Psoriasis is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbations.Inflammation of the skin occurs in several stages: initial, progressive, stationary, regressive.Such a division helps with diagnosis and correct therapy.
Interesting to know
Psoriasis is a genetic disease.About 10% of the population has characteristic DNA abnormalities and only 2% of them show signs of skin dysfunction.
The appearance of pathology is provoked by the following factors:
- severe emotional stress;
- injuries;
- alcohol abuse, smoking;
- unbalanced diet;
- infectious and other diseases;
- certain medications;
- endocrine diseases;
- predisposition to allergies;
The first signs of illness appear due to an incorrect reaction of the immune system, which reacts to the epidermal tissue as if it were foreign elements.Let's look at the stages of psoriasis, its symptoms and treatment regimens.
Initial stage of psoriasis
The first character isthe appearance of a pimple(papules).The shape is round, the color is reddish or pink.Bluish appearance may occur in the lower extremities due to slow blood circulation.Papular formations are small, the size of a pinhead.
The early stage is characterizedlots of papules, which have clearly defined boundaries.Whitish scales also appear.When touched, they easily detach from the surface.Papules can merge into a single one and form larger elements.
During remission in the early stages, the rashes become paler.Some of the affected skin areas become discolored.In children, this stage of psoriasis is often confused with manifestations of allergies or diathesis.The rash may be accompanied by severe itching.Signs that can help diagnose psoriasis:
- when scraped, the surface of the plaque becomes whitish, resembles a crushed drop of stearin, the scales come off;
- Continuing to scrape the stain and remove the scales will result in a shiny red surface;
- Small drops of blood appear when scraping.
Progressive stage of psoriasis
In the progressive stage of psoriasis, the following symptoms occur:
- The papules turn red and are still covered with white scales.They peel off easily, revealing a smooth, reddened layer of skin underneath.If damaged, blood will appear.
- During the exacerbation, the papular elements grow and fuse.They differ significantly from healthy areas of skin.
- The itching intensifies.But it disappears when the process enters the stationary phase.Painful and obsessive itching interferes with sleep and daily activities.Simply scratching the cover will create injuries and new plaque.The appearance of new plaques at the site of injury speaks of Koebner syndrome.The number of itchy manifestations gradually increases and covers the trunk, limbs and head.
- There are no scales on the edges of the plates;They are hyperemic, which indicates the continuation of the inflammatory process.
Consequences
Psoriasis can have negative effects on the joints (psoriatic arthritis).If the process remains untreated, severe joint pain and deformations occur.
Stationary stage of psoriasis
The main feature of the stationary stage of psoriasis is that new elements no longer appear.Positive changes result from the right treatment.
Clinical manifestations:
- itching disappears;
- there are no injuries (Koebner's symptom disappears);
- Peeling may increase.
All spots stop developing.If in the progressive stage the plaques had a border without scales, in the stationary stage the entire inflamed skin surface peels off and takes on the characteristic psoriatic appearance.
Dandruff is characteristic of the final stage of inflammation.At the beginning of the development of the pathology, the scales cannot keep up with the progressive growth of plaques and cannot completely cover them.It happens in half the casespseudoatrophic corolla.
Pseudoatrophic crown
It looks like a light border around the element, the structure of which is reminiscent of rough tissue paper, consists of a stratum corneum and is no wider than two millimeters.
Regressive stage of psoriasis
With the regressive stage of psoriasis, the psoriasis cycle ends.Characteristic features:
- the exacerbation process stops, the inflammation disappears;
- Plaques gradually dissolve;
- peeling stops, the elements of the rash are flattened;
- the rashes become pale pink and gradually change color;
- Papules may still remain on the arms and elbows.
There is no scarring or atrophy of the affected areas.There may be temporary hyperpigmentation or lack of pigment at the site of the rash.
Remission occurs after complex therapy.The period of relief varies from person to person..The disease can last for several months or even years in a latent form.Exacerbations are more common in winter, with the exception of a few forms of psoriasis.
