Psoriasis is an autoimmune non-infectious disease characterized by severe redness, inflammation and peeling of the skin. Treatment of the disease is difficult and has a wave character - it continues with remissions and relapses. It is especially unpleasant when it affects the face, because this part of the body cannot be covered with clothes. Psoriasis on the face brings not only itching and discomfort associated with skin irritation, but also moral depression due to the attitude of others who do not understand that this disease is not contagious.
Do you have psoriasis on your face?
In most cases, psoriatic skin lesions affect the scalp, elbows and knees, neck, armpits, and groin. Can psoriasis be on the face? Maybe, but this form is considered atypical and rare.
Psoriasis can be vulgar (common) and seborrheic. The second form, which is considered more severe due to particularly dense large papules, as well as scales covered with a yellowish layer of sebum, is the face that is often affected.
Factors contributing to the development of the disease
Doctors still cannot come to a general opinion about the causes of skin pathology, but they suggest that psoriasis is caused by:
- autoimmune disorders;
- metabolic disorders.
Autoimmune disorders occur due to insufficient functioning of the immune system, when it begins to aggressively attack its own body. The tendency to such disorders is hereditary, autosomal dominant or recessive.
Metabolic disorders are provoked by nervous tension, malnutrition, chronic infections, pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, and hormonal disorders. Also, the cause of improper metabolism can be uncomfortable climatic conditions and bad habits.
Psoriasis cannot occur on the face for just one reason. It usually causes many unfavorable factors. In a separate group, doctors identify factors that increase the likelihood of the manifestation of pathology:
- chronic inflammation;
- exchange failures;
- weakening of the immune system;
- hidden infections;
- regular skin damage (the main cause of psoriasis on the nose and other prominent places);
- severe or prolonged stress;
- freezing and overheating;
- poisoning, including alcoholism;
- uncontrolled intake of antibiotics, beta-blockers and antiviral drugs.
What does psoriasis look like on the face: types
There are two types of psoriasis on the face:
- Occurs at a young age - up to 40 years. The peak of the disease occurs between 16-24 years of age. Early pathology is often generalized, aggravated, difficult to treat and often relapses.
- It affects people over 40 years of age. The peak of the disease occurs at the age of 55-60. This type is less persistent, the symptoms are not as strong as in the previous version, it is easier, it is better treated.
There are two main types of psoriasis on the face: vulgar and seborrheic. Vulgaris is diagnosed in most patients and rarely affects the face. For such a place, seborrheic psoriasis is more characteristic, it often relapses, it is more difficult to treat and it is characterized by the maximum severity of symptoms. The papules are especially dense and large, the scales are covered with a layer of sebum and have a yellowish color, so they are very noticeable.
The disease can be localized in the following areas of the face:
- on the cheeks;
- On the nose;
- in the eyelids;
- under the eyes;
- on the eyebrows;
- around the mouth.
Sometimes the disease affects the forehead, less often psoriasis is diagnosed on the lips. In a neglected version, skin defects can extend to the ears.
Clinical stages
Pathology is not sudden, but continues in stages, the stages are called stages. It is advisable to start treatment at the first stage, but for this you need to know how psoriasis started.
The stage of pathology can be determined by symptoms:
- At the very beginning, facial psoriasis appears with papules that look like acne scars. They itch, increase in size, and form dry plaques. The skin under the skin is white.
- Later, the affected skin becomes red, the disease becomes active (sebopsoriasis or seborrheic). This stage is called progressive. The skin is very itchy, painful, scaly, covered with yellow dense crusts.
- Then the affected areas begin to bleed and itch violently. Drops of blood come out after intense scratching. Wound surfaces do not heal. Peeling goes all over the face, itching becomes unbearable.
- After that, the stationary phase begins, during which the growth of papules stops and peeling decreases. The plaques on the face get a bluish color.
- The final stage is regressive. All symptoms gradually disappear. The disease goes into remission, peeling and itching completely disappear, papules and plaques dissolve.
Since psoriasis is chronic, there will definitely be a relapse after remission. The duration of remission is individual and mainly depends on the correct treatment, as well as facial skin care. If the pathology is not treated, various complications can be obtained instead of remission.
Consequences and complications
Complications of skin pathology can be local (the disease spreads to other parts of the body) and systemic. The neglected form of psoriasis often turns into arthritis, and if it spreads to the eyelids and ears, it can lead to blindness and deafness. Also, comorbidities worsen in patients: diabetes, hypertension, obesity, Crohn's syndrome, heart failure. Therefore, timely treatment is very important.
