Psoriasis is a serious disease, despite the fact that it is not life-threatening. Psoriasis is called the chronic disease that affects the skin and nails. It causes redness, itching and the appearance of scaly plaques, which manifests itself at any age, and is difficult to treat. Why appear psoriasis, what complications threatened and, most importantly, how to deal with it?
What do we know about psoriasis and its treatment
Psoriasis is also one of the most studied and one of the most mysterious diseases. Experts have decades of trying to find out its causes, but so far science has no clear answer to the question, why do people suffer from psoriasis.
Psoriasis is not a contagious disease, because it is not a fungus or bacteria, and the reaction of their own immune system. Psoriasis skin cells begin to break down at high speed — if the normal life cycle of cells take about 30 days psoriasis is just 3-5.
The main symptoms of psoriasis: redness, flaking, the appearance of inflamed areas, so-called plaques that itch. In some cases, there are abscesses or small rash. Sometimes psoriasis is almost never manifests himself, and sometimes swelled almost no apparent reason. Most often, psoriasis appears in the bends of the hands and feet, along the hairline, and when the clothing that sits too tight or rubbing; although inflammation can occur in other places.
Statistics
Psoriasis is a fairly common disease, it affects about 3% of the total population of the earth.
There are several types of psoriasis. The most common is vulgaris, or plaque, it is diagnosed in 80% of patients with psoriasis. Teardrop (small rash), pustular (pustules), Palms and soles, and exudative (oozing eczema) are much rarer.
Most patients can detect the first signs of psoriasis at age 15-25 years. Often the impetus for his appearance (and its worsening) are in emotional turmoil. Scientists have linked this phenomenon with the release of the stress hormones — adrenaline and cortisol.
Psoriasis is considered a chronic disease that cannot be cured. However, modern medicine knows how to keep his manifestation to a minimum and reduce the frequency of exacerbations.
Note
Unfortunately, psoriasis can be hereditary. In families where one parent suffers from psoriasis, the probability of having a child with the same disease is 25%. If both parents know this disease first hand, the risk of developing psoriasis in children increases up to 60%.
How to treat psoriasis: current approaches to therapy
Treatment of psoriasis depends on the severity of the disease. In mild cases (if affecting less than 3% of the area of the body) to prescribe medicines for external use — lotions and creams. I recommend also to check the lifestyle and especially diet. In more complex cases, prescribe physical therapy. Oral medications, including those that have a certain toxicity, and hormone therapy is a last resort, used only if other methods of treatment of psoriasis does not help.
Effective methods and techniques in the conservative treatment of psoriasis
There are several ways to fight psoriasis, and for treatment to be successful, it is better to take a holistic approach.
Drug treatment
To fight psoriasis "inside" often prescribe a derivative of vitamin a (retinoids), as well as drugs that reduce the activity of the immune system. Topical treatment of psoriasis using medical ointments and creams that relieve inflammation and itching, promotes the exfoliation of dead skin cells and helps protect damaged skin from fungi and bacteria. This is important, because the disease psoriasis is often complicated accession of secondary infection, which reduces the efficiency of the entire treatment and slow down the process of skin regeneration.
In the most severe cases, often recurrent course of psoriasis, prescribed local hormone therapy (creams and lotions), the so-called TGK (topical corticosteroids). They should be careful — TGK has a number of side effects and contraindications. If you have to apply them on their own initiative, and not according to the strict system and the advice of the doctor, you can aggravate the disease. TGK generally not recommended for use longer than 5 days and is applied to large areas of the skin and sensitive areas (face, neck, skin folds), as these funds can have a systemic effect on the body, can cause withdrawal symptoms and lead to thinning skin and loss of its protective properties, and therefore, the risk of repeated exacerbations.
Doctors complain often that the disease can be treated faster and easier, if patients do not self-medicate so powerful drugs because cure for psoriasis, when the uncontrolled use of hormonal methods is much more difficult.
Science has long made a big step forward in the search for effective but safe remedies for the treatment of skin psoriasis and other diseases. These include, for example, are the drugs, based on this active substance active zinc (zinc pyrithione). Zinc is a organic and natural cure for skin due to its content of healthy human skin is about 20% of the total content in the body, and lack of this precious metal is involved in various skin lesions and impaired wound healing.
Medicines with active zinc, unlike funds of zinc oxide, there is a whole set of special properties (anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal), relieves itching, promotes the ceramides (fatty), which led to the restoration of its barrier function. Unlike creams zinc oxide, cream pyrithione zinc does not dry the skin. In addition, they activate the so-called apoptosis (programmed natural death) pathologically altered skin cells and cells inflammation, inhibits the excessive proliferation of the epithelium, reduces inflammation and the formation of psoriatic plaques.
