There are numerous diseases in the world, and each can cause a significant amount of trouble. We fear the common cold because it brings headaches and a runny nose; we fear a myocardial infarction, which can turn an outwardly healthy person into someone with a serious disability. But the scariest diseases are those that leave their mark on our skin. Psoriasis is one such disease. It causes numerous problems in both personal and social spheres.
If you refer to scientific sources and carefully study the definition, it becomes clear that psoriasis is a non-infectious disease with a chronic course. It is a dermatosis associated with skin damage.
Psoriasis: Symptoms and Treatment
The clinical picture of this disease is quite typical: terrible red spots appear on the skin surface, slightly raised. They are often covered with white, dry scales. Patients frequently complain of constant itching and flaking. Besides physiological problems, there is also psychological discomfort. People with psoriasis tend to avoid others and close contact, they don’t go to the beach, and they carefully cover their bodies with clothing. Society is not always humane towards such patients: the average person thinks the disease is contagious and transmitted by contact. People avoid close communication, don’t shake hands with those who have psoriasis, and try not to touch their belongings. In reality, the disease is absolutely not contagious—it’s an autoimmune condition related to increased immune activity. In simple terms, the body’s defense functions destroy its own tissues. The spots resulting from the disease are known as psoriatic plaques. This is the result of chronic inflammation in the skin. The body produces an excess of protective lymphocytes and starts creating a fine network of capillaries in the inflamed area. As a result, the skin takes on a reddish hue, and in the affected areas, there are raised spots and characteristic plaques, somewhat resembling hardened paraffin.
Location of Plaques
The primary areas where plaques appear are those most subject to friction and flexing. These are the elbows, knee joints, and the skin of the buttocks. But there are exceptions: sometimes, inflammation can be observed on the scalp, face, and feet. Another unpleasant fact is that the disease has a chronic form, meaning it cannot be completely cured. The disease progresses in waves, with periods of long remission and acute inflammation phases.
Causes of Psoriasis Flare-Ups
Most often, these are infectious diseases, prolonged alcohol consumption, stress, fatigue, climate changes, and exhaustion from work. Any of these factors can lead to a remission stage turning into another flare-up period. This can manifest in various forms: it could be a small, localized inflammation or total skin damage by psoriatic plaques. Scientists have noticed that each new relapse worsens the patient’s condition: initially, there are few inflammation sites, but over time, the affected area significantly increases. In some cases, damage affects the nails and joints, leading to severe arthritis with joint deformation and functional impairment.
If nail psoriasis develops, the treatment will be long. There are many schemes for dealing with this disease, but due to its chronic nature, completely curing the patient is impossible. Modern science has yet to find effective drugs to solve this problem. The primary goal for the patient and doctor is to achieve the longest possible remission period, during which all clinical symptoms are absent. With a favorable outcome, this period can last throughout the patient’s life, but the risk of relapse remains very high.
Effective psoriasis treatment is impossible without determining the causes of the disease.
Causes of Psoriasis
The main causes include a decrease in the protective function of the skin, which often occurs with regular injuries, scratches, friction, and overuse of soap and other cleaning agents. Cases have been reported where the disease developed after the patient’s contact with household chemicals such as cleaning gels and laundry detergent.
Avoiding Dry Skin
It is important to avoid drying out the skin; do not overindulge in tanning and sunbathing. Long-term studies of groups of patients with psoriatic plaques have not been very successful: scientists have not been able to pinpoint the main factors influencing the development of the disease. Often, the data were too limited, and the study results were not entirely accurate. In some cases, the information obtained was directly contradictory. However, the negative impact of stress on the human body has been established: it is the nervous stress that acts as the trigger for the pathological process.
Seasonal Influence
The influence of seasons on the development of psoriasis has been noted: exacerbation periods often occur in autumn or spring. Certain medications, such as antidepressants and beta-blockers, significantly provoke disease exacerbations. An unhealthy lifestyle, such as smoking or alcohol addiction, also leads to exacerbation or the initial appearance of psoriasis symptoms.
