The term "toxicoderma" refers to the defeat of the skin, which occurs when an allergen enters the body. According to statistics, about 10% of the world's population suffers from this disease. Pathology differs from other dermatitis in that the provoking agent does not come in direct contact with the skin, but enters the body through breathing, injections, taking medications, etc. Regardless of the reason, the treatment of toxicoderma in both adults and children involves an integrated approach. The standard treatment regimen includes medication, the use of external agents and a special diet. It is also possible to increase the effectiveness of the main treatment with the help of folk methods.
Development mechanism
Toxicoderma is a reaction of the body to a provoking agent that has penetrated into it. It does not develop in all cases, for this it is necessary to have certain provoking factors. These include:
- Tendency to allergic reactions.
- Enzymatic insufficiency of a hereditary nature.
- Episodes of allergies in the past.
- Hypersensitivity to harmful compounds.
- Regular and long stay in the sun.
- The accumulation of drugs in the body.
Toxicoderma always develops as an allergic reaction. A feature of the pathology is that damage to the skin and mucous membranes occurs after the causative factor is absorbed into the blood and spreads through the vessels through the body. Thus, exposure to the allergen occurs from the inside, not from the outside.
Causes
Provoking agents can penetrate the body by inhaling air, eating food, making various kinds of injections, and taking medications.
Based on this, toxicoderma can be:
- Medication.
- Professional.
- Alimentary.
- Autotoxic.
The drug type of toxicoderma develops after taking certain medications. As a rule, allergens act as sulfanilamides, antibiotics, barbiturates, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, various serums and vitamins of group B. It is rare, but it also occurs that an undesirable reaction develops while taking antihistamines and corticosteroids, that is, medicines intended for eliminate allergies.
Occupational toxicoderma is a lesion of the skin that occurs after a single or regular contact with harmful chemical compounds. The most active allergens are substances that contain a benzene ring with an amino group or chlorine. Most often, an undesirable reaction develops upon contact with washing powder, epoxy resin, paints and solvents. Mercury and arsenic do the most harm in manufacturing plants.
Alimentary toxicoderma is one of the most common. The penetration of a provoking agent into the body occurs along with food. Various kinds of additives act as allergens: preservatives, disintegrants and dyes. Doctors say that even ordinary bread is dangerous. This is due to the fact that it contains a large amount of baking powder. Most often, an undesirable reaction is provoked by confectionery, sausages, semi-finished products, crackers and canned goods. Among natural products, the most powerful allergenic properties are: citrus fruits, coffee, chicken eggs, seafood, chocolate and honey.
An autotoxic type of ailment develops against the background of exposure to harmful compounds formed during metabolic disorders. The disease often occurs with stomach ulcers, gastritis, chronic renal failure, hepatitis, pancreatitis, hydronephrosis, pyelonephritis, malignant neoplasms of the intestines and lungs. This type of toxicoderma often goes into a chronic form. It often develops in contact with the metals from which dentures and other structures used in dental and orthopedic practice are made. In such cases, the most common allergens are chromium, nickel, cobalt and molybdenum.
Symptoms
Signs of toxicoderma can appear both shortly after the penetration of the provoking agent into the body (within a few hours), and after a few days. Regardless of the severity of the symptoms, treatment of toxicoderma in children and adults should begin immediately to avoid complications.
Manifestations of pathology can be very diverse. The main symptom of the disease is a rash in the form of papules, blisters, erythema, vesicles, etc. The skin around these elements can be either reddened or remain unchanged. Rashes go through a full cycle of development: hyperemia, formation, resolution, healing process (sores with subsequent scarring). Often they stop at some stage. In this case, there is no direct dependence on the type of allergen and the type of skin reaction.
In addition, with toxicoderma, the following symptoms appear:
- painful sensations;
- burning and itching;
- a feeling of tension in the focus of pathology;
- fever;
- general malaise;
- joint aches;
- impaired appetite;
- lethargy;
- decreased attention span;
- insomnia;
- psycho-emotional instability;
- bleeding (when involved in the process of blood vessels);
- diarrhea;
- increase in body temperature;
- vomiting
The signs of the disease in children are the same as in adults. In addition, the kids become moody and whiny.
Regardless of the severity of symptoms, treatment of toxicoderma in both children and adults should begin as soon as possible. The disease has several degrees of severity, with untimely medical care, the risk of serious complications increases. The most dangerous is cerebral edema.
The severity of the pathology:
- Easy. It manifests itself with mild itching, damage to the skin (rash in the form of urticaria, erythematous nodules and spots). The overall well-being of the patient is maintained or slightly worsened. In the presence of these symptoms, treatment of toxicoderma in adults and children involves non-hormonal therapy. Soon the signs of the disease completely disappear.
