Psoriasis is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation.Dermatitis occurs in many stages: initial, progressive, stable, and regressive.Such division will help in appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Interesting to know
Psoriasis is a genetic disease.About 10% of the population has characteristic DNA abnormalities and only 2% of them show signs of skin dysfunction.
The appearance of pathology is provoked by the following factors:
- severe emotional stress;
- injury;
- alcohol abuse, smoking;
- unbalanced diet;
- infectious and other diseases;
- certain medications;
- endocrine diseases;
- allergic tendency;
Due to the incorrect response of the immune system, which reacts to epidermal tissue as if it were foreign elements, the first signs of the disease appear.Let's take a look at the stages of psoriasis, symptoms, and treatment regimens.
Early stages of psoriasis
The first sign isappearance of acne(papules).Round shape, red or pink color.In the lower limbs, due to slow blood flow, pallor may appear.The papules are small, about the size of a pinhead.
The first stage is characterizedmany papules, has clearly defined boundaries.White scales also appear.They easily separate from the surface when touched.Papules can merge into one, forming larger elements.
During early remission, the rash turns pale.The affected skin areas are partially discolored.In children, this stage of psoriasis is often confused with manifestations of allergies or organ diseases.The rash may be accompanied by intense itching.Signs that can help diagnose psoriasis:
- when scraped, the surface of the plaque becomes milky white, like drops of crushed stearin, the scales fall off;
- If you continue to scrape the stain and remove the scales, a shiny red surface will appear;
- When scraping, small drops of blood will appear.
Advanced stages of psoriasis
In the advanced stages of psoriasis, the following symptoms appear:
- The papules turn red and continue to be covered with white scales.They peel off easily, revealing a layer of smooth red skin underneath.When damaged, blood will appear.
- During exacerbation, papular elements develop and fuse.They are clearly different from healthy skin areas.
- The itching is increasing.But it will disappear when the process enters the stationary phase.The itchy, uncomfortable and haunting feeling affects sleep and daily activities.If you just scratch the crust, new wounds and plaques will appear.The appearance of new plaques at the site of damage is Koebner syndrome.The number of itchy symptoms gradually increases and covers the whole body, limbs and head.
- There are no scales at the edges of the plates;they increase blood pressure, which indicates that the inflammatory process continues.
Consequence
Psoriasis can have a negative impact on the joints (psoriatic arthritis).Severe joint pain and deformity then occur if the process is left untreated.
Stable phase of psoriasis
The main feature of the stable phase of psoriasis is that new elements stop appearing.Positive changes come from proper treatment.
Clinical manifestations:
- itching disappears;
- no lesions (Koebner symptoms disappeared);
- peeling may increase.
All points stop growing.If in the advanced stage, the patches have borders without scales, then in the stable stage, the entire inflamed skin surface will peel off and show characteristic psoriasis.
Scabbing is characteristic of the final stage of inflammation.At the beginning of the development of pathology, the scales do not keep up with the gradual growth of plaques and cannot cover them completely.In half of the cases, it appearsAtrophied false corolla.
The corolla is fake and shriveled
It looks like a light rim around the element, has a structure reminiscent of coarse tissue paper, consists of a horny layer and has a width of no more than two millimeters.
Regression phase of psoriasis
With the remission phase of psoriasis, the psoriasis cycle ends.Characteristic features:
- the exacerbation process stops, inflammation disappears;
- plaque gradually dissolves;
- peeling stops, the elements of the rash become flat;
- The rash is pale pink and changes color gradually;
- Papules may remain on the arms and elbows.
There is no scarring or atrophy of the affected area.Temporary hyperpigmentation or areas of hypopigmentation may occur at the site of the rash.
Remission occurs after complex treatment.Relief time varies from person to person..The disease can last for several months or even years in a latent form.Exacerbations occur more frequently in winter, except for some forms of psoriasis.
Treatment of psoriasis in different stages
Therapy for any form of psoriasis includes general and local treatments, physical therapy methods, and dietary modifications.At the initial stages of treatment, it is necessary to:
- give up bad habits;
- strict adherence to therapeutic diet;
- Use ointments containing vitamins A, D3, hormones;
- Use of drugs with systemic and sedative effects;
- undergo UV therapy.
If plaques appear on the head, the doctor will prescribe shampoos containing tar, zinc and selenium sulfide.
All products must be used as prescribed by your doctor.Long-term use of drugs (especially tar) can cause skin irritation.Products should be changed every 7 days.
Treatment of psoriasis in the early stages
The effectiveness of early-stage treatments depends on when the patient sees the doctor and begins treatment.
Early treatment in most cases helps prevent the disease from becoming chronic.
Experts recommend using salicylic acid ointment.This is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drug that has a beneficial effect on affected skin areas.Using the keratolytic effect, the ointment will clean plaque on keratinized parts of the skin.Mothball ointment will help relieve itching.
The following medications are commonly prescribed:
- asphalt-based;
- based on snake oil;
- petroleum-based.
Not so long ago, drops and oils for psoriasis appeared.The product can soothe the skin, moisturize, prevent dry skin and reduce eye puffiness.The drug contains ubiquinone, beta-carotene, beaver fat, propolis, pumpkin oil and other ingredients, which help reduce the number of plaques, there are fewer plaques and the skin is better moisturized.It should be used in combination with other medications and after consulting a specialist.
Treatment of psoriasis in advanced stages
Treatment must be comprehensive and careful.The clinical picture is quite severe;Treatment should only be trusted by professionals.Patients are helped by intravenous and intramuscular injections of special drugs.Absorbents help remove toxins from the body.
The manifestations are alleviated with ointments containing salicylic acid and emollient emulsions.They moisturize and eliminate inflammation.During periods of exacerbation, you should not use drugs containing tar or other irritating ingredients.
Physiotherapeutic procedures (PUVA therapy, ultraviolet irradiation, paraffin baths) are best carried out during the period of reduced inflammation.Corticosteroids and cytostatic drugs are prescribed only when the processes are particularly complicated.
Prescribe antihistamines (reduces the development of allergic reactions), sedatives (soothes), anti-inflammatory drugs, keratolytics (softens), diuretics (reduces swelling, removes toxins).
Treatment of psoriasis in the stable stage
Patients need to slightly adjust therapy.Shampoos with tar, emulsions with oils and calcipotriol are often prescribed.Systemic therapy is used when the disease affects large areas of the skin.UV irradiation and PUVA techniques are widely used.
If ineffective, some cytostatic drugs are prescribed.In severe cases, patients are prescribed immunosuppressants and cell stimulants.
Treatment of psoriasis in the remission phase
Treatment in the late stages of psoriasis must be comprehensive and tailored by a specialist.Therapy is gradually being abandoned and replaced by preventive measures.Treatment at all stages is carried out carefully;In no case should the rash be damaged.
Of particular importance is adherence to a strict diet and lifestyle adjustment.Stress can be a powerful trigger, exacerbating the condition in the beginning.
In combination with drug treatment, hand rashes can be treated with baths with sea salt or mixing baby cream with string powder and lubricating the plaques with this mixture.
Complementary therapy
Psoriasis patients suffer from vitamin deficiency, which affects the regulation of metabolism and has the effect of purifying the blood, sedating, and restoring health.
The vitamin complex should contain B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid and others.They are prescribed orally, intramuscularly and also in dropper form.
Dividing the pathology into different stages is a conditional measure that helps specialists accurately determine one stage or another, creating favorable conditions for diagnosis and treatment.It is impossible to completely eliminate psoriasis, but if all the rules of complex treatment are followed, with systematic preventive measures, the disease can progress silently for a long time and not prevent a person from living a full life.