Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. Occurs when the immune system malfunctions. The development of the disease is divided into clear stages - the appearance, progression, stabilization and regression. Different stages of psoriasis differ in the appearance of spots and rashes, soreness of itching and extensive skin inflammation.
Why is it necessary to distinguish between the stages of development of the disease, and what are the features of the course of psoriasis at the beginning of development and in the process of recovery?
Why you need to know the stages of psoriasis
Division of psoriasis into stages is used by physicians for the correct choice of therapeutic methods. A complex of drugs and external agents that are prescribed to treat inflammation depends on the stage of development of the disease.
At the beginning of the manifestation of the disease, general therapy is necessary - vitamin complexes, diet, external aseptic treatment of the rash, for example, a course of UV procedures. Also prescribed drugs that stimulate the cleaning of the intestines, blood vessels, liver.
Be sure to carry out the correction of the psychoemotional state - by a neuropathologist or psychologist.
In the initial stage of the disease, they do not use potent drugs that extinguish the immune system, do not prescribe hormonal ointments. These drugs have a large list of side effects, so they are prescribed only when it is impossible to do without them.
Psoriasis: treatment in acute stage and in remission
In the case of an acute progressive course of the disease, several drugs of various actions are prescribed. Immunosuppressants and glucocorticosteroids are often used to relieve inflammation and reduce itching. External treatments are complemented by photochemical, ultrasound and laser therapy. Also, agents are prescribed for antiseptic treatment of damaged skin.
In a stabilized state, they continue to take anti-inflammatory hormonal drugs, gradually reducing their dose. To restore damaged skin, ointments with a regenerating effect are prescribed.
In remission - support the body. Correct nutrition, take complexes of vitamins and minerals to restore immunity.
Timeliness of treatment
The earlier treatment is started, the easier it is to bring psoriasis under control.
Timely therapy limits the spread of skin inflammation, reduces its extent, prevents subsequent relapses of peeling. Since psoriasis is often mistaken for an allergic rash at an early stage, it is necessary to know its initial signs in order not to miss the appearance of a skin disease.
Note: doctors are still investigating the causes of psoriasis. But it is definitely known that psoriatic skin inflammation is not contagious. It cannot be picked up from a sick person, or an infection in case of injury. This is our own, personal failure in the human body.
The cause of psoriasis is an immune failure, which can be caused by various factors. Severe stress, poisoning (including potent medicines, industrial emissions, alcohol), previous infection.
Psoriasis is difficult to treat. The disease is prone to recurrence, relapse. And the therapy itself is symptomatic. It consists in preventing the appearance of new spots and relieving existing skin itching.
What stage of psoriasis is called initial? How to distinguish early psoriasis from diathesis rash? And how will the disease develop in the future?
Psoriasis: initial stage
The first appearance of psoriasis on the skin looks like pimples. Most often, the rash appears at the bends of the elbows and knees, or in places where clothes are tightly pressed to the body (for example, under the belt at the waist). Rashes can also appear along the edge of the hair and under the hair, around the nails and on the nail plates. Sometimes psoriasis occurs on the feet and palms.
Almost always, psoriasis manifests itself symmetrically - on the elbows of both hands, or on both sides of the lower back, or on two knees.
The pimples themselves (in medical terminology - papules) at the initial stage have a modest appearance. They have:
- Pink or red;
- Sharp, blurry edge;
- Small size - the pimple at the base does not exceed two millimeters;
- Flat shape - small punctate pimples at the beginning of the disease have almost no bulge, therefore they look like spots.
As the disease progresses, flakes of peeling skin appear on pimples. They are gray or silvery, against the background of a red pimple they appear white.
The appearance of scales is accompanied by a rather severe itching. If you do not resist and scratch, then the scales are removed, exposing the shiny areas of pink young skin underneath. It is very thin, vulnerable, with prolonged scratching of itchy papules - it is injured, bleeds.
The initial stage of psoriasis lasts up to four weeks.
