Leg psoriasis is a skin condition in which itchy papules, spots, or pustules appear on certain parts of the limbs. Over time, they grow and fuse into plates. This disease is incurable and chronic. A well-designed complex therapy helps to quickly relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in the legs. Therefore, wishing to achieve a stable remission (to clear the skin totally or partially of the elements of the rash), one should not prescribe the treatment for oneself.
Causes of the pathology
Scientists have yet to figure out why psoriasis appears on the feet and other parts of the body. Many researchers associate psoriatic rash with a genetic malfunction in epidermal cells and the subsequent overactivity of the immune system. This pathological condition occurs as follows:
- As a result of skin dysfunction, keratinocytes (which make up 90% of the cells in the epidermis) do not have time to mature, but at the same time they multiply rapidly, which leads to a change in the structure of individual areas of the skin.
- In response to this failure, the body's immunity sends T lymphocytes (killer cells) and macrophages (eating cells) to destroy immature and pathologically altered keratinocytes.
- As a result of the accumulation of large numbers of immune system cells and keratinocytes in the upper layers of the epidermis, the skin grows and begins to peel. No medication can help to completely normalize the skin's renewal functions.
The progression of psoriasis in the legs is facilitated by a bacterial infection that can penetrate the skin through minor scratches, as well as a disturbed hormonal background, allergic contact dermatitis, and a host of other external factors.
What does psoriasis in the legs look like depending on the type of disease
Psoriatic lesions on the feet and knees of the legs may look different from person to person. This factor is explained by the cyclical course of the disease. In addition, one or several forms of psoriasis can develop on the skin of the legs, including palmoplantar, common (common), teardrop-shaped, dotted, as well as nail and joint psoriasis.
Psoriasis of the legs and feet
The elements of psoriatic eruptions can be located in different parts of the skin of the legs:
- on your knees;
- in the shins;
- on the heels;
- on the thighs.
Psoriasis on the lower leg, foot, knee joint and inner thigh begins with single red papules and intense itching (typical for the punctual and vulgar form of the disease) or with small pink and purple spots ( with tear-shaped psoriasis).
In the first case, the elements of the rash protrude slightly above the surface of the skin, differ in density, and have an apex with silvery scales, which peel off when scraped with a fingernail. Over time, the papules enlarge and those that are nearby fuse into a single plaque. As a result, they completely cover the skin from the knees or cover solid areas of skin from the knees to the feet. Peeling appears on the surface of the plates.
In the early stage, the teardrop-shaped elements of the psoriatic rash affect the entire skin of the legs with the same type of small rash. Then, as a result of disease progression, the single points fuse into groups and cover large areas of skin on the legs. These psoriatic lesions rarely occur on the heels.
Palmoplantar psoriasis often develops on the sole of the foot. Elements of the rash form on the inflamed skin of the feet in the form of small spots and pustules with clear borders and sterile yellow content. If the pustules on the legs open up, the liquid in them runs out, dries up and forms a yellowish scab, the ulcers under it also dry out.
Pustules that do not burst are covered with dry scales. Gradually, they increase and combine into groups, the scaly layer begins to strongly tighten the skin, which causes discomfort when walking. The skin around the plaques becomes thick and dry, with cracks. Through these cracks, an infection usually penetrates the deep layers of the dermis, after which the weeping and skin breakdown begins.
psoriatic arthritis
In most cases, plaque psoriasis in the legs causes psoriatic joint damage. This arthritis is divided into 5 types:
- Symmetrical - simultaneous inflammation of the joints in the knees, hips, ankles or feet.
- Asymmetric - pathological changes affect both large and small joints, for example, joints in a knee and joints in the toes.
- Distal Joint Inflammation - The small joints in the toes near the nails swell.
- Spondylosis - Arthritis affects the lumbosacral spine, resulting in pain in the hips and lower extremities.
- Arthritis deformans is a rare inflammatory condition in which the small joints of the fingers are completely destroyed.
The skin over the swollen joints swells, turns blue-purple, and becomes hot.
Nail plate damage
Psoriatic nail damage occurs in the context of:
- psoriatic arthritis in 80-90% of cases;
- vulgar or pustular psoriasis in 50-60% of cases.
