Psoriasis is a disease with a complex character: can it be cured?

Psoriasis is a severe pathology, despite the fact that it is not life-threatening. Psoriasis is called the chronic disease that affects the skin and nails. It causes redness, itching and the appearance of scaly plaques that manifests at any age and is difficult to treat. Why appear psoriasis, what complications threatened and, most importantly, how to treat it?

psoriasis

What do we know about psoriasis and its treatment

Psoriasis is also one of the most studied and one of the most mysterious diseases. Experts have many decades trying to figure out its causes, but so far science has no clear answer to the question of why people suffer with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is not a contagious disease, as cause it is not fungi or bacteria, and the reaction of their own immune system. In psoriasis skin cells begin to divide with great speed — if the normal life cycle of cells takes about 30 days psoriasis is just 3-5.

The main symptoms of psoriasis: redness, flaking, the appearance of inflamed areas, so-called plaques that itch. In some cases, there are abscesses or small rash. Sometimes psoriasis is almost never manifests himself, and sometimes escalates almost no apparent reason. Most often, psoriasis appears in the bends of the hands and feet, along the hairline, and where clothing fits too tightly or rubbing; although inflammation can occur in other places.

Statistics

Psoriasis is a fairly common disease, it affects about 3% of the total population of the globe.

There are several types of psoriasis. The most common is vulgaris, or plaque, it is diagnosed in 80% of patients with psoriasis. Teardrop (small rash), pustular (pustules), Palmar-plantar and exudative (oozing rash) are much less common.

Most patients detects the first signs of psoriasis at age 15-25 years. Often the impetus for his appearance (and, subsequently, to the aggravation) are the emotional turmoil. Scientists have linked this phenomenon with the release of stress hormones — adrenaline and cortisol.

Psoriasis is considered a chronic disease that is can't be cured. However, modern medicine knows how to keep his manifestation to a minimum and to reduce the frequency of relapses.

Please note

Unfortunately, psoriasis can be inherited. In families where one parent suffers from psoriasis, the probability of having a child with the same disease is 25%. If both parents know this disease first hand, the risk of developing psoriasis in children increases up to 60%.

How to treat psoriasis: current approaches to therapy

Treatment of psoriasis depends on the severity of the disease. In mild cases (if the affected less than 3% of the area of the body) prescribe drugs for external use — ointments and creams. Also recommend to revise the lifestyle and especially diet. In more complex cases, prescribed physical therapy. Medicines for oral administration, including those that have a certain toxicity, and hormone treatment is a last resort, used only if other methods of treatment of psoriasis is not helping.

effective methods

Effective methods and techniques of conservative treatment of psoriasis

There are several ways of combating psoriasis, and in order for therapy to be successful, it is better to take a holistic approach.

Drug therapy

To fight psoriasis "inside" often prescribe a derivative of vitamin A (retinoids), as well as drugs that reduce the activity of the immune system. For topical treatment of psoriasis using medical ointments and creams that relieve inflammation and itching, promotes exfoliation of dead skin cells and helps protect damaged skin from fungi and bacteria. This is important because the disease psoriasis is often complicated by the accession of secondary infection, which reduces the efficiency of the overall therapy and slows down the process of skin regeneration.

In the most severe cases, often recurrent course of psoriasis, prescribed local hormone treatment (ointments and creams), the so — called TGKS (topical corticosteroids). They should be careful — TGKS have a number of side effects and contraindications. If you apply them on their own initiative, and not according to the strict scheme and the advice of a doctor, you can aggravate the disease. TGKS generally not recommended for use longer than 5 days and applied on large areas of skin and on sensitive areas (face, neck, skin folds), as these funds can have a systemic effect on the body, can cause withdrawal symptoms and lead to thinning skin and loss of its protective properties, and therefore the risk of repeated relapses.

Doctors often complain that the disease could be managed in a faster and easier if patients do not self-medicate with such potent drugs because cure psoriasis after uncontrolled use of hormonal methods is much more difficult.

Science has long made a big step forward in the search for effective but safe remedies for the treatment of skin psoriasis and other diseases. These include, for example, include the drugs based on this active substance as an active zinc (zinc pyrithione). Zinc is a organic and natural cure for skin — because of its concentration in healthy human skin is about 20% of the total content in the body, and deficiency of this valuable metal is accompanied by various skin lesions and impaired wound healing.

Drugs with active zinc, unlike funds from zinc oxide, have a whole set of specific properties (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal), to help relieve itching, promote the development of ceramides (lipids), which leads to restoration of its barrier function. Unlike the ointments of zinc oxide, cream with pyrithione zinc does not dry the skin. In addition, they activate the so-called apoptosis (natural programmed death) pathologically altered skin cells and cells of inflammation, thereby inhibiting the excessive proliferation of the epithelium, reducing inflammation and the formation of psoriatic plaques.

