What you need to know about psoriasis and how to talk about it with others
Miscellaneous / / October 29, 2021
What is psoriasis and how to relieve its symptoms
Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the skin, joints and internal organs. As a rule, the disease manifests itselfAbout Psoriasis / National Psoriasis Foundation either at a young age (15 to 25 years old), or afterGlobal report on psoriasis / World Health Organization 50 years of age, although sometimes even children can experience symptoms. According to various estimates, psoriasis is encountered from 2-3Psoriasis Statistics / National Psoriasis Foundation up to 11.4%Global report on psoriasis / World Health Organization people around the world.
The reasons for the development of the disease are still not completely clear.Psoriasis / NHS. Experts believe that the onset of psoriasis may be associatedAbout Psoriasis / National Psoriasis Foundation with a malfunction of the immune system and increased division of skin cells, which do not have time to fully mature and die off. As a result, characteristic red spots with scales appear on the body, most often they occur
Psoriasis / NHS on the knees, elbows and scalp. Peeling of the skin is accompanied byPsoriasis / Mayo Clinic itching, which can get worse at night, and this can lead to sleep problems, nervousness and fatigue.Risk factors for the development of psoriasis arePsoriasis / NHS burns and skin injuries, infections, bad habits (for example, smoking and drinking alcohol), stress and hormonal imbalances. Although psoriasis cannot be cured once and for allPsoriasis / NHS, it can be controlled: the combination of clinical treatments with lifestyle adjustments prevents the development of the disease and allows you to achieve remission. To alleviate the condition, they canPsoriasis / msd manual use ointments, emollients, steroids, phototherapy, immunomodulatory drugs, vitamin D3 or its analogs. The specific treatment regimen must be prescribed by a specialist.
Here's what you can do to keep psoriasis flare-ups less common.
- Take care8 ways to stop baths and showers from worsening your psoriasis / American Academy of Dermatology about the skin. A hot shower or bath can make the condition worse. The water should be warm, and mild cleansers should be used instead of scrubs. After showering, moisturize your skin with creams and lotions.
- Wear clothes made from natural fabrics. For example, a shirt or long sleeve made of cottonHow Clothing Can Affect Your Psoriasis / Everyday Health may be less irritating to the skin than a synthetic sweater.
- Eat a balanced diet. People with psoriasis may have an increaseLiving with psoriasis / NHS the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, so it is important for them to eat a healthy diet.
- Stay in the sun, but in moderation. It is capablePsoriasis / Mayo Clinic improve the condition of the skin, but do not overdo it: sunburn can provoke an exacerbation.
- Keep stress under control. For example, you can practiceLife with Psoriasis / National Psoriasis Foundation meditation, and, if necessary, seek help from a specialist.
With psoriasis, do not self-medicate. To find a remedy that will help cope with your symptoms, you need to consult a specialist. It is necessary to take care of the skin not only during exacerbations, but also during the period of remission.
Non-hormonal remedy "Daivonex®»Formulated to relieve psoriasis symptoms. Its active ingredient is calcipotriol, an analogue of vitamin D3. Daivonex® is available as an ointment that can be applied to the affected area once or twice a day. With regular use, the product can reduce the rate of skin cell division and reduce the risk of skin atrophy.
Find out how it works
What difficulties does a person with psoriasis experience in everyday life?
There are many myths around psoriasis that are irrelevant to reality. So, this disease is not contagiousPsoriasis: Myths and Facts / HealthCentralalthough it is sometimes confused with a bacterial or fungal infection. You cannot catch psoriasis through handshakes, hugs, kisses, in the bath or pool, or when using some things in everyday life. It is also not transmitted sexually and by airborne droplets. Moreover, the disease is not the result of poor hygiene or poor nutrition.
Psoriasis does not affect either a person's intellectual abilities, or sexual attraction, or the ability to have children. So there are no objective reasons not to start a family with this disease. If psoriasis is observed in one of the parents, then the probability of its development in the child isPsoriasis / World Health Organization only 14%, and when monitored by specialists from an early age, the course of the disease can be successfully controlled.
Nevertheless, sometimes such myths seriously complicate life. Those who have encountered this disease admitGlobal report on psoriasis / World Health Organizationthat it hits all areas - from work to family. People may be discriminated against in recruitment, have difficulty making friends and romantic communication, as well as when visiting public places such as baths, beaches, fitness clubs and beauty salons. The social isolation that a person with psoriasis finds itself in can cause stress and depression - and this does not contribute to the approach of remission.
How to deal with prejudice due to psoriasis
Stress can provoke the development of the disease, and the manifestations of psoriasis cause additional emotional stress: breaking the vicious circle is difficult, but it must be done to improve states. With psoriasis, as with any chronic illness, it is important to enlist the support of loved ones and keep in touch with friends. If the disease manifests itself in adulthood, it can be difficult to accept changes in lifestyle - the help of a specialist may be needed here.
There is no need to be ashamed to speak openly about the diagnosis with colleagues and new acquaintances, because a person's personality and attitude towards him are not determined by the fact that he has this or that disease. And all the more, you should not be ashamed of red spots on the skin and hide them under closed clothes all year round - this can only aggravate the course of psoriasis.
Few people will be confused by an inhaler with an asthma remedy from a neighbor on the subway, and when they see an insulin syringe in in the hands of a person at a cafe table, most will understand that they have diabetes, and not addict. People with speech impairments, mild forms of cerebral palsy and epilepsy study in regular schools, graduate from universities and work in offices, although a few decades ago the situation was different.
The body-positive trend helps to be visible not only to those whose figure is far from model standards, but also to those with rare features, from vitiligo to albinism. Therefore, it is also important for a person with psoriasis not only to admit their problem and say about it aloud, but also find dignity in himself and realize that he has the right to care, respect and communication with people.
With a prolonged fight against psoriasis with the help of hormonal agents, the skin may become addicted to steroids. This is a direct path to the appearance of side effects: thinning of the skin, stretch marks and the appearance of a vascular network.
Ointment "Daivonex®»Can help prevent relapse after steroid treatment. It can increase the effectiveness of phototherapy for psoriasis, and it is allowed to be used by adults and children from six years of age.
Learn how to keep psoriasis under control
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