Psoriasis

Is psoriasis transmissible or not?

When answering the question whether psoriasis is contagious or not, it should be understood that the disease is not transmitted sexually, nor by airborne droplets, nor by contact, nor by any other means. It is impossible to become infected with it.

Due to the disruption of the process of exfoliation of keratinized skin scales, dry patches appear on the body. You can't die from it, but patients experience serious psychological discomfort because of their appearance.

Causes of psoriasis

The exact causes of psoriasis have not yet been established. There are different theories about the development of the disease. Experts are inclined to believe that damage to the skin and nails can be caused by:

• stress, negative emotional experiences;
• endocrine pathologies;
• hereditary predisposition;
• a dysfunction of the immune system, due to which the processes of growth and division of epithelial cells are disrupted.

The autoimmune cause of psoriasis is that T helper and T killer immune cells, normally responsible for protecting the body against tumor cells, disease-causing viruses and bacteria, begin to penetrate the upper layers of the skin. Here they produce substances that activate the inflammatory process. As a result, skin cells begin to divide and multiply rapidly. A proliferation is observed.

The development of psoriasis is also possible thanks to the combined action of several factors from the list below:

• Very thin and poorly hydrated skin (little sebum is produced).
• Frequent contact with irritating compounds - poor-quality cosmetics, alcohol solutions, household chemicals.
• Washing your body and hands too often (especially if you use a harsh washcloth and antibacterial soap/shower gel).
• Alcohol abuse.
• The development of infectious diseases caused by staphylococci, streptococci and fungi.
• Take antidepressants, lithium carbonate, beta blockers, antimalarial and anticonvulsant medications.
• Change of climatic zone.
• Mechanical injury to the skin.
• Tendency to allergic reactions.
• HIV infection.

Disease classification

If you study various photos of psoriasis in the initial stage, you will notice differences - there are several varieties of this dermatological pathology. Depending on the location of the lesion, it happens:

• Scalp psoriasis (manifested by itching, cracking and bleeding of the skin).
• Nail psoriasis (the nail plate gradually separates from the bed and becomes painful, red spots form on it).
• Palmoplantar psoriasis (the disease is common only on the soles of the feet and/or palms).
• Skin psoriasis (dry patches appear on different parts of the body).
• Arthropathic psoriasis (the joints are affected).
• Genital psoriasis (disease affecting the skin of the genitals).

Clinical forms of psoriasis:

• Ordinary or vulgar. It appears as small, flat pink-red papules that rise slightly above healthy skin. The tops of the papules are covered with light scales that begin to fall off even with light touch. If treatment of psoriasis is not started on time, small lesions turn into large ones.
• Exudative. It is more common in people with obesity, hypothyroidism and diabetes. Symptoms of psoriasis of this form are as follows: the papules are bright red in color, with yellow-gray scales visible above them. Plaques affect skin folds - armpits, the area under the mammary glands in women. Patients complain of itching and burning.
• Seborrheic. Psoriasis is seen on the head, behind the ear, nasolabial and nasolabial folds, between the shoulder blades and on the chest. Spot boundaries are not clearly defined. The flaking is silvery yellow. If you look at a photo of psoriasis on the head, associations will appear with such a common fungal disease as dandruff.
• Palmoplantar. The disease occurs in people aged 30 to 50, whose work involves heavy physical labor. With this form, rashes may also appear on the body.
• Pustular. Pustular elements form on the body. In medicine, an additional type of pustular form is identified: Tsumbusch psoriasis. It can be idiopathic (primary) - blisters appear on the skin, which turn into pustules. The pustules open and dry out. Later, scaly rashes typical of the disease appear on them. And also secondary with a benign evolution. In this case, pustules appear on the surface of typical psoriatic plaques due to the irritating effect of medications.
  Another type of pustular form is Barber's psoriasis. It only affects the soles of the feet and palms. Purulent pustules are visualized on the skin. They do not open and over time turn into dark, dry crusts. Barber's psoriasis is distinguished by the symmetry of the lesion.
• Arthropathic (articular). Severe form. Occurs in patients with skin rashes. It generally occurs five to six years after the first symptoms of the disease appear, if treatment of psoriasis was inadequate. Pathologies of the joint system can be different, ranging from mild arthralgia not leading to changes in the joint system, to deforming ankylosis (the joint becomes completely immobile).
• Psoriatic erythroderma. It is a consequence of vulgar or exudative psoriasis. Almost all skin types are affected. It turns red, dotted with a large number of dry scales. Body temperature rises, enlargement of lymph nodes (especially femoral and inguinal) is observed. If the patient is not taught how to treat psoriasis, hair loss and brittle nails are possible.

According to the criterion of seasonal relapses, psoriasis is divided into:

• summer;
• winter (most common);
• uncertain.

Symptoms of psoriasis

Treatment depends on the predominant symptoms of psoriasis. That is why, at the first appointment, the doctor conducts a thorough examination of the patient and carefully examines the location of the psoriatic lesions.

