Plaque lesions on the skin of the hands are the most common manifestations of squamous lichen. Hand psoriasis is a chronic disease that significantly impairs people's quality of life. It has special symptoms as well as many prerequisites for development.
The causes of psoriasis in the hands
What causes a rash in the form of rough plaques on the palms and flexion areas of the upper limbs? it's not always easy to understand right away. The main causes of psoriasis on the hands are:
- hereditary tendency to the disease;
- the result of infectious, viral, and cold infections;
- metabolic disorders and hormonal pathologies (diabetes mellitus);
- stressful situations, nervous breakdowns, emotional disorders;
- frequent contact with aggressive chemicals (household chemicals, cosmetics);
- skin lesions (bruises, wounds, abrasions, scratches).
People prone to allergic reactions are at risk of developing psoriatic psoriasis. Also, malnutrition, alcohol and tobacco abuse, prolonged use of antidepressants, steroid drugs can trigger scaly lichen.
Symptoms of manifestation
In adults, psoriasis starts in the elbows and hands. The first signs are noticeable in the extensor part, when small flat papules appear, which eventually increase in size, forming rough and round plaques of pale pink or red color. Also, the rash appears on the palms. The skin becomes dry, thickened, takes on a dark red color and sometimes cracks.
The development of psoriasis on the fingers can reach the nails. At first, small cavities form in them and, over time, the nail plate thickens, loosens and resembles a fungal infection. So people often wonder if scaly lichen is contagious? Psoriasis is a chronic disease that is not spread by shaking hands or other contact. The propensity for the disease can be genetically transmitted, but not the disease itself.
Another symptom of lichen squamous is the appearance of scaly plaques between the fingers. The skin in these places resembles calluses, the same rough and rough.
Forms of Psoriasis of the Hands
The nature of the course and the clinical manifestations of squamous lichen are very diverse. The rash can affect not only the hands, but also the shoulders, neck, chest, especially if the child has the condition. Hand psoriasis is the most common type of dermatosis and can occur in several basic forms, described below.
plate or common
The skin in the affected areas becomes denser, covered with white scabs and cracks, which sometimes bleed. The plaques agglutinate into groups, forming large lesions.
tear shape
The skin rash most commonly affects the arms and shoulders. The plates are densely covered with white scales and look like drops. This type of psoriasis quickly spreads throughout the body, affecting the forearms and hips. It mainly aggravates after ingestion of streptococci (the causative agent of tonsillitis, tonsillitis, ARVI).
Exudative or pustular squamous lichen
It is located on the forearms, has a severe course - multiple blisters with a clear fluid, purulent processes, as well as the eruption exiting from the upper extremities.
nail psoriasis
This shape is characterized by the appearance of white or gray longitudinal or transverse lines. The skin around the plaque is thickened and the nail itself exfoliates and loosens, which leads to further destruction.
The appearance of each scaly hand shape is clearly visible in the photo.
If you do not start treatment for hand psoriasis in time, the condition can lead to inflammation of the joints (psoriatic arthritis). The rash may spread to other areas of the body (head, legs, back, abdomen, chest).
Stages of Skin Disease
Psoriasis is a chronic disease that has a specific sequence of development. Depending on the intensity of disease manifestations and the frequency of relapses, there are 3 main stages of the disease:
- progressive - the initial stage - the appearance of several scaly papules on the hands, shoulders, between the fingers and on the extension of the elbows, which are accompanied by swelling, inflammation, itching;
- stationary stage - no new rashes occur and old plaques are densely covered with white scales, affected areas stop itching (disease freezes in one place);
- the regression stage - the symptoms begin to disappear (the papules turn pale, the dry plaques dissolve, the skin is clean, only small dark spots remain).
In a state of remission, psoriasis can last from 2 to 4 months to several years. New relapses are increasingly severe, which leads to a gradual thickening and thickening of the stratum corneum in the hands, elbows, between the fingers and around the nail plates.
pharmacy treatment
Squamous lichen, although not a contagious disease, brings a lot of discomfort and inconvenience. The main objective of drug treatment is to improve the patient's general condition:
- eliminate flaking and itching;
- relieve inflammation;
- soothe the skin.