In 5-10% of clinical cases, psoriasis of the nails is primary, that is, it appears by itself, not preceded by psoriatic lesions of the joints or skin of the legs.
Initially, common psoriasis on the soles of the feet or psoriatic inflammation of the distal joints of the toes causes pathological changes in the skin of the periungual region. The pathology then spreads to the nail bed or affects the nail plate above it. There is a deformation of the nail - the formation of creases, cross lines - and a discoloration of the plaque.
Similar signs of psoriasis in women are rarely seen in youth; more often, the disease occurs in young men. In old age, psoriatic nail damage affects women and men equally.
Progression stages
Psoriasis in the lower extremities, if left untreated, goes through 3 stages of development:
- initial;
- progressive;
- stationary.
After that, the pathological changes are suspended and the remission phase begins. Without preventive treatment, the disease starts again with time.
Early stage manifestation of the disease in the legs is characterized by the formation of a single small rash in the form of spots, papules, or pustules. In the beginning, it can occur in the creases of both knees of the legs at the same time. The elements of the eruption are red or pink, so their tops are covered with white scales. The initial stage of psoriasis lasts about 3 weeks. During this period, the papules or pustules increase in size and combine into groups.
The early stage of psoriasis can be stopped if you immediately seek specialist help. But most of the time, people ignore the symptoms of the disease's manifestation, which is why psoriasis continues to develop. In a progressive stage, the number of psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs increases, those that are close together fuse into "paraffin lakes" of various shapes and sizes. Psoriasis in the toes causes inflammation and desquamation of the nailfold tissue and damage to the nails.
For the progressive period, Kebner's phenomenon is characteristic, when a psoriatic rash forms on scarred skin, for example, after a cut or scratch.
In the stationary stage, psoriasis on the feet and other areas of the skin on the legs still manifests as severe itching and scaling. However, new elements from the eruption no longer appear and the plaques stop increasing in size. There is no inflammatory edge around them; dry scales appear in their place. If treatment is stopped at this stage, the exacerbation of the disease will start again. Otherwise the psoriatic plaques stop coming off, some disappear completely, others just glow - the remission phase begins.
How to treat psoriasis in the legs
The leg psoriasis treatment regimen is compiled for each patient separately, taking into account the location of the rash, the form of the disease, the stage of progression, and various other factors. It is dangerous to independently invent a treatment for this disease because complications can arise in the form of extensive skin lesions, inflammation of the joints, even their destruction and the addition of a bacterial infection (staphylococcal, streptococcal).
medicine
First, psoriasis foci are affected by non-hormonal ointments:
- tar, naphthalan - ointments that relieve inflammation, are antiseptics, but should only be used as directed by the doctor, as they have serious contraindications.
- sulfur-salicylic ointment, salicylic acid - refer to keratolytic agents (destroying the stratum corneum). They have an exfoliating effect and help to dissolve plaque.
- ointments containing solidol soften the skin on the legs and have a regenerating effect.
- ointments that contain the active form of vitamin D3 slow down the process of cell division, thus reducing inflammation and flaking of the skin on the legs.
If non-hormonal medications do not help stop psoriasis in the legs, corticosteroid ointments are prescribed, which are divided into:
- Weakly Active - Funds act on the surface of the skin, suitable for early stage psoriasis. Some ointments in this group are approved for use by children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
- Moderately Active - prescribed for the treatment of psoriasis on rough areas of the skin on the legs, in particular on the knees and soles of the feet.
- Strongly active - prescribed if moderate-grade ointments cannot prevent the build-up of psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs.
If no psoriasis ointment helps, then at the stage of disease progression, the pills are prescribed concurrently with external medications to:
- suppression of immune cell activity;
- prevent the proliferation of epidermal cells;
- they also take retinoids - vitamin A derivatives, needed to restore skin cells.
How to Get Rid of Psoriasis on Feet With Home Methods
Folk remedies for psoriasis are remedies for external and internal use, but in the treatment they should be used with the same care as medications.
Questions such as the ultimate cure for psoriasis at home remain unanswered. Some homemade recipes help to eliminate the symptoms of the disease for a long time, but they do not completely eliminate them.
