Psoriasis is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbations. Inflammation of the skin occurs in several stages: initial, progressive, stationary, regressive. This separation will aid in diagnosis and proper therapy.
Interesting to know
Psoriasis is a genetic disease. About 10% of the population has characteristic DNA disorders, and only 2% of them show signs of a disorder of the functioning of the skin.
The following factors provoke the appearance of pathology:
- severe emotional stress;
- injuries;
- alcohol abuse, smoking;
- unbalanced diet;
- infectious and other diseases;
- certain drugs;
- endocrine diseases;
- predisposition to allergies;
Due to an incorrect response of the immune system, which reacts to the epidermal tissue as to foreign elements, the first signs of the disease appear. Consider the stages of psoriasis, its symptoms and treatment regimens.
The initial stage of psoriasis
The first sign isthe appearance of a pimple(papules). Rounded shape, reddish or pink color. On the lower limbs, due to slow blood flow, manifestations of a bluish tinge may occur. Papular formations are small, the size of a pinhead.
The early stage is characterized bymany papulesthat have well-defined boundaries. Whitish scales also appear. They are easily separated from the surface by touch. Papules can merge into one, forming larger elements.
During early remission, the rash turns pale. The affected areas of the skin are partially 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 be used to diagnose psoriasis:
- when scraped, the surface of the plaque becomes whitish, resembles a rubbed drop of stearin, the scales flake off;
- if you continue to scrape off the stain and remove the scales, a shiny red surface will appear;
- when scraping small blood drops appear.
Progressive stage of psoriasis
During the progressive stage of psoriasis, the following symptoms appear:
- Papules turn red, continuing to become covered with white scales. They peel off with ease, under them you can see a smooth layer of reddened skin. When damaged, blood appears.
- With exacerbation, papular elements grow, merging. They are clearly different from healthy skin areas.
- Itching worse. But it passes during the transition of the process to the stationary phase. Painful and obsessive itching that interferes with sleep and daily activities. If you just scratch the cover, injuries and new plaques will appear. The appearance of new plaques at the site of injury is Koebner's syndrome. The number of itching manifestations increases gradually, covers the body, limbs, head.
- There are no scales at the edges of the plaques, they are hyperemic, which indicates the continuation of the inflammatory process.
Consequences
Psoriasis can have a negative effect on joints (psoriatic arthritis). Then there are severe pains in the joints, their deformation, if the process is left without treatment.
Stationary stage of psoriasis
The main feature of the stationary stage of psoriasis is that new elements stop appearing. Positive changes come with the right treatment.
Clinical manifestations:
- itching disappears;
- there are no injuries (the Koebner symptom goes away);
- flaking may increase.
All spots stop developing. If during the progressive stage the plaques had a border without scales, then during the stationary stage the entire inflamed surface of the integument will peel off, it will acquire a characteristic psoriatic look.
Scales are characteristic of the last stage of inflammation. At the beginning of the development of pathology, the scales do not keep up with the progressive growth of plaques and cannot cover them completely. In half of the cases, apseudoatrophic corollaappears.
Pseudoatrophic corolla
Looks like a light rim around the element, which has a structure reminiscent of rough tissue paper, consisting of a stratum corneum and not exceeding two millimeters in width.
Regressive stage of psoriasis
In the regressive stage of psoriasis, the psoriatic cycle ends. Salient Features:
- the exacerbation process stops, the inflammation goes away;
- plaques gradually dissolve;
- peeling stops, the elements of the rash are flattened;
- the rash becomes pale pink, gradually discolored;
- papules may still remain on the arms and elbows.
No scarring or atrophy of the affected area remains. At the site of the rash, temporary hyperpigmentation or areas that are devoid of pigment may occur.
Remission occurs after complex therapy.The relief period is individual. The latent disease can last for several months, or even years. Exacerbations more often occur in winter, with the exception of only a few forms of psoriasis.
