psoriasisis a chronic inflammatory skin disease. This is a genetic disease that manifests itself in the form of characteristic formations on the patient's body: papules or plaques of pink-red color, visible to the eye, the surface of which is scaly and covered with scales. The disease is usually accompanied by severe itching and pain, which causes suffering to the patient both physically and morally. Psoriasis rashes can appear on any part of the body, but most often they are localized on the patient's scalp, elbows and hands. Chronic psoriasis on the head especially often causes moral discomfort in patients, as it cannot be hidden under clothing.
Where does the name of the disease "psoriasis" come from?
The name of the disease "psoriasis" comes from the Greek word - psora - to scratch (-sya). Indeed, itching rough, scaly, silvery-white skin that is difficult to treat is a typical picture of the manifestation of this disease.
Who is affected by this disease?
A disease like skin psoriasis affects about 3-5% of the population in different countries. Men and women – equally. Psoriasis can develop at any age, but usually does not appear until around the age of 20, often earlier in women than in men. However, the company Medical On Group has collected impressive statistics on the treatment of children and the elderly suffering from this disease.
In addition to heredity, psoriasis has the following causes:
- excessively active division of skin cells;
- emphasize;
- decreased immunity after illness.
Answers to frequently asked questions
Is psoriasis contagious?
Common vulgar psoriasis is a hereditary, genetic disease accompanied by disorders of metabolism, endocrine glands and lesions of the immune system. Psoriasis is not contagious! It is not an external infection and there is no reason to fear or avoid people suffering from this condition.
Is it likely that the children of parents with psoriasis will also have this disease?
Since it is an inherited, genetic disease, such a probability exists, and it is quite high: if both parents suffer from psoriasis, then the children have a probability of approximately 33. 3% to develop this disease.
Is it good for sick people to spend as much time as possible in the sun?
It is generally accepted that the sun's rays in a certain amount help to treat psoriasis, but in some cases sun exposure, on the contrary, can aggravate the process. Be that as it may, before any medical intervention and when detecting changes in the condition of the skin, it is recommended to consult a professional dermatologist.
What causes periodic outbreaks and the remission of the disease?
Experience shows that mental stress, stress and neurosis, unhealthy lifestyle and diet lead to increased manifestations of psoriasis. In addition, cases are not uncommon when the disease worsened even more precisely in response to an irrationally formulated treatment.
Do smoking and alcohol consumption influence the course of the disease?
Yes, it does. Smoking and alcohol consumption adversely affect the development of the disease and can contribute to the intensification of the manifestations of psoriasis.
treatment of psoriasis. Is it possible?
Hereditary psoriasis on the legs, arms or head is one of the most common but difficult to treat skin diseases. Psoriasis is characterized by scaly reddening of the skin, the appearance of which is not caused by infection but by increased cell division. In a healthy person, complete renewal of skin cells occurs in almost a month, and in a patient seven times faster.
An exacerbation of psoriasis can be caused by stress and exertion, wounds and cuts on the skin, upper respiratory tract streptococcal infection, and a reaction to medications. Unfortunately, one cannot protect oneself from all this, so medicine is not yet able to prevent an attack of the disease or completely cure it. But to control the course of psoriasis and choose effective methods of treating symptoms, modern dermatologists are quite capable.
Can psoriasis be permanently cured?
Since this is a hereditary, genetic disease, the treatment of psoriasis offered by modern medicine boils down to eliminating the external manifestations of the disease and cleaning the patient's skin from rashes for a long time.