Psoriasis is a chronic non-infectious disease, dermatosis, mainly affecting the skin.Currently, it is assumed that the autoimmune nature of this disease.Typically, psoriasis is manifested by the formation of red, excessively dry, raised spots above the surface of the skin - so-called papules, which merge with each other to form plaques.These papules are inherently sites of chronic inflammation and excessive proliferation of lymphocytes, macrophages and keratinocytes in the skin, as well as excessive angiogenesis (formation of new small capillaries).
It occurs with equal frequency in men and women and lasts for years with alternating periods of relapse and remission.It is one of the most common dermatoses, difficult to treat and often serious.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disease characterized by a monomorphic rash of flat papules that tend to cluster into large plaques that quickly become covered with loose, silvery-white scales.
Psoriasis is characterized by periods of deterioration (relapses) and temporary well-being, when the manifestations of the disease become less severe.This disease is not contagious and the patient poses no danger to others.Because the appearance of psoriasis is not associated with microorganisms.
The main feature of psoriasis is a single pink or red papule, covered with a large number of loose silver-white scales.
As a general rule, psoriasis does not disrupt the patient's usual rhythm of life.The only drawback is peeling and inflammatory processes in the skin.Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure this disease, but it is quite possible to stop its development or prevent relapses.To do this, it is enough to follow all the doctor's prescriptions and undergo systematic treatment in a hospital setting.
Is psoriasis contagious?
Psoriasis is absolutely not contagious.Not a single case of person-to-person transmission of the disease has been recorded.The causative agents of the disease are not infections and microbes potentially dangerous to others, but leukocytes produced by the patient's body.
It is impossible for a healthy person to contract psoriasis from a patient.Psoriasis is not transmitted:
- In case of skin contact, through the use of the same household items as the patient (sheets, towels, dishes).
- Through saliva, sweat.
- Sexually.
- When we treat the sick.
- By blood.
Ranking
Experts distinguish two forms:
Non-pustular form of psoriasis
What is this ?This form of the disease is distinguished from others by its stable course.The non-pustular form of psoriasis is characterized by lesions on almost the entire surface of the body.This type includes:
- erythrodermic psoriasis
- vulgar, ordinary or tabula.
Ordinary psoriasis occurs quite often;up to 90% of patients with psoriasis are patients with the common form of this disease.
Psoriatic erythroderma is a serious disease that often leads to a fatal outcome: the death of the patient.With the disease, the thermoregulation function is impaired and the barrier function of the skin is reduced.
Pustular
- Zumbusch or generalized pustular background
- palmoplantaris (pustular psoriasis of the extremities, chronic and persistent palmoplantar pustulosis)
- Annularly pustular
- palmoplantar
- psoriatic impetigo herpetiformis
| Stage of psoriasis | Damage percentage |
| Light | less than 3% of the skin is affected |
| Average | 3 to 10% of the skin is covered in psoriatic plaques |
| Heavy | there are joint lesions or more than 10% of the skin is affected. |
How psoriasis begins: first signs
In most cases, identifying psoriasis is quite simple, as the disease is not similar to other skin conditions.Allergic rashes have a smaller calibration than psoriasis spots, and medical history shows that patients practically do not suffer from swelling of the skin, as in the case of allergies.
The first symptoms and signs of psoriasis differ in the main features that the doctor will rely on when making a diagnosis:
- the appearance of a limited pink spot of varying intensity;
- itchy skin around psoriatic lesions;
- exfoliation of large amounts of epidermis of different sizes;
- characteristic whitish flaking color;
- the appearance of grouped off-white or gray crusts not extending beyond the boundaries of the psoriatic spot;
- dry skin.
Psoriasis is characterized by three distinctive features:
- “Stearic stain effect.”When you scratch the plaque, small transparent scales easily come off.
- "Terminal Film Effect".If you remove the scales, the skin in this area will be thin, shiny and red.
- “The bloody dew effect.”After scratching, tiny droplets of blood appear on the skin.
Causes
Experts cannot identify the exact and sole culprit of the disease, but repeated studies show that the disease is autoimmune, meaning it depends on the functioning of the immune system.
