Scaly lichen is a very common skin disease, and dermatologists are most often found with it. The disease not only looks very aesthetically pleasing (irregularly shaped red spots on the skin scare many others), but brings mental discomfort, physical and psychological problems, and in the future, serious complications.
Therefore, knowing about the infectious disease and the pitfalls of its chronic journey (often recurrent) in families where there are already patients with scaly lichen, its members are very afraid of getting sick and alert to changes in the skin.
How to recognize the first signs of psoriasis (another name for scaly lichen)? How did the disease start? At what age does this disease often appear? What do you need to know in order not to miss the first symptoms of psoriasis and start treatment on time? Are there differences in the first manifestations of the disease in men and women? We will try to answer this and many other questions in this article.
What triggers the first signs of psoriasis?
Despite the fact that psoriasis is not inherited (this has been proven by recent research), there are many factors that, with a predisposition to psoriasis, can trigger its clinical manifestations.
- Usually, the onset of psoriasis is preceded by some type of nerve disorder or mental trauma. These factors most often provoke the development of psoriasis.
- Hormonal imbalances can lead to this disease, therefore, women during pregnancy, breastfeeding and during menopause need to be careful with themselves - adhere to a healthy lifestyle, avoid negative emotions, do not stay in the sun for long periods of time, and beoutdoors more often.
- The trigger for the development of psoriasis can be a change in the surrounding climate (moving to another place of residence, resting in a hot country in January). Therefore, it is better to refrain from sudden changes in latitude, and even from winter to summer (moving in areas with climates with large temperature differences), if there is scaly lichen in the family history. If moving forcibly, it is very important in such a period of time to be careful with your body.
- The focus of chronic infection can also lead to the appearance of psoriatic plaques. Chronic diseases must always be treated, but in families where there are already cases of psoriasis, streptococcal focus in the body is very dangerous. However, caries, chronic tonsillitis, sinusitis, gingivitis - all these slow diseases pose a threat to any organism.
At what age do the first signs of psoriasis appear?
The first signs of psoriasis can appear at any age. Scaly lichen does not liberate the elderly or children. There are cases of onset of the disease in infancy and the appearance of psoriatic plaques after 80. But more often the first signs of psoriasis manifest themselves at a young age from 14 to 30. As a rule, such patients, even at a young age, already have the corresponding disease, for example, such as obesity, allergies, diabetes mellitus, neurasthenia, thyroid pathology.
The first signs of psoriasis in humans
The manifestations of psoriasis depend on the type of disease. However, the first symptom in this form of skin psoriasis is the appearance of a rash. The rash is a round epidermal papule. What is the mechanism of development of psoriatic papules?
The provoking factors trigger the inflammatory process, which is based on hyperkeratosis (pathological cell proliferation). As a result, the epidermis thickens, begins to stand out on healthy skin, forming nodules. This is the main element of scaly lichen - psoriatic papillae.
Papules have a bright pink color, which varies in intensity. At first, the papules are dark pink in color (to a deep red color), then become more faded and flaky. The scales of the dead epithelium have a silvery grayish color, they are very easily separated by scraping. In the lower layer of the dermis, new blood vessels appear, which supply the emerging epidermal cells with nutrients. Because of this, during remission, even if there is no plaque, the skin will be reddish. As the process worsens, the elements increase and occupy a larger area. The skin in these places is dry, cracked, bleeding, i. e. there is a clear psoriasis clinic.
The first favorite places of the rash on psoriasis are the scalp, face (in teenagers), natural skin folds (in children), joints (elbows, knees), feet and soles. Psoriatic plaques, unlike eczema, are usually located on the outer extensor surface of the joint.
They talk about the early stages of psoriasis if no more than 10% of the skin surface is affected. An experienced dermatologist will immediately recognize the symptoms of psoriasis, but sometimes allergic dermatitis or rheumatoid arthritis (with psoriatic joint damage) is confused with psoriasis.
The first signs of plaque psoriasis
Plaque psoriasis is vulgar skin psoriasis, so the first sign is the most visible. Psoriasis begins with the appearance of a small number of small nodules, which are usually localized in the joint area. They resemble small abscesses filled with brightly colored contents. The main element of psoriasis does not bother the patient and is almost invisible. They can go on on their own, but after a while they reappear in greater numbers and become more noticeable. If you scrape the papule, it will immediately be covered with silvery scales. In summer, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the rash can disappear. With the progression of the disease, the number increases, it covers a wider area, and the individual elements merge into a broad plaque.
