What is psoriasis and why is it dangerous? Full description of the disease

Psoriasis is presented as a chronic, non-infectious skin pathology. According to statistics, 3. 7% of the world’s population is prone to this disease, which is called scaly lichen. Not in this case, psoriasis is not a contagious disease, while the risk group is 14-27 year olds. Spotted red exfoliation appears on the skin with white scales.

Localization is possible in any part of the body, but the most common sites are the scalp, lower back, knees, and elbows. Because the disease in question manifests itself in periods of chronic remission and exacerbation. How much does pathology affect a patient’s life and how can they get rid of psoriasis forever?

Reasons for appearance

To understand what causes psoriasis, it is worth understanding that the process of developing pathology is systemic, involving both the skin and the entire human body. The causes are not completely clear, they can be viral, infectious, hereditary, neurogenic or mixed. Humoral and cellular immunity is activated, which contributes to the initiation of the autoimmune process of cell damage, primarily epidermal cells.

Metabolism is also disrupted, and the inherited burden exacerbates psoriasis of the skin. As a result, cell regeneration is accelerated 3-5-fold, leading to the formation of psoriatic plaques. So why does psoriasis occur, in which the quality of life depends 80% on proper treatment and timely detection of the disease:

1. Bad inheritance;
2. Depression, constant stress;
3. Dysbacteriosis;
4. Problems with hormones;
5. Allergic diseases;
6. Candidiasis and streptoderma;
7. Viral pathologies;
8. addiction;
9. parasitic infections;
10. Problems with metabolism.

Symptoms

The amount of rash at the onset of the pathology is considered insignificant. Studying the symptoms will allow you to find out what psoriasis looks like on your body and how to recognize it. Psoriatic plaque acts as a key symptom. This is the hyperemic area of the skin with scales. It looks noticeable and majestic in the background of healthy skin. The presence of the following signs justifies an urgent visit to a dermatologist:

• Convex patches on the skin with light scales;
• itching in problem areas;
• Excessive dryness and peeling of the skin;
• Painful cracks, blisters in the palms of the hands and feet;
• Deformed and peeling nail plates.

Types of psoriasis

The classification of psoriasis involves the division of the disease into different types and forms. Considering the localization of the pathology and the nature of the rash, the following types of psoriasis should be considered:

1. Plaque psoriasis on the body is often referred to as vulgar, common, or simple. This is the most common variant, diagnosed in 85% of patients. Inflamed areas of the skin have a characteristic appearance of the disease in question - they peel off easily, turn red and have a fever. Red skin under the scales can be easily damaged and bleed. Over time, the plaques melt into the so-called paraffin pond.
2. Inverse skin psoriasis affects the bending surfaces. Inflamed skin areas have no exfoliation and hardly protrude over healthy skin. Localization is defined by the skin folds, namely the folds under the breasts in women with psoriasis, the armpits, the external genital area, the inner surface of the thighs, and the lumbar skin folds. When sweat is released, the skin is damaged or friction occurs, and the condition of the inflamed areas worsens. Diabetics and children are the most common patients.
3. Pustular psoriasis on the skin is characterized by the most complex symptoms. Blisters of inflammatory nature with transparent, uninfected secretions rise above healthy areas of the skin. Thickened, inflamed red skin around the pustules with fever.
4. Rupioid psoriasis in humans is characterized not only by plaque-like rashes but also by acute inflammation of the epidermis. The skin surface under the plaques is bright pink and weeping.
5. In adults, guttate psoriasis is characterized by an abundant number of small, purple or red blisters. The shape of the bubbles can resemble circles, tears, dots, or droplets. The affected area is often quite extensive, with psoriasis on the head, neck, shoulders, back, legs or thighs. Angina or streptococcal pharyngitis often provokes the development of the pathology in question.