Household Chemicals and Psoriasis
There is a clear connection between household chemicals and the development of the disease. For example, shampoos can cause scalp psoriasis, which requires long-term treatment with periods of remission and exacerbation. Patients must purchase many medications. HIV-infected individuals are also at risk of developing psoriasis. In this case, we encounter a medical paradox: HIV affects and reduces the activity of the immune system. The same effect is caused by drugs used to treat psoriatic infections. But for AIDS patients, improvement does not occur: they should not suffer from this disease at all.
Dry Skin as the Main Cause
It has been established that the disease develops in patients with dry skin, which is more sensitive to irritation and damage. If your skin is well-moisturized and rich in oils, the risk of such a disease is significantly reduced. The main sites for plaque appearance are areas with abrasions, cuts, and scratches. Prolonged pressure, for example, from wearing tight clothing, also leads to such problems.
Koebner Phenomenon
The so-called Koebner phenomenon has been identified. It involves damaged skin acting as an entry point for streptococcal infection. Fungal infections typically develop in moist and oily skin. Once streptococcus enters the damaged skin, a process of dry inflammation begins. Itching, skin dryness, and scratching appear, which intensifies the disease and leads to further drying of the skin. The body starts to fight the infection and actively consumes moisture intended for skin hydration.
Genetic Factor in Disease Development
Genetics play a significant role in the development of psoriasis. Certain genes are responsible for the possibility of this disease. Unfortunately, the complete mechanism is not known. However, it has been found that T-lymphocytes show increased activity in individuals with genes associated with psoriasis. The main task for geneticists is to identify the genes that contribute to the disease’s development. This allows taking preventive measures for people with such a genome. As the saying goes, “forewarned is forearmed.”
Types of Psoriasis
The disease can manifest in various forms. The most common type is plaque psoriasis. More than 75% of patients suffer from this form of the disease. The clinical picture is quite typical: inflamed skin rises above the surface, covered with small scales that easily peel off. After the scale is removed, a thinned epithelium is revealed, which is easily injured. The skin bleeds at the site of scratching. This is a classic example of a psoriatic plaque. They can increase in size, merge with each other, forming so-called “lakes of paraffin.”
Guttate Psoriasis
Guttate psoriasis is characterized by small lesion elements. They look very much like drops, with a red color, sometimes even purplish. This type often develops after a streptococcal infection.
Pustular Psoriasis
One of the most severe forms of the disease is pustular psoriasis, which manifests as blisters filled with serous fluid.
Psoriasis is a chronic, non-infectious skin disease that causes significant physical and psychological discomfort. Though modern medicine has yet to find a cure, various treatments can help manage the symptoms and extend remission periods. Here, we discuss both medical treatments and effective home remedies.
Fluid and Infection in Pustular Psoriasis
In pustular psoriasis, the fluid inside the blisters is sterile. However, once the blister bursts, it can become infected, leading to secondary infections. In severe cases, these blisters merge, causing a generalized form of the disease.
Preventative Measures
To prevent psoriasis from worsening, follow these simple rules:
- Discard loofahs and sponges that can damage the skin at a microscopic level. They can remove the protective oil layer, leading to dryness and allowing microorganisms to penetrate the skin.
- Avoid activities and substances that dry out the skin, such as frequent use of harsh soaps or excessive sunbathing.
Psoriatic Arthritis and Erythroderma
Psoriatic arthritis is a severe form where not only the skin but also the joints become inflamed, causing fingers to swell and deform. Psoriatic erythroderma is another severe form where the entire body is covered with peeling scales, and the underlying skin is prone to secondary infections and damage. In extreme cases, generalized inflammation and sepsis can occur.
Moisturization and Skin Care
For children, avoid overusing powders that absorb moisture, as excessive dryness can lead to skin damage and inflammation. Adults should regularly use moisturizing creams and lotions to improve the function of oil-producing glands.
