Leg psoriasis is a skin disorder in which itchy papules, spots, or pustules appear on certain parts of the extremities. Over time, they grow and fuse into plates. This disease is incurable and chronic. A well-designed complex therapy helps to quickly relieve the symptoms of psoriasis in the legs. Therefore, if you want to achieve a stable remission (to fully or partially cleanse the skin of the elements of the rash), no treatment should be prescribed.
Causes of pathology
Scientists have not yet discovered why psoriasis appears on the feet and other parts of the body. Many researchers associate psoriatic skin rash with a genetic malfunction of the cells of the epidermis and consequent excessive activity of the immune system. This pathological condition occurs as follows:
- As a result of skin dysfunction, keratinocytes (make up 90% of the cells of the epidermis) do not have time to mature, but at the same time multiply rapidly, which leads to a change in the structure of individual areas of the skin.
- In response to such failure, the body's immunity sends out T lymphocytes (killer cells) and macrophages (devouring cells) to destroy immature and pathologically altered keratinocytes.
- As a result of the accumulation of a large number of immune cells and keratinocytes in the upper layers of the epidermis, the skin grows and begins to peel off. No medicine can help to completely normalize the skin's renewal functions.
The progression of psoriasis on the legs is facilitated by a bacterial infection that can penetrate the skin through small scratches, as well as by an altered hormonal background, allergic contact dermatitis, and a number of other external factors.
What does psoriasis on the legs look like, depending on the type of disease?
Psoriatic lesions on the feet and knees of the legs can look different from person to person. This factor is explained by the cyclical course of the disease. In addition, one or more forms of psoriasis can develop on the skin of the legs, including palmar-plantar, common (vulgar), teardrop, stippled, as well as nail and joint psoriasis.
Leg and foot psoriasis.
The elements of psoriatic eruptions can be located in different parts of the skin of the legs:
- on knees;
- on the shins;
- on the heels
- on the thighs.
Psoriasis on the lower leg, foot, knee joint and inner thigh begins with the appearance of single red papules and intense itching (typical of the punctual and vulgar form of the disease) or with small pink and purple patches (with tear-shaped psoriasis).
In the first case, the elements of the rash slightly protrude above the surface of the skin, differ in density and have an apex with a silvery scale, which is detached when scraped with a nail. Over time, the papules increase and those that are close to each other merge into a single plaque. As a result, they completely cover the skin on the knees or cover solid areas of skin from the knees to the feet. Flaking appears on the surface of the plates.
In the initial stage, the teardrop-shaped elements of the psoriatic rash affect all the skin on the legs with the same type of small rash. Then, as a result of the progression of the disease, the individual spots merge into groups and cover large areas of skin on the legs. These psoriatic lesions rarely occur on the heels.
Palmar-plantar psoriasis often develops on the sole of the foot. The elements of the rash are formed on the inflamed skin of the feet in the form of small spots and pustules with clear borders and yellow sterile content. If the pustules on the legs open, then the liquid from them flows, dries and forms a yellowish crust, the ulcers under them also dry out.
Pustules that do not burst become covered with dry scales. Gradually, they increase and combine in groups, the scaly layer begins to tighten the skin strongly, which causes discomfort when walking. The skin around the plates becomes thick and dry, cracking. Through such cracks, an infection usually penetrates the deep layers of the dermis, after which crying and breakdown of the skin begins.
Psoriasic arthritis
In most cases, plaque psoriasis of the legs causes psoriatic damage to the joints. This arthritis is divided into 5 types:
- Symmetric: simultaneous inflammation of the paired joints of the knees, the hip region, the ankles or the feet.
- Asymmetric - Pathological changes simultaneously affect large and small joints, for example, knee joints and toe joints.
- Inflammation of the distal joints: The small joints of the toes closest to the nails become swollen.
- Spondylosis: Arthritis affects the lumbosacral spine and causes pain in the hips and lower extremities.
- Deforming arthritis is a rare inflammatory disease in which the small joints of the fingers are completely destroyed.
The skin over inflamed joints swells, turns purple-blue, and becomes hot.
Damage to the nail plates.
Psoriatic nail damage occurs in the context of:
- psoriatic arthritis in 80-90% of cases;
- vulgar or pustular psoriasis in 50-60% of cases.
