Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease. It occurs when the immune system is not functioning properly. The development of the disease is divided into clear stages: appearance, progression, stabilization and regression. The different stages of psoriasis differ in the appearance of spots and rashes, soreness of the itch and extensive inflammation of the skin.
Why is it necessary to distinguish between the stages of development of the disease and what are the features of the course of psoriasis at the beginning of development and in the healing process?
Why you need to know the stages of psoriasis
The division of psoriasis into stages is used by doctors for the correct choice of therapeutic methods. The complex of drugs and external agents prescribed for the treatment of inflammation depends on the stage of development of the disease.
At the onset of the manifestation of the disease, general therapy is required: vitamin complexes, diet, external aseptic treatment of the rash, for example, a course of UV procedures. Drugs that stimulate cleansing of the intestines, blood vessels, liver are also prescribed.
Be sure to perform the correction of the psychoemotional state - by a neuropathologist or psychologist.
In the initial stage of the disease, they do not use powerful drugs that quench the immune system, do not prescribe hormonal ointments. These drugs have a large list of side effects, so they are only prescribed when it is impossible to do without them.
Psoriasis: treatment in acute phase and in remission
In the case of an acute progressive course of the disease, several drugs of various actions are prescribed. Immunosuppressants and glucocorticosteroids are often used to relieve inflammation and reduce itching. External treatments are complemented by photochemical, ultrasound and laser therapy. Also, agents are prescribed for antiseptic treatment of damaged skin.
In a stabilized state, they continue to take anti-inflammatory hormonal drugs, gradually reducing their dose. To restore damaged skin, ointments with a regenerating effect are prescribed.
In remission: support the body. Proper nutrition, take complexes of vitamins and minerals to restore immunity.
Timeliness of treatment
The earlier you start treatment, the easier it is to keep your psoriasis under control.
Prompt therapy limits the spread of skin inflammation, reduces its extent and prevents subsequent relapses of peeling. Since psoriasis is often mistaken for an allergic rash at an early stage, it is necessary to know its initial signs in order not to miss the appearance of a skin disease.
Note:Doctors are still investigating the causes of psoriasis. But psoriatic skin inflammation is definitely known not to be contagious. It cannot be picked up by a sick person or an infection in case of injury. This is our personal failure in the human body.
The cause of psoriasis is immune failure, which can be caused by various factors. Severe stress, poisoning (including potent medicines, industrial waste, alcohol), previous infection.
Psoriasis is difficult to treat. The disease is prone to relapse, relapse. And the therapy itself is symptomatic. It consists in preventing the appearance of new spots and relieving existing skin itching.
What stage of psoriasis is called initial? How to distinguish early psoriasis from diathesis rash? And how will the disease develop in the future?
Psoriasis: initial phase
The first appearance of psoriasis on the skin looks like a pimple. Most often, the rash appears in the folds of the elbows and knees or in places where clothing is pressed firmly to the body (for example, below the waist belt). Rashes can also appear along the edge of the hair and under the hair, around the fingernails and on the nails. Sometimes psoriasis occurs on the feet and palms.
Almost always, psoriasis manifests itself symmetrically: on the elbows of both hands or on both sides of the lower back or on two knees.
The pimples themselves (in medical terminology - papules) at the initial stage have a modest appearance. They have:
- Pink or red;
- Sharp and blurry edge;
- Small size: the pimple at the base does not exceed two millimeters;
- Flat shape: the small pimples pointed at the beginning of the disease have almost no swelling, so they look like spots.
As the disease progresses, scales of peeling skin appear on the pimples. They are gray or silver, against the background of a red pimple they appear white.
The appearance of the scales is accompanied by a rather intense itching. If you can't resist and scratch, the scales are removed, exposing the shiny areas of the young pink skin below. It is very thin, vulnerable, with prolonged scratching of itchy papules - it is injured, it bleeds.
The initial stage of psoriasis lasts up to four weeks.