Psoriasis: stage of progression
In the progressive stage, individual pimples merge into one common spot, forming the so-called psoriatic plaques. They are raised above the surface of the skin and are almost completely covered with peeling. At the edges of the psoriatic plaques there is a non-flaking pink-red rim.
The presence of a rim is a sign of a progressive stage of the disease. The rim is one to two millimeters wide. The skin on it is inflamed and resembles parchment paper in structure.
The rim represents the expansion area of the spot. This is the skin that is already inflamed, but not peeling yet. After a while, it will also be covered with scales. And the patch will expand to cover new areas of the skin and form a new wider rim.
With active development of the disease, adjacent spots merge with each other. At some point, one large, inflamed red spot may form on the human body.
Psoriatic plaques are very itchy, giving a person unpleasant sensations, disrupting his work, rest and sleep. They grow, take up a large area, and form a new rash on clean, healthy skin.
The main sign of the progressive stage is the appearance of new rashes. As soon as new pimples and spots stop appearing, the next stage of psoriasis begins - stationary. This is not yet a complete victory, but it is already a turn towards recovery.
In the stage of progression, psoriasis is almost always accompanied by weakness, fatigue, weakness. Depression is common. Temperature possible.
Note: some medical theories say the opposite. Depression is not a consequence of psoriasis. And psoriasis is a consequence of neurology, depressive psyche.
The duration of the progressive stage of psoriasis can be long, several months.
Psoriasis: stationary stage
The main sign of the stationary stage is the cessation of the appearance of new spots and rashes. At the same time, itching also decreases, it becomes more bearable. The rash loses its bright color, becomes discolored, becomes invisible. This is also one of the signs that the process is stabilizing.
The pink bands around the perimeter of the plaques disappear as the inflammation stops spreading. Active exfoliation and healing begins, regeneration of new healthy skin.
It is noticeable to the naked eye that peeling increases in the stationary stage. The scales completely cover the entire surface of the psoriatic spot, leaving no space for the rims.
Psoriasis takes on the characteristic scaly appearance that is commonly recognized by the general public. Extensive peeling in the stationary stage is not dangerous.
When all the dead cells come off the surface of the psoriatic spot, healthy skin with a slight light shade will remain in their place.
Other signs of progression or stabilization
In addition to the appearance of the rash, spots and scaling, there are a number of other signs that can be used to judge the development of the disease. This is the nature of itching sensations (strong or tolerable), general condition, depressed mood. And also the presence of temperature.
In the initial stage, itching is variable, and the rash is incomprehensible. Further, the itching intensifies every day. In the acute stage of psoriasis, it becomes intolerable. Disrupts sleep, rest, interferes with work. The person becomes irritable because the itching sensations do not give him the opportunity to rest.
In the stationary stage, itching subsides. Every day - a person feels better. The general state of the psyche changes, negativity and depressive moods weaken. The duration of the stationary stage is several weeks - from 2 to 5.
Psoriasis in the attenuation stage
The fading stage of psoriasis is the almost complete disappearance of plaques, spots, redness, inflammation, itching.
At this stage of the disease, psoriasis is only reminiscent of different skin pigmentation. In place of the former psoriatic spots, it looks lighter. The surface of healthy skin has a darker shade.
In some cases, the so-called hyperpigmentation is formed. The skin at the site of psoriasis spots does not become lighter, but darker. In any case, differences in skin pigmentation will be visible for another one to two months.
Psoriasis after recovery: the possibility of relapse
The possibility of psoriasis recurrence is determined by the person's lifestyle, his diet, allergic mood, the state of the body as a whole. It is also determined by the amount of toxins in his body, blood, liver. You can reduce the likelihood of repeated skin inflammation if you strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body of toxins in the liver, blood vessels, and intestines.
Seasonal relapses of psoriasis are often rare after cleansing. A person remains susceptible to illness, but the likelihood of its occurrence is noticeably reduced.
Cleansing the body of toxins and taking vitamin and mineral complexes help to boost immunity. This is especially important if immunosuppressants were used during the treatment, in the progressive stage of psoriasis. Their need was due to the work of inflammatory mediators. After suppressing the autoimmune defense, it is necessary to restore the immune system.