In 5-10% of clinical cases, toenail psoriasis is primary, that is, it appears on its own, it is not preceded by psoriatic lesions of the joints or the skin of the legs.
Initially, common psoriasis on the soles of the feet or psoriatic inflammation of the distal joints of the fingers cause pathological changes in the skin of the periungual region. Then the pathology spreads to the nail bed or affects the nail plate above it. There is a deformation of the nail (formation of dents, transverse lines) and a discoloration of the plate.
Similar signs of psoriasis are rarely observed in women in youth, most often the disease occurs in young men. In old age, psoriatic nail damage affects men and women equally.
Stages of progression
Lower extremity psoriasis, if left untreated, goes through 3 stages of development:
- initial;
- progressive;
- stationary.
After that, the pathological changes are suspended, the remission stage begins. Without preventive treatment, the disease resumes over time.
The manifestation of the initial stage of the disease on the legs is characterized by the formation of a single small rash, in the form of spots, papules or pustules. At first, it can occur in the bending of both knees of the legs at the same time. The elements of the rash are red or pink, then their upper parts are covered with white scales. The initial stage of psoriasis lasts for about 3 weeks. During this time, the papules or pustules increase in size and combine in groups.
The initial stage of psoriasis can be stopped if you seek the help of a specialist immediately. But most often, people ignore the symptoms of the manifestation of the disease, which is why psoriasis continues to develop. In a progressive stage, the number of psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs increases, those that are close to each other merge into "paraffin lakes" of various shapes and sizes. Psoriasis on the toes causes inflammation and scaling of the periungual tissue and damage to the nails.
For the progressive period, Kebner's phenomenon is characteristic, when a psoriatic rash forms on healed skin, for example, after a cut or scratch.
In the stationary stage, psoriasis on the feet and other areas of the skin on the legs still manifests as severe itching and scaling. However, new elements of the eruption no longer appear and the plaques stop increasing in size. There is no inflammatory border around it; dry scales appear in their place. If treatment is stopped at this stage, the exacerbation of the disease will start again. Otherwise, the psoriatic plaques stop shedding, some disappear completely, others simply light up - the remission stage begins.
How to treat psoriasis on the legs.
The treatment regimen for psoriasis on the legs is compiled for each patient separately, taking into account the location of the rash, the form of the disease, the stage of progression and a number of other factors. It is dangerous to independently invent a treatment for this disease because complications can arise in the form of extensive skin lesions, inflammation of the joints, up to their destruction and the addition of a bacterial infection (staphylococcal, streptococcal).
Medicine
First, the foci of psoriasis are affected by non-hormonal ointments:
- tar, naphthalene - ointments relieve inflammation, are antiseptic, but should be used only as directed by a doctor, as they have serious contraindications.
- Sulfur-salicylic ointment, salicylic acid: refers to keratolytic agents (which destroy the stratum corneum). They have an exfoliating effect and help dissolve plaques.
- solidol-containing ointments, soften the skin of the legs, have a regenerating effect.
- Ointments that contain the active form of vitamin D3 slow down the process of cell division, thereby reducing inflammation and peeling of the skin on the legs.
If non-hormonal drugs do not help to stop psoriasis of the legs, corticosteroid ointments are prescribed, which are divided into:
- Weakly active - the funds act on the surface of the skin, suitable for the initial stage of psoriasis. Some ointments in this group are approved for use by children, pregnant and lactating women.
- Moderately active: prescribed for the treatment of psoriasis in rough areas of the skin of the legs, in particular, on the knees and soles.
- Very Active - Prescribed if moderate grade ointments cannot stop the increase in psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs.
If no ointment for psoriasis helps, then at the stage of disease progression, pills are prescribed simultaneously with external drugs for:
- suppression of immune cell activity;
- prevent the proliferation of epidermal cells;
- they also take retinoids, derived from vitamin A, necessary to restore epidermal cells.
How to get rid of psoriasis on feet with home methods
Home remedies for psoriasis are drugs for external and internal use, but in treatment they should be used with the same care as drugs.
Questions like how to cure psoriasis at home forever remain unanswered. Some homemade recipes help to eliminate the symptoms of the disease for a long time, but do not completely eliminate them.