Treatment of psoriasis at different stages
Therapy for any form of psoriasis consists of general and local treatment, physiotherapeutic methods and a change in diet.At an early stage of therapy it is necessary:
- give up bad habits;
- Strictly follow a therapeutic diet.
- Use ointments containing vitamin A, D3 and hormones.
- use systemic and sedative medications;
- undergo UV therapy.
If the plaques are on the head, the doctor prescribes shampoos based on tar, zinc and selenium sulfide.
All products must be used according to a doctor's prescription.Long-term use of medicines (especially those containing tar) can cause skin irritation.The products should be changed every 7 days.
Treatment of early-stage psoriasis
The effectiveness of therapeutic measures in the early stages depends on when the patient came to the doctor and began treatment.
In most cases, early therapy helps to prevent the disease from becoming chronic.
Experts recommend using salicylic acid ointment.This is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drug that has a beneficial effect on affected skin areas.Due to the keratolytic effect, the ointment frees the plaque from keratinized parts of the skin.Mothball ointment relieves itching.
Typically, the following medications are prescribed:
- based on tar;
- based on solid oil;
- petroleum based.
Not so long ago, drops and oil for psoriasis appeared.The product can soothe the skin, moisturize the skin, prevent the skin from drying out and relieve swelling.The drug contains ubiquinone, beta-carotene, beaver fat, propolis, pumpkin oil and other components, with the help of which the number of plaques decreases, there are fewer of them and the skin is better moisturized.It is recommended to use it in combination with other medications and after consulting a specialist.
Treatment of advanced psoriasis
Therapy must be comprehensive and careful.The clinical picture is quite severe;Treatment should only be entrusted to specialists.Patients are helped by intravenous and intramuscular administration of special medications.Sorbents help remove toxins from the body.
The manifestations are relieved by salicylic acid ointments and emollient emulsions.They moisturize and eliminate inflammation.During an exacerbation, you should not take medications containing tar or other irritating components.
Physiotherapeutic procedures (PUVA therapy, UV irradiation, paraffin baths) are best carried out during the period of reducing inflammation.Corticosteroids and cytostatics are only prescribed for particularly complex processes.
Prescribe antihistamines (reduce the development of an allergic reaction), sedatives (calming), anti-inflammatory, keratolytics (emollient), diuretics (relieve swelling, remove toxins).
Treatment of psoriasis in the stationary stage
The patient requires a slight adjustment in therapy.As a rule, shampoos with tar, emulsions with oil and calcipotriol are prescribed.Systemic therapy is used when the disease affects large areas of skin.UV irradiation and PUVA techniques are widely used.
If there is no effect, some cytostatics are prescribed.In severe cases, the patient is prescribed an immunosuppressive drug, a cytostatic drug.
Treatment of psoriasis in the regressive stage
Therapy in the last stage of psoriasis must be comprehensive and adjusted by a specialist.Therapy is gradually stopped and replaced by preventive measures.Treatment at all stages is carried out carefully;Under no circumstances should the rash be damaged.
Compliance with a strict diet and lifestyle correction is of particular importance.Stress can be a strong provoking factor and significantly worsen the condition at the beginning of the disease.
In combination with drug therapy, rashes on the hands can be treated by baths with sea salt or by mixing baby cream with thread powder and greasing the plaques with this mixture.
Additional therapies
A patient with psoriasis has a deficiency of vitamins that affect the regulation of metabolic processes and have a blood-purifying, calming and strengthening effect.
The vitamin complex should contain B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid and others.They are prescribed orally, intramuscularly and also in droppers.
The division of pathology into different stages is a conditional measure that helps specialists correctly identify one or another stage and facilitate diagnosis and treatment.It is impossible to completely get rid of psoriasis, but if all the rules of complex treatment with systematic preventive measures are followed, the disease can remain hidden for a long time and not prevent a person from living a full life.