How psoriasis begins: symptoms, photos, treatment

Psoriasis is one of the most common skin pathologies.It can occur in patients of any age.The etiology of the disease has not yet been fully established, so it is impossible to completely cure psoriasis.That is why it is so important to recognize it at the initial stage of development.In this article we will look at what psoriasis is, how it manifests itself and how to treat it.

What is psoriasis

Psoriasis is a polyetiological skin disease manifested by a monomorphic rash. The pathology is chronic.Psoriasis occurs in waves, with periods of relapses and remissions possible.

A relapse can be triggered by the lack of adequate treatment, alcohol abuse, stress, etc. The rash in both adults and children spreads gradually, involving more and more areas of the skin.Psoriasis is characterized by the formation of raised, reddish, dry patches with a scaly, silvery-white surface.This rash is called “psoriatic plaques.”

Most often, psoriasis is observed in the area of the elbows and knees, on the buttocks, that is, in places of greatest pressure and friction.In some cases, the rash occurs on the scalp, palms, soles, and external genitalia.Psoriatic plaques on the face are very rare.

Causes

Many people wonder whether psoriasis is contagious to others or not.The pathology is not contagious, that is, it is not transmitted to others.Among the causes of psoriasis are:

1. Hereditary predisposition.
2. Endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, dysfunction of the thyroid gland).
3. Stress, neuropsychic overstrain.
4. Parasitic infestations (giardiasis, ascariasis, infection by pork or bovine tapeworm).
5. Metabolic pathologies (silicon deficiency is especially dangerous).
6. Predisposition to allergies.
7. Infectious diseases of viral nature.
8. Weak immune system.
9. Long-term use of medications.

In most cases, psoriasis makes itself felt between the ages of 15 and 30 due to one or more causes. According to medical statistics, more than 60% of psoriasis patients have relatives who suffer from this disease.

Symptoms of psoriasis at the initial stage

To recognize how psoriasis begins, you should familiarize yourself with the main signs of the disease.You should be wary:

• the formation of brightly colored skin rashes with clearly visible edges (most often they appear at the site of injury - burns, cuts, frostbite);
• the appearance of peeling in the central part of the plaque;
• itching of psoriatic formations (manifests only in half of the cases due to weakened immunity);
• swelling and inflammation in the area where the rash appears.

At first the rashes are very small, about the size of a pinhead.They have a hemispherical shape and a smooth shiny surface.After a few days, the rashes grow in size and become covered with light scales that are easily separated.When the plaque is scraped, droplets of blood appear on its surface, which indicate pinpoint hemorrhages.

Sometimes psoriasis can be complicated by exudative phenomena (serous fluid).The scales absorb this exudate and transform into a rough crust.If you remove it, wet areas remain underneath.Such phenomena are dangerous due to the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.

As a rule, psoriasis at an early stage lasts 2-3 weeks. If left untreated, the plaques grow up to 5-7 cm, merge and form entire conglomerates, covering large areas of the skin.

What psoriasis looks like at the initial stage

Now let's look at what psoriasis looks like at the beginning of its development in different locations.For ease of perception, we present the corresponding photos.

1. Legs.The disease begins with single small rashes, located mainly on the knees and feet, but can also be observed on any surface of the legs.

2. Elbows.In most cases, a plaque type of psoriasis appears at this site, which is characterized by small rashes with very severe peeling.The skin on the elbows becomes rough.

3. Hands.In this area, psoriasis appears suddenly in the form of a small rash, which many people mistake for an allergy.Only after dry scales appear do people consult a doctor.Often the rashes are localized between the fingers on the palms.

4. Head.Psoriasis often affects the scalp, ear area and back of the head.The rash in this area is characterized by moist scales and is almost always itchy.

5. Face.The rash affects the nasolabial folds, eyelids, eyebrows and eyes.This form of psoriasis is considered atypical.

6. Nails.Psoriasis on the nails is more like a fungal disease.First, longitudinal stripes or dots appear at the edge of the nails, and then they spread to the roots.At the same time, the nail plate itself becomes dull and thickened.