Most often the disease manifests itself in winter. In summer, under the influence of solar radiation, the signs of psoriasis can disappear completely. However, with the "summer" form of the pathology, on the contrary, exposure to the sun must be avoided. During an exacerbation, the patient complains of very intense itching. Damage to the nail plates is observed in only 25% of patients.

When there is a scalp disease, the hair is not involved in the disease process. First, the skin starts to peel off. Over time, areas of rash may "spread" to the neck area, behind the ears. The inflammatory process is caused by the very rapid division of keratinocytes.

With psoriasis of the palms and feet, the stratum corneum thickens and becomes covered with deep cracks. A photo of psoriasis in the initial stage shows pustules with transparent contents. Later, they turn white and turn into dark scars.
As for the nail plates, the most common types of damage are:

• The nail becomes covered with pits that look like puncture marks ("thimble type").
• The nail changes color and begins to peel off, which resembles a fungal disease. A psoriatic papule surrounded by a red border is visible through the nail plate.

Stages of psoriasis

Despite the fact that there is still debate about what psoriasis is and what exactly can trigger its appearance, the stages of the disease have already been well studied. There is three :

• Progressive (initial). New growths appear on the surface of the skin in the form of a rash, which tends to develop along the periphery. They spread on healthy skin and form oval or round plaques. The spots are pink or red. There is no flaky crust on it yet - only whitish scales. The edges of the lesions are slightly compacted. As a result of scratching, new rashes appear.
• Stationary. Occurs one to four weeks after the first symptoms of psoriasis. The plates become lighter. New rashes do not appear, old ones slowly dissolve. Papules heal in the direction from the center to the edges, which is why their shape becomes annular. The entire surface of the healing lesions is covered with white, scaly scales.
• Regressive (discoloration). The color of psoriatic plaques becomes almost indistinguishable from that of healthy skin. Itching is minimized. Around the lesions a "Voronov necklace" forms, which is a ring of dense keratinized skin layers. If the patient uses high-quality ointment for psoriasis, the regression phase lasts about a month. Otherwise, the "fading" process can take up to six months.

The task of a patient who has been diagnosed with psoriasis is to keep the disease in remission at all times.

If you notice similar symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. It is easier to prevent an illness than to deal with its consequences.

How is psoriasis diagnosed?

A dermatologist diagnoses psoriasis. The intervention is based on an external examination, an assessment of the condition of the skin and nails and a study of the location of the lesions. No additional tests are prescribed for obvious symptoms. If difficulties arise in making a diagnosis, a skin sample is taken from the inflamed area (biopsy), which is studied in the laboratory.

If there are complaints about joint pain, an x-ray is taken. A blood test is also ordered to make sure there are no other types of arthritis. To rule out a fungal infection, a potassium hydroxide test is performed.

How to cure psoriasis

The treatment of psoriasis is complex. He understands:

• general therapy;
• local therapy;
• physiotherapy.

Before determining how to treat psoriasis, a dermatologist determines the stage of the disease, its clinical form and the extent of the process. When prescribing medications, the patient's age and the presence of concomitant diseases are taken into account. Usually, the safest drugs for health, characterized by the minimum number of side effects, are selected first. If they do not ensure the passage of psoriasis to the regression stage, the treatment is adjusted.

Systemic medications for psoriasis

Medications taken by mouth help with moderate to severe stages of psoriasis. These include:

• Vitamin A derivatives (retinoids). Reduce the rate of maturation of keratinocytes. Normalize cell differentiation and maturation.
• Immunosuppressants. Reduce the activity of T lymphocytes, which cause increased division of epidermal cells.
• Medicines for the treatment of malignant tumors. Inhibits the reproduction and growth of atypical skin cells.

Physiotherapy for psoriasis

Physiotherapeutic procedures significantly improve the well-being of patients with psoriasis. In some cases, they allow you to stop taking medications altogether. The most commonly used:

• Selective phototherapy. The affected skin is irradiated with UV rays with a wavelength of 280 to 320 nm. From 15 to 35 procedures are prescribed.
• Photochemotherapy (PUVA therapy). The method involves the combined use of a photosensitizer internally and long-wave UV irradiation externally. Ultraviolet rays penetrate deep into the skin, and the photosensitizer blocks the process of DNA synthesis of skin cells and reduces the rate of their division. The duration of the course is 20-30 procedures.
• Laser therapy. Laser radiation of different wavelengths is used. The laser provides accelerated resorption of plaques and eliminates the formation of scars in their place.
• Use of monochromatic ultraviolet radiation. Each lesion is treated in turn with a lamp/laser source of UV radiation. Healthy skin is not affected. The method is optimal if less than 10% of the skin is affected. The duration of treatment is 15 to 30 sessions.
• Electrosleep. There is a mild effect of electrical impulses on the brain for 20 to 60 minutes. As a result, the patient calms down, the functioning of the central nervous system normalizes, and the psoriatic plaques begin to resolve.
  Ultrasound therapy. It is a decongestant, antipruritic and analgesic. Accelerates the resorption of scars. If necessary, it can be combined with phonophoresis. To obtain a therapeutic effect, 7 to 14 sessions are necessary.
• Magnetic therapy (Betatron device). It has a general healing effect on the body. Relieves inflammation, reduces itching and burning, helps eliminate joint pain.
• Bee venom treatment. Using an electrophoresis or ultrasound machine, bee venom is injected into the body. It is characterized by a resolving and anti-inflammatory effect, normalizes metabolic processes.
• Hyperthermia. Tissues affected by psoriasis are heated with pads containing a thermal mixture up to a temperature of 40 degrees. The treatment helps improve the functioning of the immune system and reduce the negative impact of the disease on the skin.