Therapy should be comprehensive and include several different groups of medications for external and internal use.
- Hormonal - relieves inflammation, irritation, swelling, itching and pain, reduces fluid wheals in exudative psoriasis. In addition, the ointments remove allergic manifestations.
- Non-hormonal - zinc ointment, salicylic ointment - relieves major symptoms, causes no side effects, acts gently on the skin, but is less effective than glucocorticosteroid (hormonal) medications.
- Homeopathic - Used for severe, itchy desquamation to help during the period of joint damage.
Homeopathy is only effective if it is correctly selected, taking into account all the nuances of the course of the disease and the characteristics of the patient's body.
In case of poor result with local medications, the doctor may prescribe systemic therapy in the form of injections and pills. The drugs suppress the intensive division of skin cells, detoxify the body, thus eliminating the main symptoms, which helps to improve the quality of life.
In addition to the main drugs designed to inhibit psoriasis, complex therapy uses funds to support the entire body:
- vitamins;
- liver support medications - hepatoprotectors;
- sorbents - cleansing the intestines of toxins and poisons;
- antihistamines;
- immunomodulators.
The best way to treat this or that form of psoriasis, the specialist will determine. It will combine medications to achieve maximum effect and not harm your body as a whole.
folk remedies
Patients are often interested in knowing how to cure psoriasis at home. In the fight against scaly lichen on the hands, herbal preparations and curative baths help a lot. In addition, popular remedies help to enhance the action of medications and the transition of the disease to the remission stage.
celandine baths
Pour the chopped grass (100 g) with 3 liters of boiling water and leave for 1–1. 5 hours. Pour the filtered liquid into a hot bath (37-40 degrees). The duration of a procedure is not longer than 15 minutes.
The course of treatment is 10-12 sessions, which can be performed daily.
Herbs collection for water manipulation
It is necessary to mix in equal proportions (50 g each):
- Saint John's herb;
- wise;
- valerian root;
- celandine;
- succession.
Boil 30 g of the collection in 250 ml of water for 5 minutes. Let the broth ferment for 1, 5-2 hours, strain and add to a large bowl.
Herbal baths ease the course of disease, soothe the skin, reduce inflammation and flaking, and, most importantly, prevent the spread of plaque.
propolis ointment
Melt 300 g of butter, add 20 g of chopped propolis, boil until it forms a single consistency. With the finished cooled ointment, treat the affected areas on your hands. The product is also suitable for compresses. Apply a small amount of medicine to a cotton pad, apply to injured areas, secure with a bandage.
Before using the ointment, it is necessary to treat the plaques with hydrogen peroxide and wait for them to dry. This will increase the effect of the folk remedy.
birch tar
For 30–45 days, you need to lubricate the affected areas of your hands with birch tar. It's best to do this an hour before bed. The substance must remain on the skin for at least 10 minutes, after which it is washed off with warm water. Gradually, the tar residence time on the slabs increases to 30 minutes.
This medicine is most effective in treating skin conditions. A folk remedy removes unpleasant symptoms well and prolongs the remission period for a long time.
Prevention of psoriasis in the hands
The hands more often than other areas of the skin have a rash. The disease is difficult to treat due to the constant contact of the hands with triggering factors. To achieve long-term remission, it is important to adhere to preventive measures:
- don't let the skin dry out;
- use household chemicals with gloves;
- use specially selected hand creams;
- avoid contact with aggressive substances;
- seek medical help immediately when the first rash occurs;
- do not abuse alcohol and tobacco.
In preventing psoriasis of the hands, attention should be paid to proper nutrition. Fried, smoked, salty, fatty and spicy foods should be excluded from the diet. It is not recommended to get carried away by chocolate and flour products. It is best to cook, steam or bake food and heat fruits and vegetables with red pigment (cherries, strawberries, tomatoes) for heat treatment.
Psoriatic rashes on the hands tend to relapse. The disease has no cure, but only temporarily goes into remission. The duration of the psoriasis calm depends on the correct treatment and prevention. Take care of your lifestyle, stick to your diet, avoid stress and treat the first signs of the disease in time.