The most common symptom of psoriasis is the formation of psoriatic plaques, which form from the inflamed areas of the skin. However, the disease can manifest itself not only on the skin. We understand how psoriasis begins, how it proceeds and what are the signs of psoriasis.
Most often, the first symptoms of psoriasis appear at a young age, but psoriasis can overtake a person even in old age. The first symptoms of psoriasis can be subtle: the disease can begin with lesions on small areas of the skin, often on the folds of the limbs or scalp. Therefore, many patients may not notice the first manifestations. Does psoriasis skin itch? Indeed, one of the signs of psoriasis is itching. Moreover, at first a person can feel only itching and tightness, and only then red spots begin to appear on the skin.
The course of psoriasis greatly affects the quality of human life. Many patients experience not only physical but also psychological discomfort. However, modern medicine can effectively contain the manifestations of the disease. New drugs for psoriasis, developed in the 21st century, in particular, genetically engineered biological drugs (GIBP), allow you to completely get rid of the manifestations of the disease and lead a productive life.
What is psoriatic plaque?
Psoriatic plaques are the most common symptom of psoriasis. Plaques are enlarged, inflamed areas of red skin that protrude above the surface of healthy skin and are covered with a layer of whitish scales. The plaque can be painful, itchy, cracked, and bleed.
Psoriasis. Signs
Manifestations of psoriasis on the skin and nails
Leather
- Inflamed plaques with redness.
- The plaques are often covered with whitish scales.
- The plaques can be painful and itchy.
- Sometimes they crack and bleed.
- Scattered plaques may appear on the scalp.
- Plaques can grow and fuse with each other, covering a large area of the skin. In severe cases, the entire skin is one large plaque. This condition is called erythroderma.
Nails
- Nails change color or depressions, dots or stripes appear on the nail plates.
- Over time, the nail thickens and changes color to grayish, yellow or brown. It can collapse and bleed.
- The nail can flake and peel off. The skin under such a torn nail is thickened due to the formation of a psoriatic plaque here.
The most common symptoms of psoriasis
Itching and bleeding with psoriasis
Itching and burning of the skin are common psoriasis symptoms that concern 90% of patients. Itching caused by psoriasis is different from itching caused by other skin conditions. Itching in psoriasis can be very intense, and even occur on those areas of the skin where there are no visible plaques. Scratching of the skin resulting from itching in psoriasis can cause new rashes to appear as a result of mechanical trauma to the skin.
The appearance of cracks in the skin and bleeding with psoriasis
Psoriatic plaques can appear anywhere on the skin. Sometimes they crack as the skin becomes very dry on the plaque. As the plaque increases, the cracks expand. As they get larger, they can go deeper into the dermis - the layer of skin in which the capillaries are located. Then the capillaries are damaged and burst, and the plaques begin to bleed.
The first symptoms of psoriasis can occur anywhere, but more often than not, the skin begins to crack and bleed. Location of manifestations:
- elbows;
- knees;
- brushes;
- palms and soles.
Pustules with psoriasis
Pustules with a white or yellowish fluid inside, appearing on psoriatic plaques, are the main symptom of pustular psoriasis. This is a rare form of psoriasis, and only 2% of patients develop pustules. Pustular psoriasis is a very dangerous condition. It can cause serious complications, therefore it requires urgent complex treatment and referral to a specialist.
How are pustules formed? How does pustular psoriasis begin?
- First, with pustular psoriasis, plaques form, formed by dry, reddened skin that is painful to touch.
- Then pustules filled with pus form on the plaques.
- The pustules quickly merge with each other, forming large blisters.
- Then they dry out and come off, leaving dry skin underneath, on which they can soon reappear.
Teardrop plaques for psoriasis
Small reddish or pinkish scaly nodules - patches of skin that look like drops - are a symptom that distinguishes teardrop psoriasis. A patient may experience from a couple to hundreds of teardrop-shaped elements. Nodules anywhere on the skin, but most often occur on:
- shoulders;
- stomach;
- back;
- hands;
- legs;
- scalp;
- ears;
- face.
The symptoms of guttate psoriasis develop quite quickly, over several days. Sometimes the teardrop-shaped plaques cause itching in psoriasis. Usually such elements are small, no more than 10 mm in width.
Often, teardrop psoriasis flares up after an infection, mainly of the respiratory tract.
Soreness with psoriasis
Soreness in the projection of a rash occurs when the skin is damaged and cracked as a result of excessive thickening caused by inflammation and rampant keratinocyte growth. As a result, nerve endings in the dermis become irritated and send a pain signal to the brain.
But soreness appears not only due to mechanical damage to the skin: the inflammation that occurs in the body with psoriasis affects how the brain perceives pain. Moreover, each person has an individual threshold for pain sensitivity, therefore, pain in patients with the same picture of the disease can cause a different reaction.
42% of patients complain of soreness in the projection of the lesions caused by psoriasis. To a greater extent, this symptom is common among:
- women;
- old people;
- patients with severe psoriasis;
- patients who have had psoriasis for a long time;
- patients with concomitant psoriasis diseases.
Peeling (dandruff) with psoriasis
Scalp psoriasis plaques are hidden and may not be visible. However, as with other areas of the body, psoriatic plaques flake off, forming dandruff-like scales. Do not confuse psoriatic flaking and dandruff as dandruff is caused by a fungal infection and psoriasis is caused by inflammation. Therefore, these symptoms need to be treated in different ways.
Just like other symptoms of psoriasis, scaling occurs during exacerbation and disappears during remission. Exacerbation of psoriasis of the scalp appears for various reasons:
- cold weather;
- dry air;
- stress.
Comment on what to do when scaling and inflammation occurs in psoriasis
Changes in nails with psoriasis
- Half of patients with psoriasis develop nail psoriasis, and in patients with psoriatic arthritis, this symptom occurs in 80% of cases. As a rule, the defeat of the nail plates precedes the development of psoriatic arthritis.
- Typically, nail psoriasis accompanies other types of psoriasis on the skin. Only 5-10% of patients with nail psoriasis do not have lesions on the skin.
- Psoriasis of the nails occurs in different patients, regardless of their age, gender, or the duration of the disease.
- Changes can affect all or part of the nail plate. They appear both on one and on several nail plates, and more often on the hands.
- Psoriasis of the nails usually accompanies ordinary (vulgar) psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
- Psoriasis affects the condition of the nails in different ways. They can grow faster or get thicker. The nail plate often turns white, yellow, or brown.
- Thimble-type depressions and stripes appear on the nail.
- With the progression of the psoriatic process, the nail begins to deteriorate and is ultimately rejected, losing its connection with the nail bed.
- Damage to the nail causes unpleasant and painful sensations that significantly reduce the quality of life.