Medical Treatments
Treatment aims to reduce the activity of T-lymphocytes, which worsen the patient’s condition. Drugs like thymodepressin and newer medications such as adalimumab are used. The effectiveness of treatment varies depending on individual responses and side effects. Therefore, treatment plans must be tailored to each patient by a qualified dermatologist.
New Treatment Directions
- Taclonex: Effective for treating scalp psoriasis.
- Excimer Laser (Xtrac Velocity): Uses photon beams to treat affected skin areas with ultraviolet light, reducing the extent of lesions and improving cellular health.
- Adalimumab: Recommended for severe forms of psoriasis.
Herbal Treatments
Using medicinal herbs can be beneficial. For example, Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is used in tinctures. Mix 200 grams of the herb with 500 ml of vodka, let it infuse for a day, shake the mixture, and apply it to affected areas three times a day.
Home Remedies
- Cabbage Leaves: Boil cabbage leaves in milk for five minutes on low heat, then apply the leaves to affected areas. This helps cleanse the skin and remove dead skin cells.
Conclusion
While psoriasis cannot be cured, its symptoms can be managed through a combination of medical treatments and home remedies. Proper skin care, avoiding irritants, and using prescribed medications can significantly improve the quality of life for those with psoriasis. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
Additionally, a mixture of sugar and starch from ordinary potatoes is also beneficial. Before performing the procedure, it is necessary to thoroughly wash and dry the skin. The procedure is carried out until the remission phase occurs.
Another recipe will help eliminate the main signs of the disease. For this, you will need burdock root, several grape leaves, milk, and flaxseed.
The entire mixture is boiled in a clean enamel saucepan for 30 minutes. The resulting decoction is applied to gauze, which is applied as compresses.
Elder flowers can also be used. For this, 350 grams of flowers are mixed with an equal amount of blackcurrant leaves.
Add 200 grams of tricolor violet, walnut leaves, field horsetail, and dried herb. 2 tablespoons of the mixture are poured with 500ml of boiling water. Let the mixture infuse for 3 hours – take internally, 1 glass 3 times a day before meals.
Treatment of psoriasis with celandine has proven itself well. For this, mix 4 parts of common celandine, 2 parts of young walnuts, and another part of field horsetail.
The resulting mixture is ground into a powder and mixed with ichthyol ointment. The resulting ointment is applied to affected areas of the body.
As for classical drug treatment, a simple principle is followed here: schemes and drugs should constantly change.
This allows dealing with a problem like tolerance (reduced effectiveness). To prevent this, the doctor periodically prescribes new medications. Additionally, each doctor adheres to the famous “ladder” principle.
The ladder principle is as follows: initially, the weakest and least toxic products of the pharmaceutical industry are applied.
In case of relapse, stronger drugs are used. Thus, doctors have the most effective drugs in reserve, which are kept for the most severe relapses of the disease.
When it comes to a disease like psoriasis, ointments for treatment show good results. Local application is most favorable for the patient’s entire body.
In this case, the drugs do not have a general impact on the body’s systems and organs. Therefore, the number of side effects is significantly reduced.
Non-hormonal remedies based on organic zinc compounds are actively used. Its action is comparable to hormone use, but without all the side effects associated with hormonal therapy. Many patients are interested in antibiotic therapy.
As a rule, this group of drugs does not contribute to the treatment of psoriatic manifestations. Antibiotics are prescribed when there is a development of secondary infection.
For example, the penetration of microorganisms when damaging the skin. Some types of antibiotics, such as erythromycin, provide an immunomodulatory effect. This indirect positive quality is actively used in the development of the disease.
To combat itching, antihistamines (antiallergic) drugs are used. These include cetirizine or copezil.
It is worth noting that this group of drugs belongs to symptomatic therapy and is not the leading method in the treatment of the underlying problems of psoriasis development.
There are also alternative treatment methods.
In some countries, special centers have opened where special fish are used. They feed on psoriatic plaques but do not touch healthy skin areas. After this therapy, a positive effect is observed, and remission occurs for the whole year.
Treatment of psoriasis in a sanatorium.
The use of sanatorium-resort treatment has a beneficial effect on the patient’s body.