Forms of psoriasis

As for the forms of psoriasis, it can be psoriatic erythroderma, arthropathic psoriasis or psoriatic onychodystrophy:

• Psoriatic onychodystrophy involving the nails leads to deformation of the nail plate on the fingers of the lower or upper limb. It is possible to change the color of the nail itself or the nail bed. This type of psoriasis leads to thickening, the formation of transverse lines, spots, dots, and increased fragility and detachment. It is even possible to completely lose your nails.
• Erythroderma psoriasis develops gradually in men and women and is associated with complications. This is a consequence of neglected plaque psoriasis, when the epidermis becomes very red and swollen, characterized by a clear acute inflammatory process. Exfoliation and inflammation spread over large areas, along with pain, itching, and swelling of the tissue under the skin. With this form of pathology, a fatal outcome is more likely than in other cases because the body loses the ability to regulate body temperature due to extensive inflammation, exfoliation, and detachment.
• In addition to the main symptoms, psoriatic arthritis is accompanied by an inflammatory process in the joints and connective tissues. This form of pathology can affect any joint, but most commonly these are small joints in the upper and lower limbs. If the disease spreads to the knee or hip joints, there is a high chance of losing mobility. The form of the disease studied accounts for 10-15% of all cases in the diagnosis of psoriasis skin disease.

Stages of development

The development of psoriasis is characterized by three consecutive stages. All patients with the affected disease go through all of them, but with appropriate treatment, the duration of the second stage can be significantly reduced:

1. The progressive phase is characterized by an increase in the first signs and a deterioration in general health;
2. The stationary stage has a culmination in the development of pathology;
3. The regression phase is a reduction in symptoms and a significant improvement in general health.

Diagnostics

A dermatovenereologist deals with the diagnosis and further treatment of psoriasis skin diseases. The definition of the disease is usually not difficult because the skin lesions are special in nature. Additional laboratory tests in the form of rheumatoid factor and complete blood count are rarely required. The involvement of a rheumatologist becomes relevant when psoriatic arthritis is diagnosed. In this situation, an x-ray should be taken of the joints. The usefulness of skin biopsy can be observed in extreme cases where it is difficult to make a differential diagnosis.

Quality of life

The incidence of psoriasis leads to a significant decrease in quality of life. Difficulties may arise during social adjustment and in the workplace due to physical and emotional discomfort. Severe itching and pain can complicate basic life processes: sleep, body care, walking, exercising, doing professional tasks, caring for a house, pets.

Patients often express excessive concern for their own appearance, fear negative reactions from others, and have low self-esteem. Pain, along with itching and emotional discomfort, often leads to social isolation, anxiety disorders, social phobia, and depressive states.

Treatment

Getting rid of psoriasis involves an integrated approach using the following categories of drugs and medications.

Creams and ointments

Ointments and creams are quite effective in fighting psoriasis with minimal side effects. These funds are usually applied directly to inflamed areas:

• Hormonal ointments are among the most effective in eliminating the main symptoms and blocking the proliferation of keratinocytes. The strongest devices in this category can irritate the skin, cause dehydration and thinning the epidermis.
• Salicylic acid removes flakes caused by psoriasis by cleansing the skin. Dosage of this drug is extremely important as excessive use leads to hair loss and skin irritation.
• Retinoids are the active form of vitamin A, almost as effective as hormonal ointments, but the clinical effect can be achieved for a longer period of time. Hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light is the most common adverse syndrome.
• Tar ointments reduce the severity of negative symptoms and block the growth of skin cells. Side effects include alopecia, acne or folliculitis.
• Vitamin D in the form of an ointment or gel. Use in combination with hormonal agents ensures maximum effect.
• Moisturizing creams help eliminate negative side effects in the form of dryness and itching, but are unacceptable as the main method of treatment.
• The anthaline in the ointments helps to remove scales and blocks the growth of keratinocytes. After application to the inflamed area, the product should be washed off after a while.

Pills for psoriasis

Because topical therapy does not always overcome psoriasis, it becomes necessary to supplement the treatment strategy with medication in tablet form. Side effects can increase significantly, so regular monitoring of your general health with tests and a doctor's visit is mandatory:

