Psoriasis: causes, diagnosis and treatment

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Psoriasis affects about 4% of the population of the globe. It can develop at any age from birth to old age, but is most often psoriasis "loves" the young. This is evidenced by the fact that 70% of patients develop psoriasis before the age of 20 years.

Symptoms of psoriasis: itching, rash, peeling

Who to see: dermatologist

Tests and examinations: biopsy of the skin

Methods of treatment: cryotherapy, PUVA therapy, plasmapheresis

Psoriasis is a chronic non-contagious disease that is most often seen in the form of rashes and peeling of the skin.

Psoriasis affects about 4% of the population of the globe. It can develop at any age from birth to old age, but is most often psoriasis "loves" the young. This is evidenced by the fact that 70% of patients develop psoriasis before the age of 20 years.

If a rash that resembles psoriasis should consult a dermatologist. Rashes represent the itchy scaly plaques of various sizes. When plaque psoriasis can appear on the elbows, knees, scalp or other parts of the body. The doctor can make an accurate diagnosis and, depending on its form, to prescribe treatment.

Causes of psoriasis

Psoriasis is an abnormal reaction of the body to external stimuli, which in some parts of the body the top layer of skin dies a lot faster than normal. If you normally have a cycle distribution and maturation of skin cells takes 3-4 weeks, in psoriasis, this process happens only 4-5 days.

Currently, psoriasis is considered to be hereditary multifactorialnyh disease: on the basis of the disease is not one but a whole host of reasons – immunological changes and metabolic disorders associated with hormonal and neurological disorders. You can say that psoriasis is not contagious, and therefore is not a contagious disease.

Causes of psoriasis are still not completely found. On this score there are many theories.

One theory is that there are two types of psoriasis:

• Psoriasis type I is to appeal to a hereditary defect in the immune system. This form of psoriasis affects about 65% of the people, and the disease occurs in young people, 18 to 25 years.
• Psoriasis type II occurs in people over 40 years. This type of psoriasis is inherited and is not associated with breakdown of the cells of the immune system. In addition, unlike psoriasis, type I, which favors the skin, psoriasis type II more often affects the nails and joints.

According to another theory, the cause of psoriasis are the only immunity disorders is due to several factors: it may be due to stress, or infectious diseases, or cold climate, or poor diet. For example, noted that alcohol can cause exacerbation of psoriasis, especially beer, champagne and spirits. Use products that contain vinegar, pepper, chocolate, also aggravate the disease and can cause exacerbation of psoriasis. According to this theory, psoriasis is a systemic disease. This means that if serious violations of the immune system, the process can spread to the other organs and tissues, e. g., joints. As a result, may develop psoriatricheskii arthritis, which is characterized by damage to the small joints of the hands and feet.

The symptoms of psoriasis

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Symptoms of psoriasis is inflamed, scaly patches of red, accompanied by severe itching. These patches (plaques) are often located on the skin of the scalp, knees and elbow joints of the lower back and places skin folds . About a quarter of patients affected nails.

Depending on the seasonality of exacerbations (worsening of the disease) there are three types of psoriasis: winter, summer, uncertain. General winter type of psoriasis.

During exacerbation, psoriasis symptoms hands, knees, head and also the lower back and places skin folds appear in the form of plaques reddish color. Their sizes vary from a pinhead to a large part of the palm size and more.

Skin rashes are usually accompanied by flaking and painful itching. In the process of peeling of superficial scales are more dense, arranged in depth (hence another name for psoriasis — psoriasis). Sometimes the affected areas the skin appears cracked and festering.

Progressive psoriasis is characterized by the so-called phenomenon kebne in: the development of plaques in areas of trauma or scratching the skin.

About a quarter of patients affected nails. This raises a deeper point and spotting the nail plate. In addition, the nails can utolzhatsya and crumble.

In the summer, under the influence of sunlight, of patients of which is the winter form of psoriasis symptoms subside, and sometimes disappear. Patients summer type of psoriasis, on the contrary, it is recommended to avoid exposure to the sun, as it aggravates the disease.

The diagnosis of psoriasis

Diagnose psoriasis by a dermatologist. It would have been called the appearance of skin lesions similar to psoriasis — tiles in various sizes, red, itchy and scaly. To clarify the diagnosis may require skin biopsy.

Treatment of psoriasis

If the doctor detects a psoriasis in the early stages, it is quite possible you will be given mainly on preventive rather than curative means.

When significant symptoms of the disease following methods will be used in the treatment of psoriasis:

• cryotherapy is a method of cold exposure;
• plasmapheresis - blood cleansing;
• treatment and UV — treatment is short-term procedures, similar to the Solarium. More effective in the treatment of psoriasis this method is often combined with administration of specific medications, PUVA therapy).

In no case do not try to deal with psoriasis treatment uv radiation without your doctor's advice. Psoriasis, small doses of uv light are drugs, and increased — on the contrary, can podhlestnut the development of the disease. The same applies to the sun.

Unfortunately, no one knows how to cure psoriasis completely, because the body to "preserve the memory" of the disease in the form of biochemical, immunological and functional changes. Recurrence of psoriasis can occur at any time, so patients with this diagnosis should always see a dermatologist.