Symptoms, types, treatment of psoriasis on the legs

Since the exact etiology of the process is unknown, the search for the most effective treatment is relevant. In the treatment of the disease, hormonal drugs are often used, which only relieve external symptoms, while remission lasts for several months, and the drugs themselves can cause side effects. The drug for psoriasis on the legs is prescribed by a dermatologist, while the complex of traditional methods can include folk remedies for psoriasis.

There are many ways to treat psoriasis on the legs. Treatment of psoriasis of the legs, as a rule, includes systemic and local therapy, the appointment of physiotherapy, compliance with the regime and diet.

Classification of psoriasis of the lower extremities

On the legs, psoriasis manifests itself in only 30% of cases of skin lesions. Dermatologists classify the initial stage of the development of the disease in this part of the body into two groups:

1. Type 1 psoriasis. It affects the legs of children, adolescents, adult men and women due to their genetic predisposition to this disease. Overall, at least 60% of all cases had relatives suffering from the disease. Most often, psoriasis of the lower extremities is transmitted to offspring born in the 3rd -4th week of life. generation were born. Therapy for hereditary psoriasis is lengthy and requires systemic administration of special drugs to stem the spread of plaque from the surface of the legs to the trunk and other parts of the body.
2. Type 2 psoriasis. This is an already acquired form of the disease, which develops due to the presence of the above risk factors. The age group of patients with psoriasis of the legs are people who are 40 years and older. These dermatological patients often abuse alcohol, eat unhealthily, work in companies with harmful working conditions or have experienced a morally difficult stressful situation in their lives. In such patients, the initial stage of the disease is always acute and with a vivid clinical picture. A month after the appearance of the first red spots, the knee and hip joints begin to be affected. It all depends on the location of the plaques.

prevention

It's no secret that the disease is much easier to prevent than to cure.

This statement applies to psoriasis in full. To prevent the development of psoriasis, the following recommendations should be observed:

• Avoid emotional tension and stress. Have a positive outlook on life, don't worry about small things;
• lead a healthy lifestyle, do not abuse alcohol, do not smoke and in no case do not use drugs;
• timely treat foci of infection in the body, strengthen general immunity;
• lubricate the skin with moisturizers, prevent dehydration and dryness;
• Do not neglect such effective means of prevention as folk. Sometimes it is enough to smear skin allergies with appropriate herbal creams to never hear the diagnosis of psoriasis.

Take care of affected skin

With plaques and rashes on the legs, they should be smeared with special preparations with moisturizing ingredients. It is good if the composition also includes anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating substances.

Do not wet the affected areas of the skin with aggressive products with a high alcohol content. The skin must not dry out.

Special care must be taken to avoid injury and damage to the skin. It is well known that they cause new skin rashes that are not easy to heal. It is worth using only soft, non-traumatic bath accessories.

diet

Proper nutrition is of no small importance. Often it is violations of the diet recommended by the doctor that do not allow psoriasis to be cured for many years.

Alkaline foods in the diet should be two to three times more than acidic. Alkaline foods include acid-free fruits and vegetables. Alkaline mineral water can help. You should monitor the timely emptying of the intestines and use products that improve peristalsis

complications

Complications of psoriasis are characterized by the occurrence of concomitant diseases. The cardiovascular system suffers the most, which often leads to a heart attack or coronary artery disease. In some cases, the disease can provoke diabetes.

Treatment of psoriasis on fingers requires an integrated approach, and most importantly, time. Therapeutic measures should primarily be aimed at reducing the foci of inflammation. Psoriasis on the hands often spreads to the nails, which should not be allowed. Otherwise, healing will take much longer.

Medical treatment

The treatment must be complex, so the drugs must be different. Be sure to use:

1. creams and ointments.
2. antihistamines.
3. Medicines for the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Preparations for increasing immunity.

This is a basic treatment that always helps with mild stages of psoriasis.

physical therapy

Physiotherapy is used as one of the phases in the treatment of psoriasis. These procedures are based on the use of various natural factors, and therefore help to stop the progression of the disease. The patient is subjected to infrared and ultraviolet radiation, acupuncture and cryotherapy.

folk methods

Traditional medicine is rich in recipes to eliminate the symptoms of the disease and achieve long-term remission. First of all, various baths have proven themselves:

• with Seasalt;
• with herbal broth.

Bay leaf baths are effective. To boil, pour 20 gr. leaves with 2 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes over low heat. After the broth has cooled, you need to hold the affected hands or feet in it for at least half an hour.

The skin on the hands or feet affected by psoriasis can be wiped with juniper tincture, birch tar or celandine juice. Sea buckthorn oil is recommended to lubricate the nails to strengthen them.