Ointment for exacerbation
Ingredients:
- unrefined sunflower oil - 1 liter;
- celandine herb - 50 g;
- Elecampana roots - 50 g;
- acetylsalicylic acid - 50 tab.
How to prepare: crush tablets and herbs with a coffee grinder, pour the resulting powder into vegetable oil, mix well. Leave for 30 days in a warm, dark place to infuse. During this period, the mixture should be heated every 3 days on a steam bath, stirring, but not boiling.
How to use: strain the drug, mix the resulting liquid with petroleum jelly (3: 1), apply 3 times a day on the psoriatic plaques.
Ointment that relieves symptoms in 10 days
Ingredients:
- birch tar - 150 g;
- drugstore alcohol - 150 mg;
- camphor oil - 75 mg;
- chicken yolk - 3 pcs.
How to prepare: beat the yolks in an enamel bowl, gradually adding the camphor, then the tar and alcohol. Store the ointment in a dark place.
How to use: Apply with gauze compress on the inflamed skin of the legs. After three days, it is necessary to wash the feet in warm water with a foam of tar soap, wipe away the moisture and reapply the ointment for 3 days. If the disease does not start, the procedure is repeated again, after which the skin is cleansed.
During the period of treatment with homemade ointments, it is very important to maintain the body's immunity. For this purpose, 1 teaspoon can be taken orally daily. sea buckthorn oil.
Diet
Proper nutrition is one of the conditions for an effective treatment of psoriasis not only in the legs, but also in other parts of the body. Medical scientists have concluded that the allergic factor contributes to the progression of all forms of psoriasis, therefore, allergenic foods must be excluded first of all:
- chicken eggs;
- Seafood;
- natural honey;
- chocolate, cocoa;
- grape;
- Lamb;
- pork;
- chicken meat;
- alcohol.
During this period, it is very important to give up sweet, spicy, very salty and smoked foods - they slow down the body's metabolism. The menu should include dairy products, river fish, cereals, baked apples, vegetable oils, green peas, carrots.
Complete hunger for psoriasis, when a person drinks only one water, is contraindicated.
During an exacerbation of psoriasis in the legs, doctors recommend a day of fasting once a week, for example, eating only cooked apples, kefir or river fish.
Physiotherapy
The answer to the question of how to treat leg psoriasis with physical therapy is quite extensive. For this, doctors prescribe:
- Ultrasound Therapy - Ultrasonic waves emanating from the device cause compression and stretching of the skin's tissues, which is done to restore its cells. Thus, it is possible to relieve inflammation, itching and swelling of the skin on the legs.
- Electrosleep - prescribed for psoriasis of the skin on the legs if the person cannot handle the stress caused by the condition.
- Phototherapy - under the influence of ultraviolet rays, skin immunity is strengthened, growth rate and cell division decrease.
To improve the metabolic processes in the skin of legs with psoriasis, acupressure helps. It is recommended to perform it only during the period of remission of the disease, otherwise, there is a high probability of infection in the inflamed skin.
hygiene rules
In order not to cause the appearance of new psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs, during the period of remission it is recommended to use only warm water and children's soap with a moisturizing effect when washing the skin. When the disease progresses, the feet should be washed with warm water and tar soap, which not only cleans the skin but also relieves inflammation. After washing, dry your skin and toenails thoroughly with a soft towel.
Additional recommendations
Treatment for psoriasis in the legs will be long-term if the person:
- He plays an active sport - his legs are sweating, there is a heavy load on his feet. After training it is very important to wash your feet with warm water, dry them well, wear clean socks and loose shoes that will let your skin breathe.
- Tanning regularly and for a long time in the sun - excessive sunbathing causes burns and impairs the metabolic processes of the skin. In the phase of progression of psoriasis on the skin of the legs, it is better to refuse abundant sunbathing and, in the period of remission, sunscreen should be used.
Prevention and prognostic measures
Today, psoriatic disease is considered incurable. Therefore, once a sustained reduction in symptoms is achieved, efforts should be made to maintain this condition as recommended by the physician. There is no place for self-medication here.