- Medium. Patients have pronounced itching, redness of the skin, rashes in the form of vesicles, urticaria, erythema, blisters. The condition of the patients worsens significantly, they become irritable, episodes of aggression often occur against the background of constant discomfort.
- Heavy. It is accompanied by a sharp increase in body temperature. The process of intoxication is progressing, against the background of this, vomiting appears. A huge rash forms on the skin. With untimely provision of medical care, the risk of developing anaphylactic shock and cerebral edema increases. Internal organs may also be involved in the pathological process.
Depending on the size of the lesion, toxicoderma may be fixed or common. In the first case, small erythematous spots are formed on the skin, the diameter of which does not exceed 3 cm. Over time, their color becomes brown, and in the middle, bubbles form. If an allergen is identified and eliminated in a short time, recovery occurs after about 10 days. Otherwise, the provoking agent can again penetrate the body, as a result of which rashes will begin to form in both the old and new (previously not affected) areas.
Common toxicoderma is accompanied by a significant deterioration in the patient's condition. The heart, kidneys and liver are most often involved in the pathological process. The rash is extensive, the patient's body temperature rises, vomiting and diarrhea appear.
Regardless of the symptoms and causes, the treatment of toxicoderma in adults and children should be timely in order to prevent the illness from becoming severe and not provoke the development of life-threatening complications. At the first sign of deterioration, you need to see a doctor.
Forms of Toxicoderma
Specialists divide the disease into several types. Toxicoderma may be:
- Spotty.
- Papular.
- Vesicular.
- Pustular.
- Bullous.
Severe forms include Stevens-Johnson and Lyell syndromes.
Spotted toxicoderma is characterized by the formation of plaques, which can be either isolated or merging. The rash has a ring-shaped appearance, after its disappearance, peeling of the skin is observed. Often there is a rejection of the stratum corneum. To prevent this, it is necessary not to delay the treatment of toxicoderma. In the photo below you can see how this form of the disease begins to manifest itself. A concomitant symptom is itching.
The papular form of the disease affects a large area of the skin. As a rule, an ailment is a response of the body to prolonged use of drugs, which include tetracycline, iodine, mercury, hingamine, streptomycin, quinine. The rash has the appearance of polygonal papules.
Vesicular toxicoderma is accompanied by the appearance of spots with a reddish or pinkish border. A rash can also form on the soles and palms.
The pustular form develops, as a rule, against the background of taking medications containing bromine, iodine and fluorine. Allergens are also B vitamins, barbiturates, lithium preparations, isoniazid and steroids. The mechanism of the development of the disease in this case is as follows: with the penetration of provocative agents into the body, activation of staphylococci, which are located in the sebaceous glands, is triggered. The active substances of the drugs are also secreted along with the secret, which further enhances damage to the skin. The rash has the appearance of acne. In most cases, they are localized on the face, back and chest.
The bullous form is characterized by the formation of rounded spots. After a few days, they acquire a bluish tint, then brown. Bubbles sometimes appear in the center of the spots. As a rule, the mucous membranes of the genitals and mouth are affected, which makes food intake and acts of defecation and urination painful.
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a severe form of pathology. It appears suddenly - the patient's temperature rises sharply to critical levels. Cough, vomiting, sore throat, diarrhea are the main symptoms of toxicoderma. Treatment should be carried out urgently, as there is a risk of death. This is due to the rapid development of dangerous complications, among which the following can be distinguished: bleeding, pneumonia, colitis, bronchitis, blindness, acute renal failure. The rash is localized mainly on the trunk and in the perineum. The spots have a crimson color, in their center bubbles form, filled with pathological contents.
Lyell's syndrome is characterized by an increase in body temperature to high values, the formation of numerous spots of pink or red. The affected skin swells, the rash causes severe pain. After a few hours, exfoliation of the epidermis develops. The pathological process involves not only the skin and mucous membranes, but also internal organs. Due to this, acute renal failure develops.
Rare forms of toxicoderma include: allergic vasculitis, hyperkeratosis of the soles and palms, bromo and iododerm.
Diagnostics
Regardless of the severity of symptoms and causes, treatment of toxicoderma in children and adults should be timely. When the first alarming signs appear, consult a dermatologist. The doctor will draw up a referral for a comprehensive examination and based on its results will draw up the most effective treatment regimen for toxicoderma.
The main diagnostic measures include:
- Examination of the patient.
- History taking. This is necessary in order to identify a provoking factor.
- Conducting allergic tests. The disadvantage of this method is that it is not always informative.
- Conducting provocative tests. The in vitro method is used.
To exclude the presence of a secondary infection, the doctor prescribes the following laboratory tests:
- Bacteriological analysis of discharge from pathological foci.
- Scraping of the skin cells.
- Vaginal and urethral swabs, RPR test (to confirm or exclude gonorrhea and syphilis).