What does leg psoriasis look like?

The initial form of the disease does not cause serious discomfort in the patient. It is manifested by slight itching and reddening of the skin. Gradually, the intensity increases, and pink or red plaques appear on the legs. The size of the papules is in the range of 3-5 mm, with further development, the spots grow and connect with each other.

Characteristic manifestations are yellowish or white scales, they are easily scraped off, but peeling in this case increases. When you get rid of the peeling, you can see a red shiny film. Its removal provokes the release of a drop of blood, which in medicine is called blood dew.

Psoriasis formed on the soles of the feet, accompanied by unbearable itching. Patients cannot resist the desire to comb the affected area. This opens up access to a bacterial infection, making further treatment difficult.

Why does psoriasis develop on the legs?

Psoriasis on the legs is a chronic skin disease with hereditary predisposition. The development of the disease is facilitated by the influence of predisposing factors. Factors predisposing to the development of psoriasis on the legs:

1. Limb injuries - abrasions, cracks, wounds. In people prone to this pathology, they often become inflamed, accompanied by itching, combed. Against this background, psoriatic rashes appear. These causes most commonly cause psoriasis in the knee joints in children, adolescents and athletes.
2. Skin diseases and abrasions of the feet. Especially often the disease develops against the background of fungal infections. It is important to wear tight shoes that will make your feet sweat and hurt.
3. Metabolic disorders, obesity, diabetes mellitus, endocrine diseases, age-related hormonal disorders, pregnancy. Any hormonal imbalance can cause the onset of the disease.
4. All chronic processes and foci of infection leading to intoxication of the body.
5. High emotional, mental and physical stress.
6. Improper irregular nutrition, intestinal dysbacteriosis.
7. immune disorders.

Treatment with folk remedies

Very often, the treatment of foot psoriasis is not limited to conventional medicine. It is better to team up with recipes for effective traditional medicine.

Most often, a recipe for decoctions, ointments, baths and compresses is used to get rid of psoriatic diseases.

decoctions

To prepare a remedy that can relieve the acute symptoms of the disease, you need celandine and oregano, taken in equal parts, add chopped licorice root, which should be twice as large as each of the previous components, and take three times more strings. All this mixture should be poured with boiling water and kept for a quarter of an hour. Then strain the infusion and take half a glass twice a day. The greatest efficiency can be achieved when psoriasis has just appeared.

ointment

Birch tar is mixed with olive oil, the resulting mixture is applied to plaques as often as possible for maximum effect.

bath

For these purposes, an infusion of celandine is suitable, which will not only help get rid of rashes, but also normalize the functioning of the body.

Celandine is poured with boiling water, insisted for at least an hour, filtered and put in a warm bath. Bathing with celandine should not exceed 10 minutes. This method can become daily.

compressed

Potatoes have developed well here. To prepare a compress, you need to grate raw potatoes on the smallest grater. Then juice is squeezed from the resulting mass and applied to the affected areas, the leg is wrapped over it with a film or bag and a warm sock is put on. Potato compress is kept for several hours, otherwise the effect will not be achieved.

Features of rashes

The clinical picture of foot psoriasis manifests itself depending on the course or stage of the disease.

There are the following stages of psoriasis:

1. initial. Rashes at the beginning of the disease look like acne and have a slightly convex shape. Also, silver-steel scales begin to form on each papule;
2. Progressive. Rashes become more common, and the papules begin to increase in diameter and fuse, creating a continuous area of damage. This whole process is accompanied by intense, unbearable itching;
3. Acute. The disease, entering the stage of acute development, is accompanied by new rashes, while the old ones stop growing and begin to peel;
4. Stationary. New elements of the rash cease to appear, and the affected areas of the skin are completely exfoliated. A zone of pigmentation is formed in the place of the former plaques;
5. relapse. At this stage, the disease is characterized by the cleansing of the skin from signs of psoriasis, the general well-being of the patient improves to a large extent.

treatment and diagnosis

Diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis on the legs is carried out by a dermatologist, the method is very simple and consists of a simple examination of the skin, blood tests (general and biochemical). Modern medicine does not have the means to completely cure psoriasis. In some cases, treatment is used to relieve the condition and relieve symptoms.

It depends on many factors such as

• sex of the patient;
• age range;
• place of residence (climate zone);
• activities (work etc. );
• Stage of psoriatic lesions.

Treatment with local medicines

In addition to products that moisturize the skin, a dermatologist may prescribe the use of topical preparations that are easy to apply at home:

• Coal tar supplements help slow the growth of psoriasis plaques and keratinized scales.
• Salicylic acid solution allows you to remove and exfoliate dandruff with great efficiency;
• Corticosteroids in the form of gels are applied to the skin and covered with a bandage. This remedy slows the growth of new psoriasis plaque formation.