Studies have shown that the active zinc has a comparable TGKS efficacy and good safety profile as is practically not absorbed from the skin, has no annoying and damaging effect.

Whatever the drug is or was assigned to you, remember that, writing a prescription, the doctor always takes into account the ratio of potential benefits and harm of using drugs — based on your age and sex characteristics, medical history, etc. So do not self-medicate: cure one, you may hurt more. In the case of psoriasis this applies primarily to the use of hormonal methods. The thoughtless application of ointments and creams with TGKS may lead to a "vicious circle" — the longer you use them, the more will be the aggravation.

Not to risk, the first manifestation of psoriasis symptoms is to start treatment safest non hormonal products and consult a doctor. And in chronic and recurrent course, the use of non-hormonal drugs with therapeutic properties immediately after removal of the exacerbation (after applying TGKS) may extend periods of remission and help the skin to fully recover.

Physical therapy

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment of psoriasis also help to eliminate the symptoms of this disease. As you know, pathology is afraid of the sun, so the psoriasis treatment is widely used phototherapy — ultraviolet radiation. Treatment of psoriasis may also include laser therapy, ultrasound, magnetotherapy.

Food

Patients with psoriasis it is crucial to follow a proper diet. Excludes all foods that can cause allergies as well as food, heavy on the stomach and liver. The diet should contain higher doses of vitamins (especially vitamin A) and fiber. Should give up alcohol, smoked meats, animal fats and TRANS fats, eggs, coffee and sparkling water, muffins.

Psychotherapy

As already mentioned, when stress and emotional upheavals, psoriasis can worsen. At the same time, for many people, especially for young women, psoriasis itself is a source of worry and low self-esteem. The goal of therapy for psoriasis is to teach people how to manage their emotions and avoid nervous tension. In addition, group therapy can provide the necessary psychological support and self-esteem.

Plasmapheresis

In plasmapheresis the doctor takes the patient portion of the blood, separates the plasma from blood cells and returns them with the help of injections back. Together with plasma toxins and autoantibodies.

By the way

Psoriasis is not a reason for low self-esteem. Many famous people spend their whole life struggling with this disease, that does not prevent them to be the idols of millions and a style icon. Psoriasis affects models Cara Delevingne and Kim Kardashian, actress Cameron Diaz and singer Britney Spears.

Alternative approaches

There are alternative, folk, and exotic methods of treatment of psoriasis. The first, for example, is the application of oil of milk Thistle to affected areas, decoctions of marshmallow, Valerian, sage and chamomile. Exotic can be attributed to treatment with tropical fish species Garra rufa — they're pyrithione skin on psoriatic plaques without damaging healthy skin. This original service is offered in Thailand, and in recent years this procedure has appeared in some Russian spas.

Folk methods are considered safe, however it is not quite so allergic to grass may aggravate the skin condition and the printing on the plaque ointments of dubious origin and conducting exotic treatments in unsanitary conditions might lead to inflammation and the accession of secondary infection.

How to increase the effectiveness of therapy

How to increase the effectiveness of therapy

Correctly picked up therapy will have a positive effect. To speed up the process of recovery will allow the observance of certain rules:

  • Try not to worry. Skin — indicator of the health of your nervous system. Today, there are many ways to cope with stress without medication: visit master-classes on drawing, sculpting and decoupage, sports and Spa treatments.
  • Time to treat infectious diseases, prevent hypothermia, and generally watch your health — "entrenched" in the body of infection, provoking repeated relapses.
  • Do not neglect the Spa treatment. Mineral water and mud many resorts do help improve the condition of psoriasis. Such resorts around the world a lot of psoriasis treatment you can pass on the Dead sea in Israel, in Slovenia (Portoroz), Italy (Abano Terme), in Bulgaria (Kyustendil).
  • Do not use while bathing hard sponges and brushes, as well as solid Soaps you need to use soft sponge and shower gel with a neutral pH. After bath or shower apply a cream, helping to keep the skin moisture, such as children's.
  • Refrain from synthetics and choose comfortable, loose clothes made of natural soft fabrics like cotton, silk and other.

It is often said that psoriasis is not a disease, but a consequence of lifestyle. Truth this statement is. If you are diagnosed "psoriasis", will have to seriously reconsider their habits and strictly follow the rules. Compliance with the recommendations and timely initiation of treatment allow to achieve stable and prolonged remission — many people suffering from psoriasis, in fact, do not suffer, as the disease does not manifest itself. But psoriasis does not tolerate levity — if not treated or treated independently, without participation of the doctor, the aggravation will soon become almost monthly, and regain the beautiful skin and good health will be very difficult.