Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic dermatoses. With this pathological process, damage to the skin as well as to the skin appendages is observed. The great urgency of this problem lies in the fact that it leads to deterioration in the patient's quality of life due to aesthetic disorders.
Most of the time, the first episode of psoriasis occurs in the age group of fifteen to forty-five years old. According to statistics, this disease is diagnosed in about three percent of the entire population. Furthermore, the number of women and men with such pathology is in equal proportions.
There are several theories about the mechanism of development of psoriasis. The main one is the autoimmune theory, which states that this pathological process is formed from an incorrect immune response to any external factors. An excessive immune response leads to the development of an inflammatory reaction in the layers of the skin, which triggers the mechanisms of division and multiplication in cell structures. Furthermore, it is assumed that hereditary predisposition and exposure to various infectious agents may play a role in the development of this disease.
It is noticed that psoriasis occurs more often in people who:
- Do you have any other dermatological condition;
- They have thin, dry skin;
- Smoke and drink alcohol;
- Systematically contact with irritating chemicals;
- Often, they hurt the skin from mechanical influences;
- Observe excessive hygiene;
- They are subject to severe stress;
- Have a reduced level of immune defense or use drugs that suppress immunity.
Depending on the symptoms of psoriasis, it is common to classify this pathology in several ways:
- Plate shape. This form is the classic version. This occurs in over eighty percent of people. The clinical picture in this case is characterized by typical squamous plaques, which tend to grow peripherally;
- Teardrop shape. The disease that develops in this form is accompanied by the appearance of numerous small foci on the surface of the skin. These lesions can be of a very different color, are elevated above the skin surface, and flaky intensely. As a rule, they do not increase in size, only their number increases;
- Exudative form. It is one of the most unfavorable options. In this case, bubbles and bubbles filled with serous fluid form on the surface of the plaques. These elements often suffer secondary infection with the subsequent appearance of pus in them;
- Psoriatic onychodystrophy. It is characterized by the involvement of the nail plates in the pathological process, which become striated and thickened. In most cases, nails discolor, chip and break. In advanced cases, complete loss of the nail plate is possible;
- Psoriatic arthropathy. The symptoms of psoriasis, in this case, are manifested by inflammation of the joints and connective tissue. In some cases, this form develops alone, but most often it is accompanied by cutaneous manifestations;
- Psoriatic erythroderma. This form is characterized by a very severe course and is often fatal. Inflammation develops in large areas of the body, accompanied by intense peeling and detachment of the skin.
The main symptoms of psoriasis
We'll talk in more detail about the classic form. What does psoriasis look like? First, on the surface of the skin, single pink or red papules appear. These papules are covered with silvery-white scales that are easily scraped off. Over time, the number of papules increases more and more, they start to fuse into plaques.
Plaques formed during this disease have a hyperemic and edematous appearance. In some cases, a slight itchy skin may be present. Pathological foci tend to grow very rapidly on the periphery and their surface is intensely scaly. Over time, plate growth stops and its boundaries become clear. A specific sign of this pathological process is a pseudoatrophic border, located along the periphery of the foci. In the stationary stage, there is the appearance of a stagnant cyanotic tone on the surface of the plates.
The symptoms of psoriasis in the regression phase are characterized by the gradual disappearance of desquamation, starting from the central part. After that, the skin takes on a normal coloration, after which the tissue infiltration disappears.
Diagnosis and treatment of this disease
First, psoriasis is established on the basis of its clinical picture. There is a triad of specific phenomena that indicate this pathological process: stearin stain, terminal film and blood dew. The phenomenon of stearic stain is that when the lesion is scraped off, the desquamation becomes more intense. If we continue to scrape, we notice the peeling of a thin film and the appearance of a moist and hyperemic surface - a terminal film phenomenon. The blood dew phenomenon implies the presence of sharp bleeding with subsequent scraping.
Of the drugs for this disease, the following can be used:
- Glucocorticosteroids;
- Cytostatics;
- Antihistamines;
- Keratolytic and anti-inflammatory ointments.
Also, various physical therapy treatments are widely used.
Prevention of exacerbations in psoriasis
To prevent exacerbations, it is recommended to avoid stressful situations, abandon bad habits and eat well. In addition, you should limit any irritating effects on the skin and avoid contact with substances to which you are allergic.