- Biochemical blood test, coagulogram.
If internal organs are involved in the pathological process, the doctor prescribes the following instrumental diagnostic methods:
- ECG, Echo-KG.
- CT scan of the kidneys.
- Ultrasound of the internal organs.
Differential diagnosis is carried out with red flat and pink lichen giber, rubella, scarlet fever, measles, exudative erythema, systemic lupus erythematosus. Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, a therapeutic regimen is drawn up according to the standards for the treatment of toxicoderma. Hospitalization is also possible according to indications.
Treatment
It directly depends on the form of the disease, its severity and the patient's condition. The first and most important step in the treatment of toxicoderma is the complete exclusion of body contact with the allergen. To eliminate an unknown provoking factor, it is necessary to stop taking any medications and strictly follow a diet.
The standard treatment for toxicoderma in adults includes the following items:
- Taking drugs with a laxative and diuretic effect, carrying out cleansing enemas, administering intravenous infusion solutions (hemodesis, sodium thiosulfate, physiological, reopoliglyukin). Such measures are necessary in order to mitigate the negative effects of allergens.
- Antihistamines are prescribed to eliminate the adverse reaction. Toxicoderma treatment is carried out using the following tools: Suprastin, Tavegil, Diphenhydramine, Pipolfen, Aminocaproic acid, etc.
- To remove harmful compounds from the body, the administration of enterosorbents is prescribed. These include: Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, Polyphepan and other similar drugs. Treatment of toxicoderma also does not do without taking drugs that normalize the intestines. For this purpose, enzymes and probiotics are prescribed (for example, "Acipol", "Normobact").
- The use of topical preparations. For the treatment of toxicoderma, anti-inflammatory drugs, suspensions, moisturizers, antipruritic and glucocorticosteroid ointments are prescribed. Wet areas must be treated with disinfectants.
In severe cases, the treatment of toxicoderma in both children and adults is carried out exclusively in a hospital. For such patients, the main scheme is supplemented by the following points:
- Hemosorption.
- Cryo- and plasmapheresis.
- Taking antibiotics. This is necessary to prevent the attachment of a secondary infection.
- Taking glucocorticoids. As a rule, doctors prescribe Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone, Prednisolone.
Toxicoderma treatment often involves the use of mild sedatives, as most patients experience strong feelings about their appearance. In severe cases, patients are referred for a consultation with a psychotherapist.
The treatment regimen for toxicoderma in children also includes medication and external use of creams and ointments. But when prescribing drugs, the age characteristics of the child should be taken into account. The diet of the baby during treatment should include exclusively hypoallergenic products. It is not recommended to introduce new food during therapy.
Power Features
Diet is an important step in the treatment of toxicoderma. To reduce the allergic load, it is necessary to make adjustments to the diet. The most accurate list of products that are not approved for use is made by the doctor based on the diagnostic results.
In all cases, the following are excluded from the diet:
- citrus;
- confectionery;
- chicken eggs;
- nuts
- cream;
- mushrooms;
- coffee;
- strong tea.
In addition, it is forbidden to eat food, which contains dyes, preservatives and flavorings.
It is recommended to include rice, oat and buckwheat cereal, low-fat fermented milk products, green and yellow fruits in the diet. It is advisable to cook steamed dishes.
Unconventional methods
Treatment of toxicoderma with folk remedies does not exclude the need for seeking medical help. In addition, most natural healing products are potential allergens. In order not to aggravate the situation, you must first obtain the permission of a doctor.
The most effective recipes:
- Take 3 tbsp. l chopped nettle, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 2 hours. After this time, strain the product. Use infusion as a rinse or compress for foci of pathology.
- Twice a day, lubricate the affected areas of the skin with vegetable oil. Judging by the reviews, in the treatment of toxicoderma the greatest effect is achieved: peach, corn, olive and St. John's wort.
- Grind 1 cup oats. Pour it with 1 liter of water. Put the container on fire, boil for half an hour. Pour the resulting product into a bathtub filled with warm water. Immerse yourself in it for 20 minutes. Bathing is allowed only after stopping the acute phase.
First aid
If signs of toxicoderma occur, it is necessary to stop taking medications and consuming products that are potential or identified allergens. Then you need to take activated charcoal (8-10 tablets) and any antihistamine (for example, Suprastin) as soon as possible.
It is not recommended to postpone a visit to the doctor. With a significant deterioration in well-being and pronounced symptoms, it is necessary to call an ambulance team.
Finally
Toxicoderma is a lesion of the skin that occurs after the penetration of a provoking agent into the body. The disease may have a diverse clinical picture. In this regard, when the first alarming symptoms appear, you must consult a doctor. The specialist will conduct a differential diagnosis and, when confirming the presence of an ailment, will draw up the most effective treatment regimen.