried out by exposing the skin to a special low-temperature mixture (-160 C).
  6. Magnetotherapy.Using a magnetic field, the processes of inhibition of the nervous system are carried out. As a result, the patient's psycho-emotional state is stabilized. Also, magnetotherapy helps reduce the intensity of itching, and start the regeneration processes.
  7. Laser Therapy The laser effect is produced directly on the lesions, due to which psoriatic plaques undergo regression.
  8. Spa therapy. Patients prone to psoriasis are often prescribed spa treatment. Resorts with natural springs are best suited for this purpose.

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Diet for Psoriasis

According to leading physicians, psoriasis therapy should begin with a change in the nutrition system. The essence of such a diet is to maintain acid-base balance and monitor the emotional state of the patient.

Three basic rules of nutrition for patients affected by psoriasis are as follows:

  1. Body cleansing. For this purpose, it is permissible to use a citrus, grape or apple diet. In the future, it is necessary to monitor the systematic bowel movement.
  2. Restriction of toxins. For this purpose, you should drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, as well as various natural juices and tea.
  3. Eating the right foods:
  • fruits;
  • foods rich in vitamin B (egg yolk, chicken, almonds, barley, fish, dairy and sour-milk products, honey, beets, etc.);
  • porridge based on bran, whole wheat or buckwheat on the water.

Prohibited foods include:

  • white flour pastries;
  • sweets;
  • pizza, sparkling water, etc .;
  • tomato juice, alcohol, coffee.

Possible complications and predictions

As a rule, the usual form of psoriasis does not pose a threat to human life. And although it is completely not possible to get rid of this pathology, complex treatment can cause prolonged remission. Given all the doctor’s prescriptions, the patient can forget about the manifestations of the pathology for a long time, not be afraid of complications.

Of the possible complications of severe forms of the disease, the following consequences can be noted:

  1. Psoriatic erythroderma. Usually, in this case, the entire area of ​​the skin is affected. Pathology is accompanied by swelling and redness of the integument, itching, hyperthermia. An untreated disease, accompanied by an excessive consumption of alcohol, can lead to the death of the patient.
  2. Psoriatic arthritis. It manifests as a result of the spread of the disease to the joints. Usually, there are no external signs of the disease. Pathology is able to deform the shape of the joints of the limbs. The lack of timely therapy can lead to surgery or even amputation.
  3. Generalized pustular psoriasis. Dangerous condition, marked by an increase in the number of purulent foci. In the absence of timely treatment, the disease goes into a complicated stage.
  4. Psoriasis often leads to the occurrence of autoimmune diseases that occur as a result of a malfunction in the immune system. This may include obesity, diabetes and impaired thyroid function.

Prevention

The maintenance of remission in the case of psoriasis is directly dependent on preventive measures, which are as follows:

  1. Lifestyle change. Psoriasis often occurs due to the patient’s psycho-emotional state. Anxiety and stress can exacerbate the disease. For this reason, patients should visit a psychotherapist who will teach the patient how to cope with experiences.
  2. Food. The absence of a special diet can disrupt the metabolism and provoke the appearance of new plaques.
  3. Clothing. Put on the patient’s body, it should consist exclusively of natural tissues with good ventilation. Wearing synthetic things can provoke excessive sweating and, as a result, create an environment for the propagation of pathogenic bacteria.
  4. Hygiene.Most shower gels, shampoos, and soaps often dry your skin. For this reason, you should use tools designed to care for sensitive integuments.
  5. Skin care. All available creams and other care products should be reviewed. As well as hygiene products, they must be hypoallergenic and designed to care for problem skin.

Psoriatic plaques are an unpleasant phenomenon that brings a lot of inconvenience to the patient. And although the disease is not amenable to complete therapy, the patient has every chance to put the pathology into a state of remission and lead a full life. To do this, just adhere to the prescriptions of a specialist and observe a number of preventive measures.

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