Skin diseases are unpleasant in themselves. And if even long-term systemic treatment does not guarantee a positive result, the situation becomes a real problem.
Psoriasis is a disease with a "rich" millennial history. Despite the confirmed, difficult-to-treat nature of the disease, everyone seems ready to help cure it.
Messages about sensational drugs are full with every step, miraculous devices and "innovative technologies", healers and internet forums promise to get rid of the disease. Dermatologists also do not sleep and do everything possible, study and test new drugs, but do not promise miracles as a resultof treatment.
What is psoriasis
Psoriasis is called dermatosis. In this chronic non-infectious disease, the division of skin cells takes place 28 times faster than it should be normal. The cells do not have time to fully mature, their intercellular communication is disrupted, which leads to thickening of the upper layers of the skin and the formation of pronounced peeling and plaque.
In the course of the disease, the cells of the immune system attack the skin's own cells, so the process is accompanied by chronic autoimmune inflammation. The large foci formed are able to form their own blood vessels, penetrated by capillaries, inside themselves.
The causes of psoriasis. Can they become infected?
The process and course of psoriasis were first described in the early 19th century by the English physician Robert Villen. The disease was finally distinguished from leprosy, its non-infectious nature and therefore the inability to be infected by another person was proven. From that moment on, active research began, which has not stopped until now. But, alas, without much result. . .
There are many versions of the onset of the disease, the main one being hereditary in nature, but not definitively confirmed. It is known that psoriasis can occur at any age, and in recent years it has become noticeably "younger" and is recorded even in newborns.
Symptoms of psoriasis
There are several types of psoriasis. The main one - plaque (or common) psoriasis - is found in 80 percent of patients. It is characterized by the appearance of small scaly spots that grow and merge into large spots - psoriatic plaques. Their surface is covered with silvery-white scales, which are easily separated from the skin when brushing.
Plaques can be located on any part of the body - on the legs, back, shoulders, scalp and face, but initially appear in places subjected to one or another friction: on the elbows, at the waist line (from the pressure of the belt and clothes)), in places of tight underwear. With exacerbation, the plaques grow, gradually spreading in different directions. As a rule, the process is systematic and occurs once or twice a year.
Periods of deterioration are associated with
- general weakening of the immune system,
- stress,
- eating disorders and
- other reasons (cosmetics, unusual drink or food).
If left untreated, ordinary psoriasis can develop such unpleasant consequences as nail psoriasis, drip and exudative psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and others.
How to treat psoriasis
The first attempts to treat psoriasis were made in ancient Greece, where they discovered the beneficial effects of sunlight on the condition of the skin. Ancient physicians also used a mixture of oils and fatty acids, the remains of which were found near burials. In the Middle Ages, psoriasis was considered a "seal of the devil" and a type of leprosy: people were isolated from society in a leper colony, which led to a sad outcome.
The following concept is currently being developed: the patient requires mandatory supervision by a dermatologist and systemic treatment, including intake of B vitamins, calcium gluconate, nicotinic acid, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. The drugs are used to cleanse the liver, which plays an important role in the condition of the skin.
The appointments are strictly individual, taking into account the concomitant diseases. A significant role is given to the external treatment of psoriasis, which aims to suppress the superficial process. Salicylic ointment is used in combination with hormonal agents, a new drug was recently successfully tested - an ointment analog of vitamin D. The latter is produced in the skin under the influence of sunlight, but its lack is one of the causes of pathological processes in psoriasis.
The ointment does not solve the problem, but it noticeably improves the condition of the skin, relieves peeling and facilitates the course of the disease without the side effects of which hormonal ointments are so rich. Patients are advised to use daily moisturizing body creams, diet and vitamins, as well as annual spa treatments. Timely and regular therapy allows you to achieve a period of remission, ie to suppress the manifestation of the disease for a long time.
The original method of treating psoriasis is to use Garra rufa fish, which eat the skin of psoriatic plaques without touching healthy areas. The fish was first used in the thermal resort of Kangal (Turkey), but later appeared in a number of clinics and beauty salons.
An alternative look at the treatment of psoriasis
Many people with psoriasis are exposed to stress and a negative attitude towards the world around them, which aggravates the course of the disease. It is much easier for those who have managed to develop a positive attitude to the disease and have learned to live with it, preventing exacerbation in time with adequate treatment. In doing so, they are supported by a number of researchers who call for the disease to be seen as nothing more than a gift from nature.
It has been observed that patients with psoriasis look ten years younger than their peers and their body copes with wounds and internal diseases much faster than ordinary people. Increased cell proliferation, which is to blame for the pathological process, plays a positive role in the healing stages.
The skin is protected from radiation and ultraviolet radiation through high levels of antioxidants, so people can spend hours in the sun without fear of overdose. They are also protected from cancer, as defective, pathological cells die quickly and are replaced by healthy ones.
According to biophysicist, author of the most optimistic theory, psoriasis is a long-term experiment in nature. According to him, patients with psoriasis are carriers of the golden gene pool of humanity, which prepares nature for the future survival of humans in extreme conditions. After all, the health of those whose cells are born and die at an extraordinary rate is resistant to many negative factors.
However, psoriasis is not a cause of depression and limitation of social activity. It is quite possible to "agree" with him, you just need to pay a little more attention to your health and the condition of your own skin. In addition, participation in a worldwide experiment obliges this.