Systemic medications

If local drugs cannot cope with the manifestation of psoriasis, then other groups of drugs are prescribed.

A combination treatment of retinoids and light therapy is very often used to treat psoriasis of the legs. UV therapy or point laser therapy is usually prescribed.

If all of the above methods do not help, drugs that act selectively on the immune system may be indicated.

Psoriasis of the legs is a very unpleasant disease, but you need to know that it does not pose a threat to life, although it significantly affects its quality. Rare cases are characterized by the fact that the inflammation does not manifest itself in any way for several years. However, at the first symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, and not self-medicate - this will help to avoid the progression of the disease and complications.

How does psoriasis show up on the feet?

Rashes with this type of lesion are concentrated on the sole and dorsum of the foot. They take the form of classic psoriatic plaques - areas of inflamed skin a few millimeters above the surface of healthy tissue, covered with greyish scales. The development of pathology is accompanied by the formation of calluses, hyperkeratosis (thickening) of the skin in these areas develops. As the disease worsens, deep cracks appear, the epidermis turns intense red. Due to the external manifestations of this form of the disease, it is very often confused with the development of diseases such as eczema, mycotic lesions and signs of secondary syphilis. Photos help to accurately identify foot psoriasis.

Foot Psoriasis: Causes

The causes of psoriasis on the feet are not fully known. There is absolute certainty only about the importance of the hereditary factor in the occurrence of pathologies. All other reasons act only as possible provoking factors. These include:

• weakening of the body's immune forces;
• transmitted viral and bacterial, especially streptococcal infections;
• stress, depression;
• the presence of excessive sweating of the legs;
• hormonal changes in the body;
• Violation of metabolic processes.

Manifestations of psoriasis on the feet: photo

In addition to visible inflammation, redness of the skin, symptoms such as itching, burning, pain of varying intensity in the affected area also appear in the pathology. This creates significant discomfort for a person, since movements when walking are difficult.

Due to the roughness of the epidermis on the feet, plaques do not always flake off, although such a sign can also be present. It depends on the hydrophilicity of the patient's tissues.

Foot psoriasis: treatment

Before prescribing the treatment of psoriasis on the feet, the doctor must conduct an external examination of the pathological area in order to visually distinguish the disease. Today in medicine there are no special methods of additional examination, since the disease is not of infectious origin and has not been fully studied.

Treatment of foot psoriasis is carried out in a complex way, that is, the drug approach is combined with a number of physiotherapeutic procedures that can significantly alleviate the patient's condition. Specific drugs – cytostatics – are used as soon as the disease progresses significantly. In the initial stages of the development of the disease, drugs in the form of gels or ointments are used topically (sulfuric acid, salicylic acid), corticosteroids are prescribed. This is done in order to reduce the negative effects of pharmacological preparations on the patient's body. In addition, vitamin therapy, immunomodulation and antihistamines are prescribed. Photos of psoriasis on the feet are widely distributed on the Internet.

signs of illness

The initial stage of psoriasis on the legs in most cases is considered by doctors to be the manifestation of an allergic reaction to an external irritant. Especially if the patient seeks medical help in the summer, when there is an abundance of various allergens in the area.

Signs of psoriasis on the legs in the initial stages are as follows:

1. The first small pink rashes or red spots appear in places where the skin most often rubs against the inside of clothing. This can be the knees, groin or ankle area.
2. New growths on the skin always have the right shape with clearly comprehensible borders in the initial stage. After 3-5 days, they increase in size, forming a single plaque of reddish-pink color with an oval or round shape.
3. The spots are gradually covered with a white coating that forms calloused skin cells. These are multiple scales that easily separate when touching the damaged skin surface.
4. At all stages of the initial stage of the disease, a person feels severe itching of the skin of the legs. Severe pain is felt when you try to scratch an itchy part of the body.
5. Taking antihistamines will only temporarily relieve the itching sensation, but won't stop the red rash and pimples from spreading further. This is a key factor in ensuring that the dermatological problem is not associated with the manifestation of an allergic skin reaction to external stimuli.

The initial stage of psoriasis on the legs

The first signs of scaly lichen on the legs are associated with increased sensitivity to pain, as well as itching.

Depending on the manifestations, you can see what stage of the disease we are talking about.

The initial stage of this disease manifests itself in the form of a rash of red or light pink color.

Initially, the rashes are small, occupying a minimum of the skin.

