Psoriasis is a common disease that is often reported in modern dermatology. Of course, there are many forms of this ailment, each of which has its own characteristics. According to statistics, in every fourth case, the patient is diagnosed with psoriasis palmar-plantar. This is a special kind of disease, which is accompanied by strictly localized areas of lesions.
Of course, patients after diagnosis are trying to find the maximum available information about the disease. What is palmar plantar psoriasis? Symptoms, causes, possible complications and treatment are important points to deal with.
The main causes of the development of the disease
It is no secret that psoriasis is a chronic disease that affects mainly skin tissue. This disease is not associated with infection, and most scientists are inclined to think that this disease is autoimmune in nature. It is accompanied by the formation of dry red spots, as well as excessive cell proliferation.
Psoriasis palmar-plantar is no exception to the rule - this is an autoimmune chronic disease. The causes and mechanism of the development of the disease are not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, there is a certain genetic predisposition to the development of the disease. Of course, many factors can provoke the appearance of the disease, including:
- infectious skin lesions;
- injuries of the skin;
- exposure to environmental factors (low or too high temperatures, excessive ultraviolet radiation, etc.);
- effects on the body of drugs;
- since psoriasis is often associated with allergic reactions, risk factors include chemical effects on the skin, whether using inappropriate cosmetics or contact with potentially dangerous, toxic substances;
- quite often, an exacerbation of the disease is observed against the background of nervous strain, severe stress;
- risk factors include alcohol abuse, malnutrition, eating allergenic foods.
As you can see, the palmar-plantar form of psoriasis can be triggered by various factors. The doctor always pays attention to the causes of the development of the disease, because medical and preventive measures depend on this in many respects.
Psoriasis: a photo of the initial stage and symptoms of the disease
It is worth saying that the clinical picture with such a disease is quite obvious. Palmar-plantar psoriasis is accompanied by the appearance of rashes on the skin - they look like pink or purple papules, which slightly rise above the surface of the skin. As a rule, lesion sites have clear boundaries. The location is also characteristic - the disease affects the skin on the soles of the feet and the inner surface of the palms.
The skin on the papules is very dry, often covered with plaques and cracks. Sometimes papules merge with the edges, forming large lesions. What other symptoms may be associated with psoriasis? The photo of the initial stage shows only small lesions, but often the disease spreads to the nail plates. In severe forms, papules cover about 10% of the entire skin.
Typical form of psoriasis
Typical or papular-plaque psoriasis is accompanied by the appearance of dense plaques on the skin of the feet and hands. They have clearly defined edges and are covered with scales. With this form of the disease, papules and plaques have a light shade, merging with healthy areas of the skin.
By the way, when you try to remove the scales from the papules, you can notice that they come off with difficulty - this is an important diagnostic criterion. The skin on the hands and feet coarsens, deep cracks often appear on it - this phenomenon is accompanied by severe pain and gives the patient a lot of discomfort.
Horn form of the disease
With the horny form of psoriasis, pronounced areas of erythema can be observed on the patient's skin. In addition, small plaques and papules of a light yellow hue are formed - they rise above the surface of the skin and have a dense texture. Quite often, small papules merge with each other - in patients psoriatic rashes cover almost the entire skin on the feet and palms.
Psoriasis Barber and its features
This form of psoriasis was isolated not so long ago - it was first described by the English dermatologist Barber in 1930. By the way, the disease has another name: vesicular pustular psoriasis.
The clinical manifestations of the disease can be different - sometimes only small single pustules can be observed on the patient’s skin, while others have multiple, but very small plaques. More often the rash is localized at the thumb or on the little finger of the hand, as well as on the arch of the foot. Often you can observe the merger of pustules and the formation of quite large purulent foci. By the way, it is this form of the disease that can be treated most severely.
Palmar plantar psoriasis: treatment
Psoriasis is a chronic disease. Of course, outwardly it seems that the ailment affects only the skin tissue, but in fact the process affects the work of the whole organism, so therapy should be systemic and comprehensive. Proper treatment helps to influence the human body from the inside and outside.