Treatment of psoriasis

Therapy should begin with a visit to a dermatologist. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.Treatment of psoriasis at the initial stage should be comprehensive.Nowadays, new treatment methods have been developed that help completely get rid of scaly rashes, although they do not completely cure the disease itself.During therapy, it is necessary to exclude all factors that provoke an exacerbation of the pathology, change the diet and adhere to a special diet.

Drug therapy

Treatment tactics for early stage psoriasis are gradually changing.If earlier hormonal drugs of general action were prescribed, now local agents are widely used.

The following ointments provide good relief from the manifestations of psoriasis:

1. Keratolytic and moisturizing.
2. Vegetable.
3. Glucocorticoid.
4. Cytostatic.
5. Based on solid oil.
6. Petroleum based.

The doctor may also prescribe sedatives, antihistamines for severe itching, immunomodulators and vitamin-mineral complexes.Treatment should also include physical therapy.The following methods are widely used:

• paraffin baths;
• PUVA therapy;
• UV irradiation;
• sulfide and radon baths.

Electrosleep and magnetic laser therapy have beneficial effects.Cryotherapy (cold treatment) and hirudotherapy (leech treatment) are gaining popularity.

When treating psoriasis on the head, you should not comb the skin.The head should be washed daily with medicated shampoos with zinc, tar, and selenium sulfide.

Treatment at home

Before using any recipe, you should consult your doctor so that it does not provoke the development of complications. Treatment with traditional medicine is primarily aimed at strengthening the immune system and relieving the inflammatory process.Therefore, it is necessary to drink vitamin teas - decoctions of rose hips, lemon, viburnum, raspberries, chamomile, etc. It is recommended to add honey to herbal teas.

The most effective home therapy remedies include:

1. Celandine.It relieves inflammation well and soothes the skin.The plaques must be lubricated daily with the juice of this plant.
2. Hydrogen peroxide.To begin, dilute peroxide with water in a ratio of 1:3 and use the solution to lubricate the psoriatic rash for disinfection.Use before applying ointment or lotions.
3. Linseed oil.Perfectly relieves inflammation and heals the skin.Apply to affected area twice daily.
4. Baking soda.Neutralizes skin acidity, which increases with psoriasis.
5. Solid oil.It helps very well at the beginning of the disease.You need to lubricate the affected areas before going to bed.

Prevention and recommendations

To reduce the risk of psoriasis, prevention is necessary. Follow these guidelines:

• moisturize your skin regularly with creams;
• avoid skin damage in the form of burns, scratches, bites, etc.;
• strengthen your immune system, play sports and walk more in the fresh air;
• give up bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol);
• Take only those medications prescribed by your doctor.

It is important to separately note about a special diet for psoriasis. It helps to achieve remission faster and reduces the duration of relapses of the disease.The table below contains a list of permitted, prohibited, and restricted products.

Products	Allowed	Limited use	Prohibited
Fish and meat	turkey, chicken, rabbit, lean river fish	lean beef and lamb	pork, sea fish
Cereals and flour products	oatmeal, buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, corn, wheat flakes	rice	semolina, puff pastries, baked goods made from wheat flour, bread
Dairy products	low fat cottage cheese, skim milk	kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream	cheese
Vegetables	carrots, broccoli, cucumber, asparagus, lettuce, green beans	corn, pumpkin	bell pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant
Fruits and berries	kiwi, pineapple, mango, grapes, nectarine, cherry	plum, blueberry, currant, cranberry, avocado	strawberry, citrus, red apple
Nuts	almond	pine nuts	everyone else
Sweets	dried apricots, raisins, dates	honey	chocolate, sweets and other confectionery products
Spices	dill, parsley, green onions	horseradish, garlic, onion	pepper, cloves, nutmeg
Oils	sunflower, olive, cotton, corn	butter	spread, margarine
Drinks	herbal teas, juices, compotes	green tea	black tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol

Don't forget about the drinking regime.You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of drinking water per day.

Psoriasis is a rather unpleasant skin disease that causes a lot of inconvenience.It cannot be completely eliminated, but with a competent approach to treatment, stable remission can be achieved.To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist.Psoriasis at the initial stage responds well to drug therapy.You should not self-medicate, as this will only worsen the course of the disease.