Psoriasis is a chronic disease and has an undulating course.This disease affects the human skin and, less commonly, the joints.Exacerbation of pathology occurs due to the influence of certain negative factors and is characterized by worsening symptoms.Then the disease subsides, a period of remission begins, which can also be replaced by an exacerbation.
Features of the course of the disease
The disease manifests itself differently in different patients.Moreover, symptoms can vary from one patient to the next, from small local lesions to extensive lesions affecting large areas of skin.
Typically, the disease progresses with age.Over time, periods of remission become shorter and shorter, and the affected area increases significantly.
It is important to know what psoriasis looks like in its early stages and how it can be treated to prevent further progression of the disease.
Causes of the disease
According to most experts, this disease is a genetically determined pathology.If parents suffer from dermatoses, there is a high probability of developing psoriasis in the child when exposed to certain factors.
Factors that determine the onset of the development of pathology are:
- allergic reactions;
- severe infectious diseases;
- decreased immune defense of the body;
- diseases of the endocrine system;
- exhaustion of the nervous system.
Also, the impetus for the development of the disease in a person prone to dermatoses can be long-term use of certain medications used to treat chronic diseases.
Types and stages of the disease
There are two types of psoriasis – type 1 and type 2 disease.Pathology of the first type is diagnosed in children and adolescence.The disease of this form is genetically determined, while the child’s parents may be healthy, and in older generations there are cases of psoriasis.
As a rule, this disease can be transmitted through 3-4 generations.The first type of disease affects the skin and almost never affects the joints.
The second type of disease occurs mainly in middle-aged people over 45 years of age.A characteristic feature of this form of the disease is damage to the joints.
The disease develops slowly.There are 4 stages or stages of development of psoriasis:
- early (initial stage of psoriasis);
- progressive;
- stationary;
- regressing.
Favorite places for the disease are the elbows, head, and torso.In rare cases, severe cases of the disease affect the flexor parts of the upper and lower extremities.
Initial stage of the disease
Psoriasis at the initial stage has symptoms and signs of an allergic skin reaction.The disease begins suddenly, small reddish rashes appear on the skin.In childhood, the symptoms and signs of psoriasis are often confused with diathesis or the manifestation of a food allergic reaction, which makes timely treatment difficult.
In young children, the manifestation of stage 1 psoriasis may be located in areas subject to friction when wearing clothing, while in adults, the first signs of the disease are noted on the hands or body.
Over time, papules (as pimples are called in psoriasis) group together, forming flaky plaques.Islands of the disease may become covered with grayish scales, which painlessly separate from the rash.All this is accompanied by swelling and irritation of the epidermis.
Many people are interested in whether psoriasis itches at the initial stage and how to recognize the symptoms of stage 1 skin psoriasis.The following signs will help determine what incipient psoriasis looks like:
- when the rash is scraped off, the plaque becomes white, the scales come off easily;
- if you continue scraping, a reddish smooth spot (“thermal film”) forms at the site of the plaque;
- If you continue to scrape the resulting stain, it will become covered with small drops of blood due to pinpoint hemorrhages.
The above techniques are used when examining a patient and help identify psoriasis at an early stage.
The initial form of psoriasis can last up to one month.In some cases, exudate may be released at the sites of formed plaques.The wounds become covered with a crust, under which they become wet due to the release of fluid.This course of the disease can be complicated by the addition of an infection and the onset of an extensive inflammatory process.
Arthropathic form of the disease
If the disease affects the hands, palms and the area between the fingers, the arthropathic form of psoriasis is diagnosed.This form is considered the most severe, as over time the skin becomes inflamed and becomes cracked.There is a high probability of joint damage, which leads to the development of arthritis.This is fraught with loss of ability to work and disability for the patient.
This form of the disease is dangerous because it affects the nail plate, causing it to separate from the fingers.The arthropathic form of the disease is very difficult to treat and is characterized by frequent exacerbations.Due to inflammation and swelling of the skin of the hands, the patient experiences serious discomfort at work and at home, since any movement of the hands leads to increased pain.
Drug treatment
To the question of whether psoriasis can be cured at the initial stage, doctors, unfortunately, cannot give a positive answer.However, timely treatment will remove the acute phase of the disease and return the patient to normal life.
If initial psoriasis is diagnosed, treatment should only be selected by a dermatologist after all examinations.Self-treatment without consulting a specialist may not bring the expected result and only worsen the course of the disease.
Whether psoriasis can be cured in the early stages largely depends on the degree of damage and the location of the resulting plaques.
The initial form of psoriasis is treated using the following means:
- ointments for local treatment of the skin;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
- physiotherapeutic methods;
- diet adjustments;
- immunomodulators.
Ointments for treating affected skin are selected by the doctor depending on the degree of damage.Typically, preparations based on tar or grease are used.For extensive skin lesions, treatment can be done with ointments containing corticosteroids.Such drugs have a number of side effects, so they are prescribed only in cases of severe disease.The course of treatment should not be long and after acute symptoms are relieved, such ointments should be replaced with more gentle preparations.
If psoriasis is diagnosed at a very early stage, only a doctor can tell you how to treat the disease.In some cases, a good effect is observed when using physiotherapy - paraffin baths or ultraviolet irradiation.
For psoriasis in the initial stage, treatment at home should be agreed with a doctor.Having understood how psoriasis manifests itself at the initial stage, it is necessary not to delay a visit to a specialist, since the disease progresses quickly.
An exacerbation may begin suddenly; in this case, folk remedies will help alleviate the patient’s condition.For this purpose, medicinal baths are used with the addition of honey, medicinal herbs (chamomile, calendula), as well as natural oils.The purpose of this treatment is to reduce itching and swelling, but it must be used in conjunction with medications recommended by a doctor.
The answer to the question of whether psoriasis can be cured in the early stages and whether psoriasis can be cured at the very initial stage in children can only be given by the attending physician, based on the characteristics of the disease in the patient.