Since the development of psoriasis is most often associated with an autoimmune process, immunosuppressants are prescribed to patients. Such drugs help to reduce the activity of the immune system, thereby preventing excessive proliferation of tissue cells. A good option is the drug "Cyclosporin." It is worth saying that disputes between experts regarding the use of such drugs are still underway, but in the process of research it was determined that suppressors of the immune system really help in the treatment of psoriasis.
Therapy includes cytostatics. Such drugs stop the rapid growth of skin cells in the area of papules. A good drug from this group is Methotrexate. In addition, patients are prescribed enterosorbents, which accelerate the process of removing toxins from the body, and hepatoprotectors to protect liver cells.
The use of external drugs
Systemic therapy in this case is extremely important. But if you are interested in the question of how to cure palmar-plantar psoriasis, then you need to consider the drugs that are used for external treatment directly of papules, plaques and cracks in the skin.
In most cases, it is impossible to eliminate skin lesions without hormonal agents, namely ointments containing corticosteroids. The most effective drugs include Flucinar, Elokom, Hydrocortisone, Lokoid, Fluorocorp, Prednisolone. Such drugs quickly eliminate the inflammatory process, inhibit the development of allergic reactions, and also relieve itching and discomfort.
Therapy is often supplemented with ointments that contain salicylic acid, tar and ichthyol, since these substances soften dead skin areas and accelerate the healing process of wounds and cracks.
Since quite often infectious skin diseases develop against the background of psoriasis, the doctor may additionally prescribe the use of antibacterial and antifungal creams. Sometimes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used as adjuvants.
Other therapies
Along with the use of the above medicines, patients are shown vitamin therapy, which helps to quickly cope with an exacerbation of a disease such as palmar-plantar psoriasis. Treatment includes fat-soluble vitamins (in particular, vitamin A, K and D), as well as ascorbic acid and some vitamins of group D.
In some cases, the doctor may recommend phototherapy, a treatment method that uses the properties of ultraviolet rays.
How can traditional medicine help?
In search of a cure for the disease, patients often turn to non-standard methods of treatment. For example, the following folk recipes for psoriasis are considered quite effective:
- It is useful to lubricate affected skin with fish oil at least once a day.
- Sea buckthorn oil is also considered effective for psoriasis - it can treat papules and plaques, as well as take the product inside one teaspoon per day.
- Some folk healers recommend drinking 1/3 cup of a decoction of flowers and leaves of black elderberry three times a day.
- According to the same scheme, you can take a decoction of bay leaves (pour 20 g of dry leaves into two glasses of hot water and cook for 10 minutes).
- Baths with decoctions of herbs will have a positive effect on the condition of the skin - a sequence of St. John's wort, licorice, celandine is suitable for the treatment of psoriasis.
Of course, alternative recipes cannot replace full-fledged drug therapy, therefore, in no case should you refuse medical help. The above means can be used as auxiliary means, but only with the permission of the treating dermatologist.
Possible complications of psoriasis
Chronic psoriasis is a complex disease. It gives a person a lot of physical (constant itching) and emotional discomfort (papules on the palms and feet do not look too personal). If untreated, the disease can affect the nail plates.
Cracks, abrasions and scratches on the skin that inevitably occur during the disease can become a gateway to fungal, bacterial and viral infections - in this case, the disease can be complicated by an acute inflammatory process.
Preventive actions
Psoriasis (palmar-plantar including) - a chronic disease. It is characterized by periods of exacerbation and temporary remission. The above methods of therapy are used during the progression of the disease. And in periods of relative calm, patients are advised to adhere to certain rules and avoid exposure to factors that provoke the appearance of skin lesions.
To begin with, it is worth saying that hygiene with palmar-plantar psoriasis is extremely important. Nevertheless, it is worth abandoning cosmetics that can cause allergies. You need to wash with warm water, but in no case hot. It is also necessary to protect the skin of the palm and feet from mechanical damage, refuse to wear synthetic socks, wear gloves while washing dishes.
To prevent exacerbations, you need to carefully monitor the proper diet, exclude fried and spicy foods, spices, chocolate, coffee, eggs, alcohol from the diet. And, of course, at the first manifestations of the disease, you need to see a doctor and start treatment.