Stages of psoriasis

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 appropriate 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 disturbance in the functioning of the skin.

The following factors provoke the appearance of pathologies:

  • strong emotional stress;
  • injuries;
  • alcohol abuse, smoking;
  • unbalanced diet;
  • infectious and other diseases;
  • certain drugs;
  • endocrine diseases;
  • predisposition to allergies;

Due to a poor response of the immune system, which reacts to the epidermal tissue as 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 initial stage of psoriasis

The first sign isthe appearance of a pimple(papules). Rounded shape, reddish or pink color. On the lower extremities, due to slow blood flow, manifestations of a bluish tint may occur. Papular formations are small, about the size of a pinhead.

The early stage is characterized bynumerous papuleswhich have well-defined boundaries. Whitish scales also appear. They are easily separated from the surface to the touch. The papules may merge into one, forming larger pieces.

At the onset of remission, the lesions turn 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 scratched, the surface of the plaque becomes whitish, looks like a drop of stearin rubbed, the scales peel off;
  • if you keep scratching the stain and removing the scales, a shiny red surface will appear;
  • when scratching, small drops of blood appear.

Progressive stage of psoriasis

During the progressive phase of psoriasis, the following symptoms appear:

  • The papules turn red, continuing to cover with white scales. They peel off easily, under them you can see a smooth layer of reddened skin. When damaged, blood appears.
  • With the exacerbation, the papular elements grow, merge. They are clearly different from areas of healthy skin.
  • Worse itching. But this passes during the transition of the process to the stationary phase. Painful, 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 the injury is Koebner syndrome. The number of manifestations of itching gradually increases, covers the body, limbs, head.
  • There are no scales on the edges of the plaques, 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 is left untreated.

Stationary stage of psoriasis

The main characteristic of the stationary stage of psoriasis is that new elements stop appearing. Positive changes come with the right treatment.

Stationary stage of psoriasis

Clinical manifestations:

  • the itching goes away;
  • there are no injuries (Koebner's symptom goes away);
  • The scaling of
  • may increase.

All spots stop growing. If in the progressive stage the plaques had a border without scales, then during the stationary phase the entire inflamed surface of the integument peels off, it acquires a characteristic psoriatic appearance.

Scales are characteristic of the later stage of inflammation. At the beginning of the development of pathology, the scales do not follow the gradual growth of the plaques and cannot completely cover them. In half of the cases, apseudoatrophic corollaappears.

Pseudoatrophic corolla

Looks like a light edge around the element, which has a structure reminiscent of rough tissue paper, made of a stratum corneum and no more than two millimeters in width.

Regressive stage of psoriasis

In the regressive stage of psoriasis, the psoriatic cycle ends. Main features:

  • the exacerbation process stops, the inflammation disappears;
  • The
  • plates gradually dissolve;
  • the peeling stops, the elements of the rash are flattened;
  • the rash turns pale pink, gradually fading;
  • papules may still remain on the arms and elbows.

There are no scars or atrophy left in the affected area. At the site of the rash, temporary hyperpigmentation or areas devoid of pigment may occur.

Remission occurs after complex treatment. The relief period is individual. Latent disease can last for several months or even years. Exacerbations occur more often in winter, with the exception of only a few forms of psoriasis.

Treatment of psoriasis at different stages

Treatment for any form of psoriasis consists of 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 containing vitamins A, D3, hormones;
  • use systemic and sedative drugs;
  • undergo UV treatment.

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 a physician. Long-term use of medications (especially with tar) can irritate the skin. The funds must be changed every 7 days.

Early treatment of psoriasis

The effectiveness of early treatment interventions depends on when the patient goes to the doctor and begins treatment.

Early treatment in most cases helps prevent the disease from transitioning 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. Using a keratolytic effect, the ointment will clean the plaque from the keratinized parts of the integument. Naphthalene ointment will help relieve itching.

Medicines are usually prescribed:

tar-based
  • ;
  • based on solid oil;
  • oil based.

Not so long ago there were drops and oil for psoriasis. The tool is capable of soothing the skin, moisturizing it, preventing the skin from drying out and relieving 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 becomeless, the skin is better hydrated. It is recommended to use it in combination with other drugs and after consultation with a specialist.

Treatment of progressive psoriasis

Therapy should be comprehensive and careful. The clinical picture is quite difficult, the treatment should be trusted only to specialists. Patients are helped by the intravenous and intramuscular administration of special drugs. Absorbents help flush toxins from the body.

Manifestations remove salicylic acid ointment, emollient emulsions. They hydrate 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-inflammatories, keratolytics (emollient), diuretics (relieve swelling, eliminate toxins).

Treatment of stationary psoriasis

The patient needs a slight correction of the 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 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 regressive stage psoriasis

The treatment 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.

Of particular importance is observance of the strictest diet and correcting the lifestyle. Stress can be a powerful provoking factor that dramatically worsens the condition at the onset of the disease.

In combination with drug therapy, rashes on the hands can be treated with sea salt baths or baby cream mixed with the powder in a series, lubricate the plaques with this mixture.

Additional therapies

A patient with psoriasis lacks vitamins, which affect the regulation of metabolic processes, have a purifying, sedative and restorative effect on the blood.

The vitamin complex should contain B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin A, folic acid and others. They are prescribed internally, intramuscularly and also in dropper form.

Dividing pathology into different stages is a conditional measure that helps specialists 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 followed, with systematic preventive measures, the disease can be latent for a long time and not fully interfere with a person's life. .