Skin diseases are accompanied by the appearance of unpleasant symptoms and psychological discomfort. One of the common ailments that require immediate treatment of the skin is psoriasis on the elbows, and the choice of remedies is not limited to the use of local preparations. If you don't get the therapy done in time, a little inflammation will soon develop from a cosmetic problem to a medical problem.
What is Psoriasis on Elbows
The disease, characterized by the appearance of various points in the folds of the limbs, is characterized by unpredictability and cyclicity. Elbow psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that begins with the appearance of papules and progresses to plaques (large diffuse lesions) with white, silvery and reddish scales. Slightly raised damaged areas are formed due to the accumulation of dry dead cells. If the inflammation is not treated, the disease will progress with alternating periods of exacerbation and remission.
Symptoms
When scabs form on your elbows, you can immediately notice the damaged areas of skin. Signs of the disease are clearly visible right away and it is rarely possible to completely cure psoriasis in the flex-arm area. Chances of successful recovery are those patients who consulted a doctor in a timely manner. A cause for concern should be violations of the skin condition on the elbows, which are similar to the following symptoms of psoriasis:
- Red patches or scaly patches that at first look like papules with a white film, and as the disease worsens and develops, they grow, connect to each other, and become covered in white scales.
- Itchy skin, which causes further damage to the skin. Like other mechanical damage to the skin such as scratches, cuts, this inflammation on the elbows is combed, it injures the skin and this leads to the appearance of new spots.
- Severe redness, inflamed areas of skin begin to bleed.
plates on the elbows
Psoriasis can occur in the groin area, trunk, limbs or head, but wherever the disease is located, its sure sign is plaques. Sores on the elbows in the form of red spots with white scales most often occur due to the opening of this area of the skin, because it is easy to damage. The altered area of the epidermis becomes inflamed, red scaly patches gradually increase and may cover the entire elbow. With a neglected shape, the plaques can bleed, and when you try to scrape, the phenomenon of the "stearin stain" appears, as after a drop of hardened wax.
Causes
The scientific studies that continue to be carried out have not yet managed to determine with complete certainty the origin of the onset of the disease, and among the medical versions of the causes of psoriasis in the elbow area are the following:
- Genetic predisposition is an important statistical factor. If either parent has chronic skin inflammation, there is a high probability that the child also has psoriasis.
- The entry of specific substances penetrating through the injured areas of the skin. The affected areas of the epidermis begin to thicken, the body begins to fight abnormal symptoms and rejects the cells, which manifests itself externally as a fungus on the elbows.
- Violation of the work of T lymphocytes, which are faced with the task of creating a barrier in front of pathogens.
- Silicon deficiency in the body.
- Endocrine diseases.
- Severe limb injuries.
- Severe mechanical damage, wounds that do not heal.
- Emotional, mental stress.
- Long-term medication.
- Weak immunity.
stages
A chronic inflammatory process in the elbows that, under the influence of various reasons, intensifies or decreases and progresses without proper treatment. The course of therapy should be prescribed by a dermatologist, but to determine the effectiveness of the method, the choice of drugs, procedures, the doctor needs to assess the course of the disease. Other tactics will depend on the clinical picture, although it is customary to distinguish the following stages of skin lesions on elbows with psoriasis:
- initial. The skin surface on the outside of the elbows is covered with a rash. Reddish spots of a rounded shape with a white film grow, become covered with scales, and after 2-3 weeks, plaques form. With timely treatment, the signs of psoriasis can disappear for a while and then reappear, or the lesion can occur in another part of the body.
- Progressive. This stage of the disease can be characterized by the presence of psoriatic elements with many scales. The appearance of such signs indicates the beginning of an exacerbation of psoriasis, and it is easy to notice this by the presence of a hyperemic border (redness) along the edge of the scaly plaque.
- Stationary. It is characterized by a decrease in the inflammatory process, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment used. The appearance of new plaques on the elbows stops, there is no red border around the psoriatic elements, their diameter decreases, while the scale completely covers the inflamed area.
- Regressive. It indicates a partial recovery, while the peeling is almost imperceptible or disappears, pigmented areas of the skin appear instead of the plaques. Another set of measures will aim to prevent psoriasis exacerbations.
forms
The wavy course of the disease, when a spontaneous period alternates with improvement, is not the only component of the insidiousness of psoriasis. The severity of the course of the inflammatory process depends on the nature of the rash, another important factor is the form. With the localization of rashes on the elbows, a simple (common) type of disease is often found, characterized by redness, scaling, itching. The neglected form of the disease threatens with complications and the appearance of pustular, erythrodermic and seborrheic psoriasis - with them the area of the lesion will expand.
How to treat psoriasis on the elbows
There are effective methods of therapy, but it will not work to completely cleanse the skin of the elbows, because psoriasis belongs to the group of incurable diseases. The entire complex treatment system will aim at the maximum elimination of external signs. The duration of remission depends on many factors, and to eliminate the manifestation of psoriasis, it is recommended to build a treatment regimen using basic methods such as:
- local therapy (ointment, cream, lotion);
- physical therapy procedures;
- phototherapy;
- special diet;
- take vitamin and mineral complexes.
The Cure for Psoriasis on the Elbows
Drugs are actively used in the treatment of a multifactorial disease, but their effectiveness is noticeable only in combination with other means. For the treatment of psoriasis, external drugs are often used, and if they are ineffective, the following drugs can be prescribed:
- cytostatics;
- antihistamines;
- enterosorbents.
Ointment
A quick way to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of psoriasis is a topical treatment. Ointments with vitamin D, zinc, tar are used to help remove dead cells, moisturize the skin of the elbows, and hormonal agents help to deal with more severe forms of the disease. Corticosteroids are relatively safe if used as directed by a physician who has examined psoriatic plaques on the elbows, assessed the condition of the upper layers, and the extent of the lesion. Only a dermatologist can introduce hormonal ointments into the treatment regimen, self-medication is strictly prohibited!
Alternative treatment
Compresses, lotions, decoctions, baths can be considered no less useful methods of treating psoriasis. If the plaques on the elbows are covered with a white film, the itchiness at home, the redness can be conveniently removed by soaking the affected areas for 7-10 minutes in a fresh herbal solution. The composition must be selected individually, prepared with boiling water, but hot baths should be avoided. Among the useful herbs for treating psoriasis are:
- celandine;
- chicory root;
- Valerian root.
Prevention
There is no reason to assume that psoriasis will go away on its own, but self-medication is also not worth it, because there is a risk of worsening the course of a chronic disease. Removing the inflammatory process is the first step towards recovery, since for a long-term remission you will have to follow some recommendations from doctors. To prevent the exacerbation of psoriasis, it is necessary to adhere to these preventive measures:
- follow the right diet;
- exclude the use of alcoholic beverages, alcohol, sweets, spicy foods;
- get enough sleep, while the sleep duration period should be at least 8 hours a day;
- prevent mechanical damage to the skin, injuries;
- monitor the internal state of the body;
- develop skills to deal with stress;
- support the functioning of the immune system, preventing infectious diseases;
- minimize contact with household chemicals.
Elbow psoriasis photo
