How psoriasis begins: symptoms, photos, treatment

Psoriasis is one of the most common skin diseases.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.This is why it is so important to recognize this early in development.In this article we will see what psoriasis is, how it manifests itself and how to treat it.

What is psoriasis

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

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

Most often, psoriasis is observed in the area of the elbows and knees, on the buttocks, that is, in the places of greatest pressure and friction.In some cases, the rash appears 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 disease is not contagious, that is, it cannot be transmitted to others.Among the causes of psoriasis are:

1. Hereditary predisposition.
2. Endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction).
3. Stress, neuropsychic overload.
4. Parasitic infestations (giardiasis, ascariasis, porcine or bovine tapeworm infection).
5. Metabolic pathologies (silicon deficiency is particularly dangerous).
6. Predisposition to allergies.
7. Viral infectious diseases.
8. Weak immune system.
9. Long-term use of drugs.

In most cases, psoriasis appears 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 suffering from this disease.

Symptoms of psoriasis in the early stage

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

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

Initially 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 increase in size and become covered with light scales that separate easily.When the plaque is scraped, droplets of blood appear on its surface, indicating spot hemorrhages.

Sometimes psoriasis can be complicated by exudative phenomena (serous fluid).The scales absorb this exudate and turn 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, early-stage psoriasis lasts 2-3 weeks. If left untreated, the plaques grow up to 5-7 cm, coalesce and form entire conglomerates, covering large areas of the skin.

What psoriasis looks like in the initial phase

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, localized mainly on the knees and feet, but can also be observed on any surface of the legs.

2. Elbows.In most cases, plaque psoriasis appears in this area, characterized by small skin rashes with very severe scaling.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 the appearance of dry scales do people consult a doctor.Often the rashes are located between the fingers of 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. Nail.Psoriasis on the nails is more like a fungal disease.First, longitudinal stripes or spots appear on the edge of the nails, 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. In no case should you self-medicate.Treatment of psoriasis in the initial stage should be comprehensive.Nowadays, new treatment methods have been developed that help to completely eliminate scaly rashes, although they do not completely solve 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 previously 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 hydrating.
2. Vegetables.
3. Glucocorticoids.
4. Cytostatic.
5. Solid oil based.
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 shampoos medicated with zinc, tar and selenium sulfide.

Treatment at home

Before using any prescription, you should consult your doctor so that it does not cause the development of complications. Treatment with traditional medicine is mainly aimed at strengthening the immune system and alleviating the inflammatory process.Therefore, it is necessary to drink vitamin teas: decoctions of rosehip, lemon, viburnum, raspberries, chamomile, etc.It is recommended to add honey to herbal teas.

The most effective remedies for home therapy include:

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

Prevention and recommendations

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

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

It is important to separately note a special diet for psoriasis. It helps to achieve remission faster and reduces the duration of disease relapses.The following table 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 pastry, baked goods made from wheat flour, bread
Dairy products	low-fat cottage cheese, skimmed milk	kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream	cheese
Vegetables	carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, asparagus, lettuce, green beans	corn, pumpkin	peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines
Fruits and berries	kiwi, pineapple, mango, grape, nectarine, cherry	plum, blueberry, currant, cranberry, avocado	strawberry, citrus fruit, red apple
Nuts	almonds	pine nuts	everyone else
Sweets	dried apricots, raisins, dates	treasure	chocolate, sweets and other confectionery products
Spices	dill, parsley, green onions	horseradish, garlic, onion	pepper, cloves, nutmeg
Oils	sunflower, olive tree, cotton, corn	butter	spread, margarine
Drinks	herbal teas, juices, compotes	green tea	black tea, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol

Do not forget about the alcohol consumption 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 discomfort.It cannot be completely eliminated, but with a competent approach to treatment it is possible to achieve a stable remission.To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist.Psoriasis in the initial stage responds well to drug therapy.You should not self-medicate, as this will only worsen the course of the disease.