For some unknown reason, immune cells, designed to protect the body against malignant changes and bacterial and viral damage, penetrate into the upper layers of the dermis and produce substances that trigger the inflammatory process.The result of this activity is proliferation – accelerated division of skin cells.
Another theory is that psoriasis develops due to a disruption in the life cycle of keratinocytes.
Possible causes of psoriasis:
- Heredity.According to the latest scientific data, psoriasis is classified among genotypic dermatoses with a dominant type of transmission.
- Violation of lipid, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.When skin psoriasis is suspected, changes in these blood profiles often occur, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular pathology, endocrine dysfunction and metabolic syndrome.
- The presence of a chronic infectious focus in the body.When examining psoriatic plaques, streptococcal flora is often detected.The occurrence of genetic abnormalities can be influenced by viral and bacterial infections, for example tonsillitis or influenza.
- Climatic conditions - dry and hot weather can affect the progression of psoriasis, intensify the skin manifestations or, on the contrary, weaken them;
- Anxiety or stress - as mentioned above, overwork due to stress directly affects the course of psoriatic disease;
- Damage to the skin - wounds facilitate infection, which leads to intoxication of the body due to inflammatory processes.The appearance of psoriasis can therefore cause minor damage, but provided that there are concomitant diseases;
- Infections - psoriasis outbreaks can be caused by the presence of purulent and inflammatory pathogenic areas, especially for childhood pathologies.
One theory suggests the existence of two variants of the disease:
- Type I psoriasis– is inherited in the presence of an immune factor, more than 60% of all patients under 30 years old suffer from this form, the prognosis is good, treatment is carried out for life.
- Type II psoriasis– occurs more often after 45 years, is not associated with dysfunctions of the immune system, most often affects nail plates and joints.
Symptoms of psoriasis
Skin psoriasis can develop at any age.But often the first case of its manifestation occurs in young people and adults aged 18 to 40 years.There is no difference by gender.Both men and women suffer from this disease with the same frequency.
| Signs of psoriatic papules | |
| Form | round |
| edges | clear |
| Color | bright pink or red |
| Scale color | silver white |
As a rule, the first rashes form on the site of wounds, scratches, frostbite, burns and on areas of the body constantly exposed to friction.They may itch, but this is not the main symptom.
Depending on the characteristics of the rash, the following forms of psoriasis are divided:
- Spot psoriasis - the size of the elements is smaller than the head of a pin.
- Teardrop-shaped - papules are teardrop-shaped and reach the size of a lentil seed.
- Coin-shaped - the plates reach 3-5 mm and have rounded edges.
The shapes of the eruption are also distinguished when its elements resemble rings, arcs and garlands, geographical maps with irregular edges.
The overall clinical picture and symptoms of psoriasis vary considerably depending on the stage of the disease.Dermatologists distinguish 3 stages that develop sequentially:
- Progressive.New skin lesions constantly appear, and there is also an active spread of existing plaques with peeling and severe itching.
- Stationary.The growth of papules on the body stops slightly, new formations do not appear, but thickened folds appear on the surface of the skin, near the plaques.
- Regress.The spread of the disease and increased scaling are not observed.As the signs of psoriasis disappear, areas with significant pigmentation remain on the body.
The alternation of these stages gives rise to the wave-like nature of relapses and remissions.A patient may have different stages of the disease in different areas of the skin.
The onset of psoriasis results in the appearance of papules, which are small scaly nodules.They have a dark pink color, are dense to the touch and slightly protrude above the surface of the skin.
The first sign of psoriasis may be the appearance of a rash on areas of the body most likely to be subjected to friction, and the skin in these areas is dry.Here are the locations:
- palms or elbows;
- below the knees;
- shins;
- lateral parts of the lower back;
- inguinal folds;
- scalp.
The initial stage of psoriasis on the skin is barely noticeable and does not cause discomfort to the patient.But it is early treatment that will help avoid severe forms of this disease, in which the nails of the hands and toes, mucous membranes, and then human joints are affected.
According to statistics, psoriatic plaques are most often located:
- on the outer surface of the joints;
- on the back and stomach;
- on the front of the thighs and forearms.
This is different from eczema, in which the rash affects the insides of the limbs and the folds between the fingers.