Psoriasis is characterized by periods of remission and worsening. Inflammation of the skin develops in several stages: initial, progressive, stationary, regressive. This separation will help in proper diagnosis and 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 skin dysfunction.
The following factors provoke the onset of pathology:
- severe emotional stress;
- injuries;
- alcohol abuse, smoking;
- unbalanced diet;
- infectious and other diseases;
- certain medicines;
- 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.
Initial stage of psoriasis
The first sign isthe appearance of an acne(papules). Round shape, reddish or pink color. In the lower extremities, due to the slow blood flow, manifestations of a bluish tinge may occur. Papular formations are small, about the size of a pinhead.
The early stage is characterized bymany papulesthat have well-defined borders. White scales also appear. They are easily separated from the touch surface. Papules can coalesce into one, forming larger elements.
During early remission, the lesions become pale. The affected areas of the skin are partially bleached. In children, this stage of psoriasis is often confused with the manifestations of allergies or diathesis. The rash may be accompanied by severe itching. Signs that can be used to diagnose psoriasis:
- when scratched, the surface of the plate turns white, resembling a rubbed stearin dot, the scales peel off;
- if you continue to scratch the stain and remove the scales, a glossy red surface will appear;
- when you clean, small drops of blood appear.
Progressive stage of psoriasis
During the progressive stage of psoriasis the following symptoms appear:
- The papules turn red, continuing to be covered with white scales. They peel easily, under them you can see a soft layer of reddened skin. When damaged, blood appears.
- With deterioration, the papular elements grow, merge. They are clearly different from healthy skin areas.
- Itches 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 simply scratch the cover, new damage and plaque will appear. The appearance of new plaque at the site of injury is Koebner syndrome. The number of manifestations of itching gradually increases, covering the body, limbs, head.
- There are no scales on the edges of the plates, they are hyperemic, which indicates the continuation of the inflammatory process.
Consequences
Psoriasis can have a negative effect on the joints (psoriatic arthritis). Then there is severe pain in the joints, their deformation, if the process remains untreated.
Stationary stage of psoriasis
The main feature of the stationary phase of psoriasis is that new elements stop appearing. Positive changes come with the right treatment.
Clinical manifestations:
- itching disappears;
- no injuries (Koebner's symptom disappears);
- flaking may increase.
All points stop developing. If during the progressive phase the plates had a border without scales, then during the stationary phase the entire glowing surface of the integrum will peel off, it will take on a characteristic psoriatic appearance.
Scales are characteristic of the last stage of inflammation. Early in the development of pathology, the scales do not walk with the progressive growth of plaques and can not completely cover them. In half of the cases, apseudoatrophiccrown appears.
Pseudoatrophic corolla
It looks like a light edge around the element, which has a structure reminiscent of rough tissue paper, consisting of a layer of cornea and not more than two millimeters in width.
Regressive phase of psoriasis
In the regressive phase of psoriasis, the psoriatic cycle ends. Notable features:
- the process of deterioration stops, the inflammation disappears;
- plates gradually melt;
- the skin stops, the redness elements flatten out;
- redness turns pale pink, gradually fades;
- papules may still remain on the hands and elbows.
No scar or atrophy of the affected area remains. At the site of the rash, temporary hyperpigmentation or areas without pigment may occur.
Remission occurs after complex therapy. The assistance period is individual. Latent disease can last for months, or even years. Exacerbations occur most often in the winter, with the exception of only a few forms of psoriasis.
Treatment of psoriasis in different stages
The therapy of any form of psoriasis consists of general and local treatment, physiotherapy and diet adjustment. At an early stage of therapy, it is necessary:
- give up bad habits;
- strictly follow a therapeutic diet;
- use oils 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 should be used as directed by your doctor. Long-term use of medications (especially tar) can irritate the skin. Funds must be changed every 7 days.
Early treatment of psoriasis
The effectiveness of early treatment interventions depends on when the patient shows up and starts treatment.
Early therapy in most cases helps prevent the disease from progressing to a chronic form.
Experts recommend using salicylic oil. It is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial drug that has a beneficial effect on the affected areas of the skin. With the help of a keratolytic effect, the oil will clean the plaque from keratinized parts of integrity. Naphthalene ointment will help relieve itching.
Medications are usually prescribed:
- based on pitch;
- based on solid oil;
- oil based.
Not 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 ease swelling. The preparation contains ubiquinone, beta-carotene, castor fat, propolis, pumpkin seed oil and other ingredients, with the help of which the number of plates is reduced, they become less, the skin is better hydrated. It is recommended to be used in combination with other medicines and after consultation with a specialist.
Treatment of psoriasis in a progressive stage
Therapy should be comprehensive and careful. The clinical picture is quite difficult, treatment should be trusted only by specialists. Patients are assisted by intravenous and intramuscular administration of special drugs. Sorbents help remove toxins from the body.
Manifestations remove salicylic acid oil, emollient emulsions. They hydrate and reduce inflammation. During a deterioration, tar medications or other irritating ingredients should not be used.
Physiotherapy procedures (PUVA therapy, ultraviolet radiation, paraffin applications) are best performed during the period of inflammation reduction. Corticosteroids and cytostatics are prescribed only when the processes are particularly complex.
Prescribe antihistamine (reducing the development of an allergic reaction), sedative (sedative), anti-inflammatory, keratolytic (soothing), diuretic (relieve swelling, remove toxins).
Treatment of psoriasis in the stationary phase
The patient needs a slight correction of the therapy. Usually prescribed shampoos with tar, oil emulsions, calcipotriol. Systemic therapy is used when the disease affects large areas of the component. Ultraviolet radiation and PUVA techniques are widely used.
If there is no effect, some cytotoxic drugs are prescribed. In severe cases, the patient is prescribed an immunosuppressant, cytotoxic.
Treatment of psoriasis in the regressive phase
Therapy in the final stage of psoriasis should be comprehensive, regulated by a specialist. Therapy is gradually canceled, replaced with 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 provocative factor, significantly worsening the condition at the onset of the disease.
In combination with medication therapy, rashes on the hands can be treated with sea salt bath or baby cream mixed with a series of powders, lubricate the tiles with this mixture.
Additional therapies
A patient with psoriasis is deficient in vitamins, which affect the regulation of metabolic processes, have a blood purifying, calming and healing effect.
The vitamin complex should contain B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid and others. They are prescribed internally, intramuscularly and also in droplets.
Dividing the pathology into different stages is a conditional measure that helps specialists accurately identify one or another stage, facilitates diagnosis and treatment. It is impossible to completely get rid of psoriasis, but if all the rules of complex treatment are followed, with systematic preventive measures, the disease can be hidden for a long time and not interfere with a person living a full life.