Ointment for exacerbation.
Ingredients:
- unrefined sunflower oil - 1 liter;
- celandine herb - 50 g;
- Hellenium roots - 50 g;
- acetylsalicylic acid - 50 tab.
How to prepare: grind the tablets and herbs with a coffee grinder, pour the resulting powder into vegetable oil and mix well. Leave for 30 days in a warm, dark place to infuse. During this period, the mixture should be heated every 3 days on a steam bath, stirring, but not bringing to a boil.
How to use: strain the medicine, mix the resulting liquid with petroleum jelly (3: 1), apply 3 times a day on the psoriatic plaques.
Ointment that relieves symptoms in 10 days.
Ingredients:
- birch tar - 150 g;
- pharmacy alcohol - 150 mg;
- camphor oil - 75 mg;
- chicken yolk - 3 pcs.
How to cook: beat the yolks in an enameled container, gradually adding camphor, then tar and alcohol. Store the ointment in a dark place.
How to use: Apply with a gauze pad on the inflamed skin of the legs. After three days, you need to wash your feet in warm water with a tar soap foam, dry the moisture and reapply the ointment for 3 days. If the disease does not start, the procedure is repeated again, after which the skin is cleaned.
During the period of treatment with homemade ointments, it is very important to maintain the body's immunity. For this purpose, 1 teaspoon can be taken orally per day. sea buckthorn oil.
Diet
Proper nutrition is one of the conditions for the effective treatment of psoriasis not only on the legs, but also on other parts of the body. Medical scientists concluded that the allergic factor contributes to the progression of all forms of psoriasis, so allergenic foods should be excluded from the menu in the first place:
- chicken eggs;
- seafood;
- Natural honey
- chocolate, cocoa;
- grape;
- Mutton;
- Pork;
- chicken meat;
- alcohol.
During this period, it is very important to give up sweet, spicy, too salty and smoked foods, as they slow down the metabolism in the body. The menu should include dairy products, river fish, cereals, baked apples, vegetable oils, peas, carrots.
Complete starvation from psoriasis, when a person drinks only one water, is contraindicated.
During an exacerbation of psoriasis on the legs, doctors recommend organizing a fast day once a week, for example, eating only apples, kefir or boiled river fish.
Physiotherapy
The answer to the question of how to treat psoriasis on the leg with physical therapy is quite extensive. For this, doctors prescribe:
- Ultrasound therapy: The ultrasonic waves emanating from the device cause compression and stretching of the skin tissues, which is done to restore its cells. Thus, it is possible to relieve inflammation, itching and swelling of the skin on the legs.
- Electrosleep - prescribed for psoriasis of the skin of the legs, if a person cannot cope with the stress caused by the pathology.
- Phototherapy: under the influence of ultraviolet rays, the skin's immunity is strengthened, the growth rate and cell division slow down.
To improve metabolic processes in the skin of the legs with psoriasis, acupressure helps. It is recommended to carry it out only during the period of remission of the disease, otherwise there is a high probability of infection on inflamed skin.
Hygiene's norm
In order not to provoke the appearance of new psoriatic plaques on the skin of the legs, during the remission period it is recommended to use only warm water and baby soap with a moisturizing effect to wash the skin. When the disease progresses, the feet should be washed with warm water and tar soap, which not only cleanses the skin, but also relieves inflammation. After washing, dry your skin and toenails thoroughly with a soft towel.
Additional Recommendations
Treatment for psoriasis on the legs will be long-term if a person:
- He is involved in an active sport: the legs sweat, there is a great load on the feet. After training, it is very important to wash your feet with warm water, dry them well, put on clean socks and loose shoes that allow your skin to breathe.
- You tan in the sun regularly and for a long time; excessive sunbathing causes burns and alters the metabolic processes of the skin. At the stage of progression of psoriasis on the skin of the legs, it is better to refuse abundant sun baths, and in the period of remission, a sunscreen should be used.
Prevention and prognosis measures
Today, psoriatic disease is considered incurable. Therefore, once a sustained reduction in symptoms has been achieved, efforts should be made to maintain this condition in the manner recommended by the physician. There is no place for self-medication here.