Skin diseases are accompanied by the appearance of unpleasant symptoms and psychological discomfort. One of the common diseases that require immediate skin treatment is psoriasis of the elbows, and the choice of remedies is not limited to the use of local preparations. If you do not carry out the therapy in time, a small inflammation will soon develop from a cosmetic problem to a medical one.
What is psoriasis on the elbows
The disease, which is characterized by the appearance of several spots on the fold of the limbs, is characterized by unpredictability and cyclicality. Elbow psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that begins with the appearance of papules and develops into plaques (large diffuse lesions) with white, silvery and reddish scales. Slightly raised damaged areas are formed due to the accumulation of dry dead skin cells. If the inflammation is not treated, the disease will progress with alternating periods of exacerbation and remission.
Symptoms
When scabs form on the elbows, you can immediately notice the damaged areas of the skin. The signs of the disease are immediately visible, and it is rarely possible to completely cure psoriasis in the flexion area of the arms. The chances of a successful recovery are those patients who have consulted a doctor in a timely manner. A cause for concern should be violations of the skin condition on the elbows, which are similar to the following symptoms of psoriasis:
- Red plaques or scaly patches that initially look like papules with a white film and, as the disease worsens and develops, grow, connect with each other and become covered with white scales.
- Itchy skin, which causes even more damage to the skin. Like other mechanical damage to the skin, such as scratches, cuts, such inflammation on the elbows is combed, damages the skin, and this leads to the appearance of new spots.
- Severe redness, inflamed areas of the skin begin to bleed.
Plates on the elbows
Psoriasis can occur in the groin area, trunk, limbs or head, but wherever the disease is localized, its sure sign are plaques. Wounds on the elbows in the form of red spots with white scales most often occur due to the opening of this area of the skin, because it is easy to damage. The altered area of the epidermis becomes inflamed, the scaly red spots gradually increase and can cover the entire elbow. With a neglected form, the plaques can bleed, and when trying to scrape, the phenomenon of "stearin stain" appears, as after a drop of hardened wax.
Causes
Scientific studies that continue to be conducted have not yet been able to determine with full certainty the source of the onset of the disease, and among the medical versions of the causes of psoriasis in the elbow area, there are the following:
- Genetic predisposition is an important statistical factor. If one of the parents has chronic inflammation of the skin, then there is a high probability that the child also has psoriasis.
- The entry of specific substances that penetrate through the damaged areas of the skin. Affected areas of the epidermis begin to thicken, the body begins to fight against abnormal symptoms and rejects cells, which externally manifests itself as a fungus on the elbows.
- Violation of the work of T-lymphocytes, which are faced with the task of creating a barrier in front of pathogens.
- Silicon deficiency in the body.
- Endocrine diseases.
- Severe limb injuries.
- Severe mechanical damage, wounds that don't heal.
- Emotional, mental stress.
- Long-term medication.
- Weak immunity.
phases
A chronic inflammatory process on the elbows, which, under the influence of a number of reasons, intensifies or decreases and progresses without proper treatment. The course of therapy should be prescribed by a dermatologist, but to determine the effectiveness of the method, the choice of drugs, procedures, the doctor must assess the course of the disease. Further tactics will depend on the clinical picture, while it is customary to distinguish the following stages of skin lesions on the elbows with psoriasis:
- Initial. The surface of the skin on the outside of the elbows is covered with a rash. Rounded reddish spots with a white film grow, become covered with scales, and after 2-3 weeks plaques form. With prompt treatment, the signs of psoriasis may disappear for a while and then reappear, or the lesion may occur in another part of the body.
- Progressive. This stage of the disease can be characterized by the presence of psoriatic elements with many scales. The appearance of such signs indicates the onset of an exacerbation of psoriasis, and it is easy to notice this by the presence of a hyperemic border (redness) along the edge of the scaly plaque.
- Stationary. It is characterized by a decrease in the inflammatory process, which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment used. The appearance of new plaques on the elbows stops, there is no red border around the psoriatic elements, their diameter decreases, while the scale completely covers the inflamed area.
- Regressive. Indicates partial recovery, while peeling is almost imperceptible or disappears, pigmented areas of the skin appear in place of plaques. A further set of measures will be aimed at preventing psoriasis exacerbations.
The shapes
The undulatory course of the disease, when a spontaneous period alternates with improvement, is not the only component of the insidiousness of psoriasis. The severity of the course of the inflammatory process depends on the nature of the rash, another important factor is the form. With the localization of rashes on the elbows, a simple (vulgar) type of ailment is often found, characterized by redness, peeling, itching. The neglected form of the disease threatens with complications and the appearance of psoriasis of the pustular, erythrodermal and seborrheic type - with them the lesion area will expand.
How to treat elbow psoriasis
There are effective methods of therapy, but it will not work to completely cleanse the skin of the elbows, because psoriasis belongs to the group of incurable diseases. The entire complex treatment system will be aimed at the maximum elimination of external signs. The duration of remission depends on many factors, and in order to eliminate the manifestation of psoriasis, it is recommended to build a treatment regimen using such basic methods as:
- local therapy (ointment, cream, lotion);
- physiotherapy procedures;
- phototherapy;
- special diet;
- taking vitamin and mineral complexes.
The cure for elbow psoriasis
Drugs are actively used in the treatment of a multifactorial disease, but their effectiveness is noticeable only in combination with other means. For the treatment of psoriasis, it is customary to use external drugs, and if ineffective, the following drugs can be prescribed:
- cytostatics;
- antihistamines;
- enterosorbents.
Ointment
A quick way to get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of psoriasis is a topical treatment. Ointments with vitamin D, zinc, tar are called to help remove dead cells, moisturize the skin of the elbows, and hormonal agents help to cope with the most severe forms of the disease. Corticosteroids are relatively safe when used as directed by a doctor who examined the psoriatic plaques on the elbows, assessed the condition of the upper layers and the extent of the injury. Only a dermatologist can introduce hormonal ointments into the treatment regimen, self-medication is strictly prohibited!
Alternative treatment
Compresses, lotions, decoctions, baths can rightly be considered no less useful methods for the treatment of psoriasis. If the plaques on the elbows are covered with a white film, at home the itch, redness can be conveniently removed by soaking the affected areas for 7-10 minutes in a fresh herbal solution. The composition should be selected individually, brewed with boiling water, but hot baths should be avoided. Among the herbs useful for the treatment of psoriasis are:
- celandine;
- chicory root;
- valerian root.
Prevention
There is no reason to assume that psoriasis will go away on its own, but self-medication is also not worth it, because there is a risk of aggravating the course of a chronic disease. Removing the inflammatory process is the first step towards healing, since for a long-term remission you will need to follow some recommendations from doctors. To avoid exacerbation of psoriasis, it is necessary to adhere to such preventive measures:
- follow the right diet;
- exclude the use of alcoholic beverages, alcohol, sweets, spicy foods;
- getting enough sleep, while the duration of sleep should be at least 8 hours a day;
- avoid mechanical damage to the skin, injuries;
- monitor the internal state of the body;
- develop skills to cope with stress;
- support the functioning of the immune system, avoiding infectious diseases;
- minimize contact with household chemicals.
Elbow psoriasis photo