Sometimes the first signs appear quickly and wonderfully. In response to the provoking factor, the skin is covered with bright pink-red psoriatic plaques, which cause severe itching. But onset like this is not uncommon for psoriasis.
The first signs of nail psoriasis
The first changes in the nail can be variable and resemble a fungal infection. Fatigue, brittleness, thickening of the nail plate appear, depressed spots or grooves appear all over the nail. Moreover, pathological signs first appear on the edges of the nail, then they move to the roots. One of the early symptoms of nail psoriasis is discoloration of the nails. Nail plates can turn yellow, gray or white. Bleeding may appear under the nails. All of these marks can be found on all nails or just on one nail.
The first signs of psoriasis are on the soles of the feet and palms
In some patients, the only clinical sign of psoriasis is a lesion on the soles of the feet or palms in the form of dense psoriatic lesions covered with scales. During scraping, a shiny shiny surface appears, which, with further injury, begins to bleed ("bloody dew" syndrome).
The first signs of scalp psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis resembles seborrhea because of its extensive scaling. It can last, without affecting other areas of the skin, over a long period of time. Patients are treated for dandruff by buying a special shampoo, not even realizing that they have psoriasis on their head. After some time, the lesion affects the back of the ears, neck and down below. And only in this case, the patient begins to sound the alarm and goes to the doctor.
The first signs of psoriatic arthritis
With psoriatic arthritis, the rash may not be present. The first signs of psoriasis will be a complaint of a joint deformity, which grows larger and becomes painful. Fingers and toes are swollen and resemble sausages. As the disease progresses, the gait changes. It is problematic to diagnose psoriasis in this form, many patients are treated for arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In this case, the presence of psoriasis in relatives and a careful differential diagnosis with the disease affecting the joints help make a correct diagnosis.
The first signs of psoriasis in women
Psoriasis is the same for men and women. But, unlike men, where the first symptoms of psoriasis usually appear around the age of 25-30, the first signs of psoriasis in women appear earlier. The trigger mechanism for the development of this disease is often hormonal changes during puberty. In general, the development of psoriasis in women is associated with frequent changes in hormone levels throughout their lives. For the onset of psoriasis, the most noticeable and dangerous periods in a woman are:
- menstrual cycle (especially its appearance);
- pregnancy;
- childbirth;
- lactation period;
- menopause.
If psoriasis has already occurred at the time of conception, then pregnancy can have a beneficial effect on skin manifestations and the remission period will begin. But after giving birth, it may worsen the whole process. Often, according to statistics, the first signs of psoriasis in women occur during childbirth and during menopause. For other positions, the symptoms and signs of psoriasis in women and men are no different. But childhood psoriasis has its own characteristics.
What to do when there are early signs of psoriasis?
However, if there are the first signs and symptoms of psoriasis, there is an urgent need to see a dermatologist to start treating the disease in a timely manner. The doctor will prescribe treatment of psoriasis, taking into account the severity of the course and the specifics of the manifestations of the disease. It has been proven that if less than 5% of the skin is affected by psoriasis, all symptoms can be eliminated. But the treatment must be chosen by a competent specialist.
In addition to:
- if you find early signs of psoriasis in yourself or your family, try to remember what can cause the disease and avoid these factors in the future;
- be outdoors more often and don’t forget to sunbathe;
- angry - shower with contrast, do not forget to water;
- try to go to sea and swim more;
- take good care of your skin, protect from injury, use moisturizer;
- for psoriasis of the head, choose a shampoo without aggressive ingredients; do not dye your hair;
- review your diet;
- avoid conflicts and stressful situations; learning to control your emotions (but not suppress them), the ability to remain calm in dramatic moments in life will help maintain forgiveness for long periods of time;
- you can take valerian, motherwort (consult your doctor) if you are emotionally weak;
- cotton dress, especially focusing on underwear, which can only be made of natural fabrics, do not wear synthetics;
- treat chronic infections in a timely manner;
- sleep early, arrange a good rest for yourself.
If possible, when the first signs of psoriasis or suspicious symptoms appear, come to consult a dermatologist in Germany:
- You will be confident in the reliability (or error) of the diagnosis:
- Thanks to an experienced specialist, you will be able to get rid of the symptoms of psoriasis quickly (especially if this is the first sign of the disease);
- You will receive expert advice with detailed recommendations and instructions;
- You will buy quality medications prescribed by a doctor to relieve the possibility of an increase;
- In the future, if necessary, you can directly contact the attending physician using Skype, phone or email.