Treatment of psoriasis at different stages
Therapy of any form of psoriasis consists in general and local treatment, physiotherapy, and dietary adjustment. At an early stage of therapy, it is necessary:
- give up bad habits;
- strictly follow a therapeutic diet;
- use ointments that contain vitamins A, D3, hormones;
- use systemic and sedative medications;
- undergo ultraviolet therapy.
If the plaques are located on the head, the doctor prescribes shampoos based on tar, zinc, selenium sulfide.
All funds must be used as directed by a doctor. Long-term use of drugs (especially with tar) can irritate the skin. Funds should be changed every 7 days.
Early psoriasis treatment
Effectiveness of early treatment interventions depends on when the patient goes to the doctor and starts treatment.
Early therapy in most cases helps to prevent the transition of the disease to a chronic form.
Experts recommend using salicylic acid ointment. It is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drug that has a beneficial effect on the affected skin areas. With the help of a keratolytic effect, the ointment will cleanse the plaque from the keratinized parts of the integument. Naphthalene ointment will help relieve itching.
Drugs are usually prescribed:
- based on tar;
- based on solid oil;
- oil based.
Not so long ago there were drops and oil for psoriasis. The tool is able to soothe the skin, moisturize it, prevent the skin from drying out, and relieve puffiness. The preparation contains ubiquinone, beta-carotene, beaver fat, propolis, pumpkin seed oil and other components, with the help of which the number of plaques decreases, they become less, the skin is better hydrated. It is recommended to use in combination with other medications and after consultation with a specialist.
Treatment of psoriasis at a progressive stage
Therapy should be comprehensive and careful. The clinical picture is quite difficult, treatment should be trusted only by specialists. Patients are helped by intravenous and intramuscular administration of special drugs. Sorbents help remove toxins from the body.
Manifestations remove salicylic acid ointment, emollient emulsions. They moisturize and reduce inflammation. During an exacerbation, drugs with tar in the composition or other irritating components should not be used.
Physiotherapy procedures (PUVA therapy, ultraviolet irradiation, paraffin applications) are best performed during the period of inflammation reduction. Corticosteroids and cytostatics are prescribed only when the processes are particularly complex.
Prescribe antihistamines (reducing the development of an allergic reaction), sedatives (soothing), anti-inflammatory, keratolytics (emollient), diuretics (relieve swelling, remove toxins).
Treatment of psoriasis at the stationary stage
The patient needs a slight correction of therapy. Usually prescribed shampoos with tar, emulsions with oil, calcipotriol. Systemic therapy is used when the disease affects large areas of the integument. Ultraviolet irradiation and the PUVA technique are widely used.
If there is no effect, some cytotoxic drugs are prescribed. In severe cases, the patient is prescribed an immunosuppressant, cytotastic.
Treatment of psoriasis at the regressive stage
Therapy at the last stage of psoriasis should be comprehensive, adjusted by a specialist. Therapy is gradually canceled, replaced by preventive measures. Treatment at all stages is carried out carefully, in no case should the rash be damaged.
Compliance with the strictest diet and lifestyle correction is of particular importance. Stress can be a powerful provoking factor, significantly aggravating the condition at the onset of the disease.
In combination with drug therapy, rashes on the hands can be treated with baths with sea salt or mixed baby cream with the powder of a series, lubricate the plaques with this mixture.
Additional therapies
A patient with psoriasis has a lack of vitamins, which affect the regulation of metabolic processes, have a blood-purifying, sedative, restorative effect.
The vitamin complex should contain B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid and others. They are prescribed internally, intramuscularly, and also in droppers.
Dividing pathology into various stages is a conditional measure that helps specialists to correctly identify a particular stage, facilitates diagnosis and treatment. It is impossible to completely get rid of psoriasis, but if all the rules of complex treatment are observed, with systematic preventive measures, the disease can be latent for a long time and not interfere with a person's life to the fullest.