It can occur at any age, but the first symptoms usually appear gradually between the ages of 15 and 35.
The infection can be very bothersome due to unsightly spots all over the body, which also cause discomfort and sometimes even pain. The manifestation can be of different degrees: from a few flecks with scales that resemble dandruff, to large areas of skin with a rash. Most often, psoriasis develops on the elbows, knees, waist, and head. Pits or other irregularities may appear in the nails. The rash can manifest itself in many ways, including pustules, skin tears, itching, and scraped areas. Psoriasis is not contagious.
Signs and symptoms
- Dry red spots on the skin, covered with silvery scales.
- Small smooth spots (more 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 lower layer of the skin, where they form. Outside, they die and are separated by small particles. With psoriasis, this entire process takes place in a matter of days: cells die quickly, and patches covered by a thick, hairless crust spread over 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 body. Rarely does this pain limit mobility in a way 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 the intervention of the treatment.
Factors that can cause psoriasis:
- Systemic disease (such as tonsillitis).
- The immune system's response to disease.
- Damage to the skin.
- 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 that it is inherited. But scientists have not yet fully discovered how much is associated with the genetic apparatus.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of psoriasis is usually made through a physical exam. The 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 response to treatment. Each of them has its own characteristics, and each requires a special approach, which is why the doctor has to treat each individual case for a long time. The goal of treatment is to regulate the growth and maturation of your skin cells. For mild cases, moisturizing soaps, shampoos, lotions and ointments will suffice.
Treatment can be done with:
Creams and ointments
Usually a calcipotriene ointment containing vitamin D is prescribed. Calciporien controls the excessive production of skin cells. This is a medicine for mild to moderate psoriasis. Another option is treatment with retinoids such as tazarotene. The doctor may also prescribe medications that contain a norcoticosteroid and a resin.
Preparations for external administration
A second-generation retinoid can help slow the growth of skin cells in severe psoriasis. Great care should be taken when dealing with this medication because it can cause side effects such as irritation of the eyes and lips, hair loss, excessive sensitivity to the sun, and complication of labor 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 only used in the most severe cases.
Phototherapy
Psoriasis ointment together 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 life-threatening 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 newer form of phototherapy called "narrowband ultraviolet B" (NB-UVF) can be as effective as PUVA and does not require medication before each session. It does not develop the propensity for skin cancer as PUVA does.
Personal care
To keep your disease under control, you need:
- Eat vitamin-enriched foods, rest the hours your body needs, and exercise regularly.
- Keep a healthy weight. Psoriasis usually appears in the folds of the skin of obese people.
- Do not rub or scratch areas with psoriatic lesions.
- Wash every day to exfoliate dead cells. Avoid hot water or strong soap.
- Moisturizes the skin. Pat the skin after bathing, apply an oily moisturizer immediately after the procedure, while the skin still contains a lot of moisture. Do not use lotions or creams 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.
- Sunbathe under moderate sun, but avoid sunburn.
- When the symptoms of the disease are extremely pronounced, use a cream with a cortisone content of 0. 5 to 1 percent for several weeks.