According to official data, around 3% of people around the world suffer from psoriasis. However, it can be assumed that the actual number of patients with this type of dermatosis is much larger. Basically, the first signs of such a disease appear around the age of 10-25, although cases of psoriasis have been diagnosed in both infants and the elderly. It's still not sure why it developed, but doctors have information about what the early stages of psoriasis look like. Therefore, timely referral to specialists allows you to stop the progression of the disease in the earliest stages.
Symptoms in the early stages
Initially, small round papules appear on the patient's skin, the size of which usually does not exceed the diameter of the head of a pin. These formations have a smooth, shiny surface and clear contours, but they literally start to peel off after a few days. The resulting scales are silver-white and can be easily removed from the papule surface. Over time, the number and size of the elements of the rash increases, and the disease develops to a progressive stage.
Most papules are reddish or pink in color, although they turn bluish in some situations. This is observed with the formation of the main elements of a rash on the legs. Depending on the type of disease, the initial stage of psoriasis manifests itself on the elbows (extensor surfaces), knees, body, limbs or scalp.
If you remove all the scales from the pimple, you will find an absolutely smooth, shiny surface underneath - the connection film. But with more scraping, it quickly gets damaged and the smallest drops of blood begin to appear.
Thus psoriasis is characterized by three specific phenomena:
- Stearin stain- increased peeling when removing dandruff;
- Psoriasis film- peeling of the thinnest layer of skin;
- Bluttau- the occurrence of precise drops of blood after scraping.
However, it is much easier to see in a photo what the initial stages of psoriasis look like.
Despite all the advances in medicine, no remedy has been developed today that would completely cure psoriasis. This disease is characterized by a wavy course, so not only those who first encountered such a disease, but also those who have lived with it for many years, go through the initial stage of its development.
I want to emphasize that there is no cure for psoriasis. With the help of modern drugs, physiotherapeutic procedures and other therapeutic methods, you can "drive" the disease into a state of stable remission and perhaps even forget it for several years. However, this does not mean that under an unfavorable combination of circumstances the patient again fails to notice the characteristic rashes that manifest the initial stage of psoriasis on the hands and other parts of the body.
How can you understand if psoriasis is progressing?
The transition of psoriasis to the second or progressive stage is evidenced by the growth and fusion of previously individual papules as well as by the addition of previously missing itching. In addition, the type of peeling also changes. Now it is observed only in the center of the formations, and their edges remain free of scales. This shows clearly enough the growth of elements.
To confirm the transition of psoriasis to the second stage, you can use some kind of test. Its essence is a minor damage to the skin of the affected area. If, after about a week, an element of psoriasis with the same shape as the injury forms in the same place, it clearly indicates the progression of the disease. In the specialist literature, such a test is described as a Kebner symptom. In addition, this is also observed with the banal combing of the affected skin.
In some cases, patients have exudative psoriasis. It is characterized by the release of a special liquid. The scales are impregnated with it, which turns them into dense crusts. If any of these crusts are removed or damaged, the oozing area of skin is exposed.