How to treat psoriasis on the face
It is impossible to completely cure the disease, because it is chronic, but remission can be achieved for many years. For this, psoriasis treatment on the face should be complete - complex, consisting of the following procedures:
- vitamin therapy;
- hormonal and non-hormonal therapy with special drugs that have a systemic and local effect;
- physiotherapy;
- maintain a proper diet;
- folk remedies.
Before treatment, it is recommended to consult a dermatologist and undergo a set of standard tests to determine the characteristics of the pathology. Therapy is selected individually and begins with special preparations against psoriasis.
Preparations
Especially with a complex course, the first flare is treated with systemic drugs. Retinoids quickly and powerfully fight the manifestations of psoriasis on the face. They stop pathological cell division, so the development of the disease stops and goes into remission.
Antiallergic drugs will help reduce itching, redness, inflammation and swelling (symptomatic treatment). A medicine containing succinic acid can speed up skin regeneration and improve its condition. Injections of group B vitamins are prescribed for general strengthening of the body. Instead of injections, children can be given a vitamin complex in the form of tablets.
If drugs are ineffective, the most powerful immunosuppressant drug against psoriatic rashes is used instead. It is used as a last resort due to the high probability of side effects.
In mild forms of the disease, as well as in childhood psoriasis, they try to treat it with local drugs - ointments, creams, gels.
How to rub psoriasis on the face, the doctor will tell you. It is usually defined as:
- ointment with salicylic acid 0, 5%;
- tar and sulfur-based ointment, at least 10% (active ingredient concentration);
- naphthalene cream 5%;
- glucocorticoid drug;
- non-hormonal herbal cream based on oil.
Creams and gels, as well as similar preparations for local application, are applied to skin defects 2-4 times a day until the symptoms disappear completely. Hormonal and non-hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the effectiveness of drug treatment:
- non-hormonal - creams based on shark oil, vitamin F, natural oils and medicinal plants, ointment with calcipotriol;
- hormonal ointments for psoriasis.
In addition to the listed drugs, it is important to take sedative drugs (valerian, motherwort), because stress aggravates the symptoms. Physiotherapy is prescribed after the pathological transition to a quiet stage:
- UV to accelerate skin regeneration;
- radiotherapy against itching and inflammation;
- ultrasound to reduce redness and swelling;
- magnetotherapy to improve metabolic processes.
Treatment with folk remedies
How to treat psoriasis of the skin, traditional medicine recommends. Masks will help to quickly remove psoriasis from the face at home:
- from dry chamomile infusion - brew the flowers, strain, soak the gauze in the solution and apply to the face, keep for 20 minutes;
- from aloe - cut the leaf and rub the affected areas of the face with its juice;
- from turmeric - the spice is diluted with water to a soft state and applied to the plaques. It should be kept for 8-12 hours.
Face masks can be done every day or every day before going to bed for 2-4 weeks. Then it is recommended to take a short break, after which the course of treatment can be repeated.
Another powerful remedy for psoriasis on the face is concentrated essential oils (coconut, sea buckthorn, juniper). It is recommended to add the oils to the care cream or to the water for washing. They soften, nourish and moisturize the skin, facilitate the peeling of seborrheic psoriasis.
It is well neutralized with pathological sea salt, it should be added to masks, washing water and scrubs. Alternative treatment methods will not replace the official ones, but they will help to significantly speed up the healing process. It is recommended to combine such treatment with the use of pharmaceutical preparations.
Diet and lifestyle
All patients (even children) should follow a diet that eliminates all potential allergens: citrus fruits, coffee, chocolate, colorful vegetables, seafood. If psoriasis is on the forehead or cheeks, then you should definitely avoid sugar and starchy foods.
Also, the problem can be solved by giving up bad habits - alcohol addiction and smoking. Even after the disease goes into remission, it is necessary to maintain the right lifestyle.
Facial skin care
Care of problematic skin of the face should be done carefully, regularly and correctly. For maintenance, it is better to use a daily facial moisturizer that contains vitamin D. It will improve the quality of the skin, soften it and saturate it with nutrients for recovery. You will also need:
- avoid actively rubbing the skin with a towel (it is better to wipe your face after washing with paper napkins);
- do not use decorative cosmetics for the face during relapses, especially in the hot season;
- do not peel or damage the skin by peeling;
- replace razors with electric shavers (advice for men);
- regularly protect the skin of the face from the ultraviolet rays of the sun with the help of special creams and hats.
Is it possible to sunbathe with psoriasis on open areas of the body? No, the affected skin should be protected from the sun, especially during the acute phase, as ultraviolet rays can cause complications.
Despite the specific nature of psoriasis on the face, with a comprehensive, competent approach to treatment, if all the doctor's recommendations are followed, the prognosis for achieving a long remission will be favorable.