1. Systemic glucocorticosteroids reduce the inflammatory process, swelling and itching, blocking the increased activity of skin cells. The side effects are extremely many, so the Anna group pill is rarely prescribed.
2. Psoriasis can be treated throughout the body with Methotrexate, which has effective cytostatic and anti-inflammatory effects. The body responds quite positively to low doses. Rare side effects include increased fatigue, decreased appetite and digestive problems.
3. Retinoids are effective in cases where the skin disease psoriasis cannot be treated in any other way. Side effects include alopecia and inflammation of the lip area. You should not give birth for 3 years after taking the tablets in this group, as retinoids cause birth defects.
4. Cyclosporine has many features in common with methotrexate and belongs to the category of immunosuppressants. Increased blood pressure and the occurrence of renal pathology are the most common side effects.
5. If the listed drugs cannot be used due to the patient's organizational characteristics, it may be advisable to prescribe hydroxyurea.

injections

Medicines to help relieve psoriasis can be given as injections with the following ingredients:

• Antihistamines immediately block acute itching;
• Glucocorticosteroids are used as injections when tablets and ointments with this component are not effective;
• Results of the synthesis of human and animal proteins in biological preparations. They have a beneficial effect on the body’s immune system, but the cost is too high for many patients.

Applying shampoo

You may also want to consider special therapeutic shampoos, as these are the only ones that can remove psoriasis of the head:

1. Antifungal shampoos are effective when the pathogen of the pathological inflammation is a fungal infection;
2. Shampoos containing corticosteroids;
3. Tar shampoo or soap is used to eliminate psoriasis and reduce burns and itching. It is also acceptable to add the birch tar directly to the shampoo used by the patient.

Medicines

If the onset of psoriasis is diagnosed in time, many medications can produce the right results, the expert will recommend the most appropriate one.

Biologically active substances

Because psoriasis can rarely get rid of it quickly, you should take dietary supplements as additional maintenance therapy:

1. Vitamin D is useful because calcium is one of the most important minerals in the fight against the skin disease in question, and its absorption requires vitamin D. phase is the most effective.
2. Silicon in the composition of vitamin-mineral complexes plays a role in sorbent, which attracts antigens and improves the condition of the skin.
3. Lecithin is able to quickly restore epithelial cells that die in this pathology. The integrity of the skin is restored much faster and the inflammatory process is less pronounced.
4. Omega-3 acids and fish oil also help eliminate the inflammatory process.

Folk approaches to treatment

To increase the effectiveness of the medication, complex therapy can be supplemented with alternative treatments, but keep in mind that psoriasis in the back and other areas may be sensitive to allergens, so consult your doctor first:

• Chinese green tea helps reduce the discomfort caused by itchy skin, plaques become lighter. It can be applied internally in the form of a beverage or externally in the form of masks in the affected areas.
• Sunbathing can reduce the manifestations of psoriasis, especially in combination with seawater. Ultraviolet radiation should not be direct, sunbathing in better shade. If you ignore this recommendation, the manifestations of psoriasis will only go away for a while, but soon the disease will return with even more pronounced negative symptoms.
• The ointment made of birch tar, salicyl alcohol and sea buckthorn oil should be applied directly to the affected areas for 2 hours. If the psoriasis on your abdomen or back is extensive enough, you may want to put gauze on the ointment. After washing the ointment, apply celandine tincture in the form of an oil.
• The infusion of flaxseed allows the clinical signs of the disease in question to be eliminated within a week. Soak a spoonful of seeds in a glass of boiling water for a day, then bring to a boil, cool and strain, take in the morning before meals in combination with activated charcoal (1 tablet per 10 kg). The treatment should be continued for 20 days, even if the manifestations of psoriasis have disappeared. Products containing caffeine should not be consumed.
• Propolis and butter in the form of an ointment in a ratio of 1: 20. Mix the ingredients, boil for 15 minutes, filter and apply to the affected areas. Store the product in a refrigerator.
• Celery decoctions can be taken orally once a day and compress for 2 hours and 21 days. Three courses with a one-week break will be enough to forget the illness for several years.
• Celandine powder and Vaseline in the form of an ointment should be used for 3 days on inflamed skin surfaces. After a break of 4 days, the course will continue until the external manifestations disappear completely. To prepare the product, all components are mixed in equal proportions.

Prevention

Measures to prevent psoriasis and exacerbations are as important as the treatment itself:

1. Be very careful about the cleanliness of your skin, use natural moisturizers.
2. Monitor your general health, especially if you have immune problems. Taking multivitamin complexes is a mandatory component of preventing psoriasis.
3. Regular massage improves lymphatic drainage and blood circulation, allowing the breakdown products to be removed faster and the skin to be better cleansed.

