The psoriasis it is a chronic inflammatory disease that afflicts over two and a half million Italians not only physically but also emotionally, socially and economically.
The manifestation of the disease, as well as the severity, varies from person to person: for some it can be little more than a nuisance, while for others it can seriously compromise the quality of life.
Psoriasis, in fact, in its most serious forms can heavily influence the quality of life and the emotional health of those who suffer from it, causing strong anxieties about their physical appearance, up to depressive states, so much so that the Ministry of Health has classified psoriasis as a social disease, both for its significant spread and for the limitations it entails in its most serious forms.
So let’s try to understand what psoriasis is, what are the symptoms with which it manifests itself and its possible treatments
What is Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that usually takes on a chronic and relapsing nature and which tends to follow a cyclic course with acute phases (periods in which symptoms are manifest and severe) and phases of remission (when symptoms are light or non-existent) .
Psoriasis is a non-contagious and fairly common disease which, according to estimates, affects about 2-5% of the Italian population. Furthermore, it tends to have the same incidence in both sexes, can appear at any age (with a higher incidence between 16 and 22 years or between 57 and 60 years of age) and tends to affect people with fair skin more. .
Symptoms of psoriasis
Psoriasis can manifest itself in different forms: pustular psoriasis (in which small pus-filled bubbles appear), plaque psoriasis (which represents about 80% of the forms of psoriasis), guttate psoriasis (very numerous and small patches dimensions), inverse psoriasis and erythrodermal psoriasis (where erythema affects the whole skin, accompanied by feverish states and greater inflammation and desquamation).
In its most common form, that is plaque psoriasis, this pathology manifests itself with thickened areas (erythematous and rounded plaques, clearly delimited at the edges) very desquamated of red or whitish color, which may be covered with silver scales. Psoriatic plaques can be of different sizes, can be itchy, and typically appear on the elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back, but can also extend to the entire body. Among the most frequent symptoms of psoriasis we can therefore find:
- plaques and papules;
- erythema (redness);
- peeling;
- itch;
- feeling of tension;
- burning.
It is also important to know that psoriasis is not contagious in any way: for this reason, being near or touching a person who is affected by it does not in any way lead to a transmission of the disease.
The causes of psoriasis
Psoriasis is a skin disease that falls into the macro-category of dermatitis, a term by which all skin inflammations are defined. To date, it is still not entirely clear what the specific causes of psoriasis are, but it is believed that it is a multifactorial disease, which therefore derives from the interaction of numerous predisposing factors.
In most cases it seems that the genetic component and stress play a very important role in the development of this pathology, especially in those subjects with an aptitude to somatize at the skin level (skin reactors), as well as a weakened immune system and various environmental factors. Possible causes of psoriasis can be:
- genetic predisposition;
- stress;
- problems with the immune system;
- trauma of the skin;
- streptococcal infections and infectious processes;
- taking certain medications, including systemic corticosteroids, beta blockers, lithium, gold salts and synthetic antimalarials.
Furthermore, psoriasis tends to follow a cyclic course, with phases of remission, in which no symptoms are present, and phases of exacerbation, where the disease recurs or worsens. Flare-ups are more common in people who are overweight, smokers, or HIV-infected, and can be triggered by:
- skin lesions;
- sun burns;
- infections, such as colds and pharyngitis;
- winter weather;
- alcohol consumption;
- high levels of stress;
- taking certain medications.
Treatment: how to cure psoriasis
Even if, to date, it is not possible to completely recover from the disease, several drugs and therapies are available that can avoid the worsening of psoriasis and keep the active phase of inflammation under control, leading to periods of remission.
The treatment of psoriasis involves the use of emollients, topical drugs (vitamin D analogues, retinoids, tar, anthralin and corticosteroids), taking probiotics and / or specific supplements, phototherapy and, in the most serious forms, systemic therapies (methotrexate, cyclosporine or biologics).
The extreme variety of clinical forms in fact presupposes different and personalized therapeutic interventions based on the type of psoriasis and the severity of the symptoms. It is therefore not possible to establish a priori the effectiveness of a cure, since it depends on the individual response: what may be effective in one patient may not be useful in another.
Furthermore, given its chronic nature, psoriasis requires constant and regular treatment, just like other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. It is therefore useful to carry out periodic dermatological specialist checks, both to immediately identify the presence of any complications, and to ensure that the therapeutic measures undertaken are effective and free from side effects.
Finally, we must not forget that, in addition to medical therapies, it can also be very beneficial for the patient to work on reducing stress. Precisely for this reason, it is good to indulge in moments of relaxation, devote yourself to taking care of your hobbies and regularly carry out physical activity, so as to release daily tensions.