Psoriasis: stage of progression
In the progressive stage, the individual pimples merge into a common spot, forming the so-called psoriatic plaques. They are raised above the surface of the skin and are almost completely covered with flaking. At the edges of the psoriatic plaques there is a non-flaking pink-red border.
The presence of a border is a sign of a progressive stage of the disease The circle is one to two millimeters wide. The skin on it is inflamed, its structure resembles parchment paper.
The border represents the expansion area of the spot. This is the skin that is already inflamed, but not yet peeling. After a while, it will also be covered with scales. And the patch will expand to cover new areas of the skin and form a new, wider border.
With the active development of the disease, the adjacent points merge with each other. At some point, a large, inflamed red spot may form on the human body.
Psoriatic plaques are very itchy, they give a person unpleasant sensations, disrupting his work, rest and sleep. They grow, occupy a large area and form a new rash on clean, healthy skin.
The main sign of the progressive phase is the appearance of new rashes. As soon as the new pimples and spots stop appearing, the next stage of psoriasis begins - stationary. This is not yet a complete victory, but it is already a turning point towards recovery.
In the stage of progression, psoriasis is almost always accompanied by weakness, fatigue, weakness. Depression is common. Possible temperature.
Note: some medical theories say otherwise. Depression is not a consequence of psoriasis. And psoriasis is a consequence of neurology, of the depressive psyche.
The duration of the progressive phase of psoriasis can be long, several months.
Psoriasis: stationary stage
The main sign of the stationary stage is the cessation of the appearance of new spots and rashes. At the same time, itching also decreases, it becomes more bearable. The rash loses its bright color, becomes discolored, becomes invisible. This is also one of the signs that the process is stabilizing.
The pink bands around the perimeter of the plaques disappear when the inflammation stops spreading. Active exfoliation and healing begins, regeneration of new healthy skin.
It is noted with the naked eye that peeling increases in the stationary phase. The scales completely cover the entire surface of the psoriatic point, leaving no room for the edges.
Psoriasis takes on the characteristic scaly appearance commonly recognized by the general public. Extended peeling in the stationary phase is not dangerous.
When all the dead cells come out of the surface of the psoriatic spot, healthy skin with a slight light shade will remain in place.
Other signs of progression or stabilization
In addition to the appearance of rashes, spots and peeling, there are a number of other signs that can be used to judge the development of the disease. This is the nature of the sensations of itching (strong or tolerable), general condition, depressed mood. And also the presence of temperature.
In the initial stage, the itching is changeable and the rash is incomprehensible. Also, the itching intensifies every day. In the acute stage of psoriasis, it becomes intolerable. It disrupts sleep, rest, interferes with work. The person becomes irritable because the itchy sensations do not give him a chance to rest.
In the stationary phase, the itching subsides. Every day a person feels better. The general state of the psyche changes, negativity and depressive moods weaken. The duration of the stationary phase is several weeks, from 2 to 5.
Diminishing psoriasis
The fading phase of psoriasis is the almost complete disappearance of plaques, spots, redness, inflammation, itching.
At this stage of the disease, psoriasis only remembers the different pigmentation of the skin. In place of the previous psoriatic spots, it looks lighter. The surface of healthy skin has a darker shade.
In some cases, the so-called hyperpigmentation is formed. The skin at the site of the psoriasis spots does not become lighter, but darker. Either way, the differences in skin pigmentation will be visible for another one to two months.
Psoriasis after recovery: possibility of relapse
The possibility of psoriasis recurrence is determined by the lifestyle, diet, allergic mood and the state of the person's body as a whole. It is also determined by the amount of toxins in his body, blood, liver. You can reduce the likelihood of repeated skin inflammation if you strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body of toxins in the liver, blood vessels and intestines.
Seasonal relapses of psoriasis are often rare after cleansing. A person remains susceptible to the disease, but the likelihood of it occurring is greatly reduced.
Cleansing the body of toxins and taking vitamin and mineral complexes help strengthen immunity. This is especially important if immunosuppressants were used during the treatment, in the progressive stage of psoriasis. Their need was due to the work of inflammatory mediators. After suppressing the autoimmune defense, it is necessary to restore the immune system.