Skin diseases are unpleasant in themselves. And if even long-term systematic treatment does not guarantee a positive result, the situation becomes a real problem.
Psoriasis (squamous lichen) is a disease with a "rich" millennial history. Despite the confirmed and difficult-to-treat nature of the disease, everyone seems ready to aid in the cure.
Ads about sensational drugs are full of every step, miracle devices and "innovative technologies", healers and Internet forums promise to get rid of the disease. Dermatologists also do not sleep and do their best, they study and test new drugs, but they do not promise miracles as a result of treatment.
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is known as dermatosis. In this chronic non-infectious disease, the division of skin cells occurs 28 times faster than it should be normal. Cells do not have time to fully mature, their intercellular communication is disrupted, leading to thickening of the upper layers of the skin and the formation of pronounced scales and plaques.
During the course of the disease, cells of the immune system attack the skin's own cells, which is why the process is accompanied by chronic autoimmune inflammation. The large foci formed can form their own blood vessels, penetrated by capillaries, within themselves.
The causes of psoriasis. Can they get infected?
For the first time, the process and course of psoriasis was described in the early 19th century by the English physician Robert Willen. The disease is finally differentiated from leprosy, its non-infectious nature and, therefore, the impossibility of contracting it from another person is proven. From that moment on, an active investigation was launched, which has not stopped until now. But, alas, without much result. . .
There are many versions of the onset of the disease, the main of which refers to the hereditary nature, but ultimately it has not been confirmed. It is known that psoriasis can occur at any age, and in recent years it has become noticeably "younger" and is registered even in newborns.
Symptoms of psoriasis
There are several types of psoriasis. The main one, plaque (or ordinary) psoriasis, is detected in 80 percent of patients. It is characterized by the appearance of small scaly spots that grow and merge into large spots - psoriatic plaques. Its surface is covered with silvery-white scales, which are easily detached from the skin when brushed.
The plates can be located anywhere on the body: on the legs, back, shoulders, scalp and face, but initially they appear in places subject to one or another friction: on the elbows, on the waist line ( by belt pressure and clothing), in places of pressure-tight underwear. With exacerbation, the plaques gradually grow and spread in different directions. As a general rule, the process is systemic and occurs once or twice a year.
Impairment periods are associated with
- general weakening of the immune system,
- stress,
- dietary disorders and
- other reasons (cosmetics, unusual food or drink).
If left untreated, common psoriasis can develop such unpleasant consequences as nail psoriasis, tear-shaped and exudative psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, etc.
How to cure 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. Also, ancient doctors used a mixture of oils and fatty acids, the remains of which were found near burials. In the Middle Ages, psoriasis was considered the "devil's seal" and a kind of leprosy: people were isolated from society in a leper colony, leading to a sad denouement.
Currently, the following concept has been formed: the patient requires mandatory observation by a dermatologist and systematic treatment, which includes the intake of B vitamins, calcium gluconate, nicotinic acid, antihistamines and anti-inflammatories. Medications are used to cleanse the liver, which plays an important role in the condition of the skin.
Appointments are strictly individual, taking into account concomitant diseases. An important role is given to the external treatment of psoriasis, the purpose of which is to stifle the superficial process. Salicylic ointment is used in combination with hormonal agents, recently a new drug has been successfully tested - an ointment, an analog of vitamin D. The latter is produced on the skin under the influence of sunlight, but its lack is one of the causes of pathological processes in psoriasis.
The ointment does not fundamentally solve the problem, but it significantly improves the condition of the skin, alleviates flaking and facilitates the course of the disease without the side effects in which hormonal ointments are so rich. Patients are advised to use daily moisturizing body creams, diet and vitamins, as well as an annual spa treatment. Timely and regular therapy allows you to achieve a period of remission, that is, to drown the manifestation of the disease for a long time.
The original method of treating psoriasis is the use of Garra rufa fish, which eats the skin of the psoriatic plaques without touching the healthy areas. For the first time, fish began to be used in the thermal spa of Kangal (Turkey), but later it appeared in various clinics and beauty salons.
An alternative view of psoriasis treatment
Many people with psoriasis are exposed to stress and negative attitudes towards the world around them, which aggravates the course of the disease. It is much easier for those who managed to develop a positive attitude towards the disease and learned to live with it, preventing an exacerbation in time with adequate treatment. In this they have the support of a series of researchers who call for considering the disease as nothing more than a gift of nature.
It has been observed that psoriasis patients appear ten years younger than their peers and their body copes with internal injuries and illnesses 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 by high levels of antioxidants, so people can spend hours in the sun without fear of an overdose. They are also protected from cancer, as defective pathological cells die quickly and are replaced by healthy cells.
According to the biophysicist, author of the most optimistic theory, psoriasis is a long-term experiment of nature. In his view, psoriasis patients carry humanity's golden gene pool, which prepares nature for the future survival of people in extreme conditions. After all, the state of health of those whose cells are born and die at an extreme rate is resistant to many negative factors.
Be that as it may, psoriasis is not a reason for 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 an experiment on a global scale requires it.