What is psoriasis
is a skin disorder that causes skin cells to multiply and produce more than 10 times the normal production, then the skin becomes covered with white scales underneath with red spots, which spread in several places, especially on dandruff, knees, hands and lower back. Usually, psoriasis begins to appear in adulthood and its severity varies from person to person. It may be mild or severe and difficult to remove and may cover large parts of the body.
Types of psoriasis
- pustular psoriasis; They are small blisters that cause redness in the skin. This type is spread on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
- guttate psoriasis; Usually begins to appear in childhood or adulthood in the form of red spots, spread in the limbs and trunk, and the causes of sore throat, tonsillitis and malaria.
- inverse psoriasis; They appear under the armpits, breasts and thighs.
- erythrodermic psoriasis; This type causes severe redness of the skin that occurs as a result of constant exposure to the sun, severe infections, drinking some anti-inflammatory medications, or stopping psoriasis treatment before recovery. This type needs immediate treatment to avoid serious illness.
Causes of psoriasis
There is no specific cause for psoriasis, but many scientists go to the possibility of a defect in the immune system that leads to an acceleration in the production of skin cells, which are produced every 3 or 4 days, while the normal production takes place between 10 to 30 days.
Causes that increase the spread of psoriasis
- bacterial infection.
- Cuts or scrapes.
- Certain medications, such as blood pressure medications and antimalarials.
- Emotional shock.
Nail psoriasis
It is possible for a small number of people to develop nail psoriasis on the hands and feet only, as it is accompanied by symptoms of arthritis, then the shape of the nail changes and becomes small pits and yellow spots. Nail psoriasis is a difficult type to treat.
In addition, a limited number of treatments can be used, such as a steroid ointment that is applied directly to the base of the nail, and a steroid that is injected under the skin of the base of the nail. Oral and systemic medications that treat arthritis and boost the immune system are also among the treatment options, all with a doctor's prescription.
Does psoriasis cause hair loss?
Chronic psoriasis of the scalp may cause hair loss where it is located, and its symptoms include:
- Red spots covered with crust.
- Large white scales.
- hair loss.
- severe itching.
- The scalp is dry.
Hair psoriasis treatment
(When psoriasis is present in the hair and causes it to fall out and severe itching, the effective treatment in this case will be (coal tar shampoo).
Psoriasis treatment at home
Mild psoriasis symptoms can be treated at home in proven and simple ways. We will mention 12 methods:
- Prevent dry skin by using moisturizers and creams that nourish the skin and prevent it from drying out, thus preventing the formation of psoriasis plaques.
- Stay away from perfumes, cosmetics, and soaps that contain a scented percentage, because they increase skin irritation and cause psoriasis and exacerbate the problem. Replace with soap for sensitive skin.
- Soak the body with lukewarm water and olive oil or milk, after making sure that the water is not too hot to avoid further irritation, and after bathing, apply moisturizing creams to the affected places.
- The olive oil treatment helps soothe itching and significantly reduce psoriasis.
- Soaking the body with lukewarm water and English salt is useful in exfoliating the dry layers of the skin.
- Stop smoking immediately, as nicotine increases the spread and severity of psoriasis.
- Eat healthy foods rich in omega-3s, such as fish and nuts, which help reduce inflammation, and stay away from sugars and carbohydrates, as foods play a big role in managing psoriasis.
- You can take nutritional supplements under the supervision of a doctor, such as vitamins and fish oil, as they treat psoriasis from the inside.
- Stay away from anxiety and stress, because it is one of the causes of psoriasis
- Exposing the affected area to the sun is of great importance, also special lamps can be purchased and exposed directly over the psoriasis at home.
- Get rid of excess weight by reducing the intake of fats and carbohydrates, increasing the intake of vegetables and protein, and exercising. Some studies have found that reducing weight helps reduce the severity of psoriasis.
- Try aloe vera cream for its ability to reduce redness and irritation and help relieve psoriasis symptoms. Turmeric helps treat psoriasis by putting it on food or drinking it with lukewarm water.
Treatment of Psoriasis
There are several treatments for psoriasis, the type of which varies according to the severity of the infection and its spread. Choosing the appropriate and best medication is up to the treating physician, who is more familiar with the method of treatment).
For mild psoriasis that is located on a small spot on the body, creams and sprays that are safe to use, such as:
- Topical steroids and creams such as vitamin D, sorilux, and dovonex. This is considered the best cream for psoriasis.
- Moisturizers that contain concentrated acids such as salicylic, urea, lactic and others, as these moisturizers are useful in getting rid of large scales on the skin.
- Coal tar, which is found in shampoos and creams, helps reduce dandruff on psoriasis.
- Anthralin is used as a cream or ointment that helps reduce irritation and tingling. It is placed on the place to be treated and anointed for 10 minutes.
- Also, treating psoriasis with Vaseline and olive oil can lead to a satisfactory result in moisturizing dry skin, by applying it to the affected places 3 times a day.
Moderate to severe psoriasis that spreads to many places in the body, creams and topical treatment usually do not affect it, but need laser or ultraviolet rays, also the patient needs to take oral medications to treat psoriatic arthritis to stop the pain and destruction caused by arthritis from within .
It is known that therapeutic medicines do not cure 100% on their own, so it is preferable to change the type of treatment every 6 months or within a year under the supervision of a doctor, and using the previous natural methods helps to eliminate the problem or reduce it to a large extent.
By taking oral medications and applying creams for psoriasis, and following the previous instructions, you will get a satisfactory result with the days, God willing.
Names of medicines for psoriasis
Medicines that are used orally or injected, work to prevent inflammation and block the spread of psoriatic plaques, and they are:
- adalimumab (Humira).
- methotrexate.
- secukinumab (Cosentyx).
- Ustekinumab (Stelara).
- secukinumab (Cosentyx).
- Infliximab (Remicade).