4. Exposure to household chemicals should be kept to a maximum. Gloves and self-contained breathing apparatus are mandatory protective equipment if household chores cannot be delegated to other family members. When choosing household chemicals, be careful of the presence of dyes, chemicals, and fragrances. The level of the Christmas tree should be the same as the natural level. The use of skin care cosmetics and decorative cosmetics should also be minimized.
5. Often, the first signs of the disease appear after nervous exertion, so it is important to learn the various methods of relaxation and self-control. The benefits of healthy sleep should not be overlooked. In case of frequent stress, soothing tinctures and teas made from herbs are allowed.
6. Smoking is a direct provocateur for both the exacerbation and initially the disease itself. We are talking about smokers who consume more than 20 cigarettes a day. Cigarette smoke reduces immunity, affects blood vessels and weakens the body's antioxidant defenses. As for alcohol, it does not affect the development of this skin pathology, but it can aggravate its course.

Psoriasis and pregnancy

Pregnancy makes it very difficult to treat psoriasis, as the use of far all medications is allowed. It is also worth understanding in detail the issue of pregnancy planning and other situations related to this period of a woman’s life.

Pregnancy planning

The reproductive function of women and men is not affected by the disease. As for the possible harm to the baby, psoriasis does not spread through contact, so breastfeeding and communicating with the baby is not a problem. Another thing is the ability to transmit the disease at the genetic level, but the probability of this is not so high - 8-15% if one of the parents is sick. The risk increases if both parents are involved - 50-60%.

When planning a pregnancy, you must first go through another course of treatment to achieve remission. We are talking specifically about women, as the father's condition does not affect the fetus' wear. Stress should also be minimized and managed responsibly in this regard.

Pregnancy

As for the pregnancy itself, many people note that the course of the pathology is greatly facilitated, but the symptoms worsen immediately after childbirth. This is because the woman's immune system is weakened because the child is actually depleting the body and absorbing nutrients through the umbilical cord. If treatment is needed during pregnancy, it is advisable to prefer safer devices with minimal likelihood of side effects. Analyze your condition and understand how the disease will behave in future pregnancies. Next, it is worth considering which remedies are available and which are worth avoiding.

	Forbidden	Recommended
Local treatment	Vitamin A-based preparations are categorically contraindicated.	Glucocorticosteroids in the composition of ointments and creams are acceptable in minimal amounts. Use on the shoulders, abdomen and mammary glands is not recommended as cortisone may cause stretch marks.
	Vitamin D-based preparations are only allowed in small amounts in certain problem areas.	Soothing and moisturizing creams have no contraindications.
Systemic treatment	Methotrexate and acetritin cause miscarriage or fetal abnormalities. Pre-natal treatment with these drugs requires abstinence from pregnancy for 4 months. In addition, such drugs adversely affect the condition of the sperm of men, so the rule of observing this period also applies to men.	UV-B light therapy is not harmful to either the unborn child or the mother.
	Pregnancy therapy during pregnancy is also not suitable, as it requires the prior use of photosensitizers.	In severe cases of the disease, Cycloporine can be prescribed, which has no negative effects on the baby's body but can cause side effects in the mother.

Section C.

The presence of psoriasis is not a reason to perform a cesarean section during childbirth, but it is worth considering the possibility of the Koebner phenomenon. We talk about the appearance of psoriasis in areas where the skin is damaged. To date, no formal studies have been performed on the rate of recovery in these areas and the risk of infection.

Psoriasis after childbirth

In most cases, the pathology is aggravated after childbirth by stress, fatigue, chronic sleep deprivation, irregular and restricted nutrition, and hormonal imbalance. Breast-feeding is allowed because the pathology does not spread to the child with milk, however, breast-feeding is not recommended when using the drug in large areas, as some ingredients may get into the milk.

No drug guarantees 100% safety for the mother and fetus, so consultation with the doctor prescribing the pregnancy is mandatory.

Although chronic, well-designed treatment for psoriasis can successfully eliminate negative symptoms and reduce quality of life due to a number of limitations associated with the disease.