Studies have shown that the active zinc is comparable to tgk the efficacy and good safety profile as is practically not absorbed from the skin, is not irritating and harmful effects.
What the drug is, or was prescribed for you, remember that writing a prescription, the doctor will always take into account the ratio of potential advantages and disadvantages of using drugs — based on your age and sex characteristics, medical history, etc. So don't self-medicate: the cure, you can hurt more. In the case of psoriasis this applies primarily to the use of hormonal methods. Thoughtless application of lotions and creams with the TGK may lead to a "vicious circle" — the longer you use them, the more will be the aggravation.
No risk, the first manifestation of psoriasis symptoms is to start treatment safest non hormonal products and consult a doctor. And chronic and recurrent of course, the use of non-hormonal drugs, which have therapeutic properties immediately after removal of the exacerbation (after applying TGK) can prolong periods of remission and helps the skin to recover completely.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment of psoriasis will also help to eliminate the symptoms of this disease. As you know, pathology is not afraid of the sun, so the psoriasis treatment is widely used in light therapy uv radiation. Psoriasis treatment may also include laser therapy, ultrasound, magneto therapy.
Food
Patients with psoriasis it is important to follow a proper diet. Excludes all foods that can cause allergies as well as food, heavy on the stomach and liver. The diet should include large doses of vitamins (especially vitamin a) and fiber. Should give up alcohol, smoked meat, animal fats and trans fats, eggs, coffee and mineral water, muffins.
Psychotherapy
As already mentioned, when stress and emotional upheavals, psoriasis can worsen. At the same time, many people, especially young women, for psoriasis in itself is a concern and low self-esteem. The goal of therapy for psoriasis is to teach people how to control their emotions and avoid nervous tension. In addition, group therapy can provide the necessary psychological support and self-esteem.
Plasmapheresis
In plasmapheresis the doctor took the patient of the blood by separating the plasma from the cells and restore them with the help of injections back. Together with the plasma of toxins and auto antibodies.
By the way
Psoriasis is not the cause of poor self-esteem. Many famous people spend their whole lives struggling with this disease, it does not prevent them to be the idols of millions, and style icon. Psoriasis affects models Cara Delevingne and Kim Kardashian, actress Cameron Diaz and singer Britney Spears.
Alternative approaches
There is an alternative, folk, and exotic methods of treatment of psoriasis. The first, for example, is the application of oil milk Thistle affected areas, decoctions of marshmallow, Valerian, sage and chamomile. Exotic can be attributed to the care of tropical fish species Garra rufa — they're pyrithione skin psoriatic plaques without damaging healthy skin. This original service is offered in Thailand, and in recent years this procedure has appeared in some Russian spas.
Folk methods are considered safe, but it's not quite as allergic to grass can worsen the skin condition and print the plaque on the creams of dubious origin and perform exotic treatments, unsanitary conditions can lead to inflammation and the accession of secondary infection.
How to increase the effectiveness of treatment
Correctly picked up treatment has a positive effect. You can speed up the process of recovery allows compliance with certain rules:
- Try not to worry. Skin — indicator of the health of your nervous system. Today, there are many ways to cope with stress without medication: use of master-classes in drawing, sculpture and graphic art, sports and Spa treatments.
- Time to treat infectious diseases, prevent hypothermia, and generally watch your health — "rooted" in the body of infection, provoking repeated relapses.
- Do not neglect the Spa treatment. Mineral water and mud many resorts do help to improve the condition of psoriasis. Such resorts around the world a lot of psoriasis treatment you can transfer to the Dead sea in Israel, in Slovenia (Portoroz), Italy (Abano Terme), Bulgaria (Kyustendil).
- Do not use in the bath hard sponges and brushes, as well as solid Soaps you need to use a soft sponge and shower gel with a neutral pH. After a bath or shower, apply the cream, help to keep the skin moisture, such as children.
- Refrain from synthetic and choose comfortable, loose clothing made of natural soft fabrics, such as cotton, silk and others.
It is often said that psoriasis is not a disease, but a consequence of a way of life. True this statement is. If you are diagnosed as "psoriasis", need to seriously consider their ways and follow the rules. Compliance with the recommendations and timely initiation of treatment allows to achieve a stable and long-term remission — many people who suffer from psoriasis, in fact, do not suffer, because the disease does not occur. But psoriasis does not tolerate light — if it is not treated or treated independently, without participation of the doctor, the aggravation will soon become almost a monthly basis, and back to beautiful skin and good health will be very difficult.