Despite the fact that psoriasis - is a fairly common disease, the causes of its appearance are still not fully understood. It is also impossible to predict the development of the disease. There is no universal medicine that will fully help. However, remission can be achieved! How to do this, tells Borys Mindiuk, a dermatovenerologist at the Bogoliuby MC. .
Where does psoriasis come from?
Why is it developing? We do not know the exact causes of psoriasis. Why? Because it is a polyetiological disease, and there no obvious root of it, such as, for example, other infectious disease has. The development mechanism is known, the so-called pathogenesis - what happens in the body during a disease, and there can be many reasons
We can say that the prerequisite for the development of psoriasis is autoimmune processes in the body, when, in simple words, the body itself begins to “feel bad” about its skin and joints, but this is only one theory. Who are in the risk group? There is no selected risk group either. It is known that a tendency to psoriasis is inherited. I note: not the disease itself, but a predisposition to it. However, psoriasis can also occur in a person whose relatives did not have such a disease. I must say that recently psoriasis has become very young. Previously, it was diagnosed mainly in the elderly, and now more often in young people.
What factors can trigger the development of psoriasis? And how is it developing?
There are many factors that can trigger the onset or exacerbation of psoriasis - from individual medications, bacteria and fungus to cosmetics. But there are two factors that are almost guaranteed to lead to exacerbation. This is stress and alcohol.
The disease can start in different ways. Someone may have one psoriatic plaque (if, for instanse, on the scalp, a person may not even be aware of the disease, because physically he does not feel it). And someone may immediately have multiple rashes.
Psoriasis is a disease that cannot be predicted: it can start acutely, or maybe with one plaque. It can start with one plaque and no longer spread throughout life, and sometimes in a short time lead to disability, when as a result of joint damage a person loses the ability to walk. And again, it is impossible to predict the development of complications: joint damage may not occur, or it may occur 10 years after the onset of the disease, and with aggressive forms of psoriasis, the joints can be affected immediately.
What would you advise a person to do if she/he noticed a psoriasis-like formation on her skin?
One should contact a specialist. Definitely! Why? I will explain on example: on the scalp there can be both seborrheic dermatitis (associated with improper robe of the sebaceous glands) and psoriasis as well. A dermatologist can distinguish. Additional diagnostics and analyzes are practically not required: to establish a diagnosis, a doctor’s examination and several diagnostic tests are enough. The treatment of psoriasis is best started immediately after detection, because it is impossible to predict how the disease will proceed.
Is it possible that some kind of skin disease will develop into psoriasis?
No, it is impossible. One process cannot transform into another.
What is a treatment of psoriasis and is it treatable well?
As I explain to my patients, we cannot achieve a full recovery today. But you can achieve remission! There are hundreds of methods and means for treating psoriasis, but there are no universal medicines: each one has its own help. Usually, exacerbations are eliminated quite easily, and further treatment (a person with psoriasis must be treated almost always) is selected individually. We are talking about taking medications, external (ointment) therapy, physiotherapy, and spa treatment.
How realistic is it to achieve long-term remission when psoriasis?
Yes, it is possible, but individually. Those who look after their health, try to avoid stress, regularly undergo spa treatment, eat right, do not drink alcohol, have good reason for long-term remission and life with relatively clean skin. People with psoriasis in no case should be neglected by physiotherapy and spa treatment. They really give a positive result on the course of the disease.