Ointments for the treatment of psoriasis

According to reviews, treatment of psoriasis with ointments can give excellent results if the drug is correctly selected. From the first symptoms, non-hormonal formulations are prescribed:

• salicylic ointment (makes the skin soft, relieves inflammation, removes dead epidermal cells);
• anthralin (slows down DNA synthesis, reduces the activity of cellular enzymes, slows down the process of cell division);
• sulfur ointment (disinfects, softens, removes white plaque from lesions);
• naphthalan ointment (relieves itching, relieves pain, normalizes immune reactions).

If treatment of psoriasis with non-hormonal ointments does not give the expected effect, hormonal drugs or strong ointments containing the following glucocorticoids are prescribed:

• Hydrocortisone. Removes the feeling of tightness and itching. Suppresses increased activity of leukocytes, prevents their movement into the skin.
• Flumethasone. Helps fight against the exudative form of psoriasis. It is characterized by pronounced antiallergic, anti-inflammatory and antipruritic effects.
• Triamcinolone acetonide. Has antipruritic and anti-inflammatory effects. Indicated during periods of exacerbation.

Scalp psoriasis occurs in 50% of patients and causes the most severe discomfort. If you are sick, avoid hair dryers, gels and hair sprays. It is important that the hairpins and comb do not scratch the skin. Otherwise, epidemics will start to spread.

Treatment of scalp psoriasis is carried out using:

• UV comb (promotes the formation of profiled skin cells from keratinocytes, thanks to which existing plaques are reabsorbed).
• Photochemotherapy (UVR associated with Beroxan, Puvalen and Psoralen).
• Medicinal shampoos (Tana, Nizoral, Friederm tar). It is advisable to purchase several different products and alternate them. This will avoid dependence.
• Salicylic ointment (apply to the lines, cover the head with cellophane and leave for two hours).
• Hormonal lotions (Belosalik, Elokom, Diprosalik). Contains steroid hormones. Easily applies to the scalp and effectively eliminates flaking and itching.
• Kirkazon decoction (normalizes the process of cell division of the skin, cleanses).

The effect of any scalp treatment is observed after a few weeks, so there is no need to interrupt the treatment after several sessions.

Treatment of psoriasis at home with folk remedies

To permanently cure psoriasis at home, if it is a mild form of the disease, folk remedies help:

• Herbal tea made from dandelion roots, St. John's wort or nettle leaves.
• Therapeutic baths with the addition of a decoction of string, soap or yarrow.
• Wipe the affected areas with cabbage brine, celandine juice and birch tar.
  Garlic infusion compresses.

Also, according to reviews, treating psoriasis with hydrogen peroxide can give good results. It is necessary to lubricate psoriatic plaques twice a day with a cotton swab dipped in a three percent solution. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the symptoms and can take up to two months.

Diet for psoriasis

Products authorized for exacerbation of psoriasis are:

• fruits (apples, apricots, peaches);
• Juice;
• vegetables (beets, potatoes, radishes, watermelon, pumpkin);
• greenery;
• berries (all except red);
• lean meats (beef, veal, turkey, rabbit) – up to 200 grams per day;
• nuts;
• lean fish;
• fermented milk products, cottage cheese and cheeses;
• whole wheat bread;
• sea kale.

People with psoriasis should not eat:

• smoked dishes;
• goldfish;
• animal fats;
• eggs;
• pork and duck meat;
• bakery products.

It is prohibited to drink coffee, carbonated and alcoholic drinks. It is advisable to limit your sugar consumption. To cleanse the body, it is recommended to carry out fasting days twice a week - vegetable, apple or kefir.

Is psoriasis dangerous?

Psoriasis is a serious but not fatal disease. This reduces the quality of life because its appearance is unsightly. Patches on the body prevent patients from working in shifts or resting. They often cause limitation of movement and difficulty performing simple physical tasks. Untimely treatment of psoriasis can lead to damage to the organs of vision and joints.

It is impossible to completely cure psoriasis. It is a chronic dermatological disease which must always be kept in a "dormant" state.

Risk group

The risk group includes people who have:

• chronic skin diseases;
• skin injuries;
• disorders of the central nervous system and autonomic system.

Prevention

To prevent the disease, doctors recommend:

• moisturize the skin;
• avoid long stays in cold and dry rooms;
• do not take beta blockers and lithium (except in extreme cases), as they cause psoriasis.

This article is published for educational purposes only and does not constitute scientific material or professional medical advice.