Over time, the rash of individual parts develops into a large spot, which stands out with a red tint.

Because of this association, psoriasis plaques are formed that slightly rise above the surface of the skin. Inflamed areas are accompanied by severe itching, which greatly torments patients.

After that, the peeling of the affected tissues begins.

symptoms of the disease

Most often, the knees, thighs, feet and the area near the ankle fall under the influence of scaly lichen on the legs. These areas show symptoms such as:

• severe persistent itching;
• swelling in the affected areas;
• the appearance of psoriatic papules;
• psoriatic arthritis;
• Violation of the structure of the nail plates on the legs.

Characteristic properties

Reddish areas appear on the skin, slightly rising above the skin. These rashes are immediately noticeable, since their light color, characterized by an inflammatory process, stands out against the background of clean areas.

Later they form a large affected area. Psoriasis plaques that appear afterwards begin to peel off, but when peeled off, they bleed a little or simply leave a red smooth surface.

What is psoriasis on the legs?

This skin disease is not considered contagious, but it causes physical and mental suffering in a person. Psoriasis, which has appeared once, may not remember itself for a long time after treatment. Often, for unknown reasons, the disease suddenly reappears. With psoriasis there is a violation of the formation of skin cells, their accelerated development. With the onset of the inflammatory process that occurs on the legs, a surface lesion is observed:

• Stop;
• foot
• Finger;
• hips;
• areas around the joints;
• nails.

A feature of psoriasis is that its origin is not fully understood, which makes treatment difficult. Inflammation of the skin of the legs is aggravated by problems with human motor skills. Unfortunately, it is not possible to radically solve the problem of completely eliminating psoriasis. The patient is helped:

• relieve painful symptoms;
• slow the growth of rashes on the legs;
• relieve the condition;
• restoration of working capacity;
• return to a fulfilling life.

The onset of psoriasis can be characterized by the formation of a rash - pink papules on the skin surface of the legs. During the course of the disease:

• swelling in the joints;
• development of psoriatic arthritis;
• redness;
• dense scaly plaques;
• skin tears;
• unbearable itching;
• bleeding;
• Combining individual elements into a common lesion.

The manifestations of psoriasis differ depending on the site of injury to the skin of the legs. The following features are characteristic:

• on the hips - large areas with rashes, peeling;
• nails - thicken, peel, change the color and shape of the nail plate;
• Leg joints - become inflamed, their mobility is reduced;
• Foot psoriasis - the soles of the feet are covered with a thick layer of keratinized cells, cracks, severe redness are observed, sensitivity increases.

Although the disease is common, doctors cannot say the exact reason why it occurs. There are provoking factors that cause this skin pathology of the legs and other parts of the body. Psoriasis can begin as a result of:

• hereditary predisposition;
• hormonal failure in the body;
• skin injury;
• excessive hygiene;
• infectious diseases;
• stressful situations.

Medical science believes that psoriasis is caused by a failure of the immune system and dysfunction of the epithelial cells. Unfavorable factors can provoke a disease of the skin of the legs, including:

• psycho-emotional stress;
• exposure to chemicals;
• violations of metabolic processes;
• dry thin skin;
• alcohol poisoning;
• climate change;
• varicose veins in the legs;
• Pathologies of lipid metabolism.

In order to help a sick baby in time, a correct diagnosis is necessary. In childhood, psoriasis can be confused with other skin diseases of the legs. Timely treatment of a sick child will help save him from severe symptoms and complications. The appearance of psoriasis in a baby is a consequence of:

• allergies;
• helminthic invasions;
• lack of vitamins;
• hereditary factors;
• disorders in the immune system.

Symptoms of the disease in a child are different:

• Psoriasis on the feet can present as a persistent reddening of the surface that cannot be touched due to pain;
• when damaging the nails, points similar to pinpricks are observed;
• rashes are noted in the skin folds of the legs, which peel, itch and do not allow to sleep;
• Large redness with cracks and bleeding forms on the hips.

The patient's condition and symptoms depend on the stage of development of psoriasis. Pathologies that appear on the surface of the legs are constantly changing over a long period of time. There are several stages in the development of psoriasis:

• initial - the first rashes, redness, swelling appear - a situation favorable for treatment;
• progressive - new plaques are actively formed, exist, increase in size, everything is accompanied by severe itching, peeling.

Changes in the course of the disease are observed at the following stages of psoriasis:

• acute - the progression of the growth of rashes stops, scales appear;
• stationary - new papules do not appear on the legs, the old ones form a layer that gradually peels off, leaving spots;
• Regression - the disease stops, the plaques disappear without a trace, all unpleasant symptoms disappear, the patient is healthy.