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Psoriasis: the new treatments – iO Donna

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In Italy almost suffer from it 3 million people, between 15 and 45 years: let’s talk about the psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease which may be important repercussions on the life of those who suffer from it, causing physical and psychological discomfort and often leading to isolation.

Psoriasis, in fact, in the most common form, is characterized by the appearance of red patches, covered with whitish scales, located in different parts of the body and often very visible, so as to cause a profound state of stress in those who suffer from it.

On the occasion of the World Psoriasis DayWorld Psoriasis Day – established by the World Health Organization with the aim of raising awareness of this skin pathology, we asked some questions to Dr. Luisa Arancio, dermatologist from Humanitas San Pio X which helped us understand what the triggers psoriasis but above all what they are today new treatments available to patients.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What is psoriasis

Psoriasis is referred to as a inflammatory disease chronic relapsing of the skin. Lo development of the disease derives from a complex and dynamic interaction between genetic and environmental factors that provoke an exaggerated inflammatory response in the skin linked to the activity of the immune system, or an overproduction of skin cells that thus give rise to plaques and thickenings.

“It has long been considered an exclusively cutaneous pathology – explains Dr. Arancio – however today we know that psoriasis is a disease thathe can affect various districts beyond the skin and nails, involving for example the joints and exposing the patient to cardiovascular risks and oculistic and gastroenterological pathologies “.

What are the triggering causes

“It is an inflammatory pathology with a chronic-relapsing course, due to multiple factors – replies the dermatologist – both genetic and environmental. At the base there is a very complex mechanism of action, an immune-mediated process in which chronic inflammation develops on the basis of a genetic predisposition. Basically we can say that the subject is genetically predisposed and various environmental factors act on this predisposition during the course of life, including infectious diseases, particular lifestyle, previous therapies, stress”.

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Incidence and age

The incidence of psoriasis is the same in the male and female population, with a peak, however, found in two age targets.

“We distinguish a juvenile form, in which the genetic imprint is more important – explains Dr. Arancio – and a classic vulgar form that has a peak incidence between 20 and 30 years and whose genesis is mostly multifactorial” .

In addition one distinguishes today between a form of mild psoriasis, with a minimum localization which is the most frequent in the population, and one most severe form, in which the inflammation is more extensive. However, the disease can take many forms.

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The different forms of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

“Today we know that psoriasis can take many forms. Psoriasis vulgar classic – explains the dermatologist – which mostly affects typical areas such as elbows, knees and sacrum region, the pinverted soriasis hitting the folds, a shape palm-plantar, which affects hands and feet, and even one form of psoriasis that involves only the nails. To these forms is then added thepsoriasis arthritis which can be considered a pathology in its own right and which also affects the joints.

“This form is accompanied by psoriasis in various ways – explains Dr. Arancio – it can also exist without the psoriatic manifestation or instead it can appear later. In some cases the manifestations of the skin even precede the articular ones by many years “.

They also affect this type of psoriasis genetic factors and environmental factors but today there are gods predictive signals which allow us to understand if a patient is at risk.

“Yes, there are conditions that lead us to believe that the subject may develop a form of psoriatic arthritis in the future – explains the dermatologist – for example the involvement of the nails and scalp but also a significant overweight which can lead to a greater inflammatory state “.

How it manifests itself on the nails

Psoriasis, therefore, not only affects the skin but can also appear in different forms on the skin nails. What are the signals to monitor?

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“They are very variable – replies the doctor – there is a very slight form in which we witness an onycholysis, that is to the flaking of the nails, but it can also manifest itself with small point depressions of the nail, white spots, that is to say leuconichia, roughness but also red spots at the level of the lunula which indicate the presence of an inflammatory state. Or you can find yourself in the presence of a real inflammation of the nail bed that can generate a distal onycholysis, or one detachment of the layers of the nail, or an ithickening of the foil or the so-called splinter hemorrhages, recognizable as small brownish specks under the nail bed “.

What treatments exist today for psoriasis

One of the most difficult aspects of the disease is hers chronic and recurrent nature: psoriasis is in fact one pathology from which it is not possible to heal.

However, science has made a lot of progress in this regard and they exist today different treatments that allow you to treat the symptoms of the disease making almost theIts manifestations are visible even for a long time.

“Today we have available a lot of drugs – confirms the dermatologist – The choice generally depends on the severity of the psoriasis and also on the involvement of particular areas, such as the face, the back of the hands and the genitals, those areas that have a greater impact on the patient’s social and emotional sphere. In cases of mild psoriasis they may also be enough local drugs, in cream or even in the form of a lotion “.

The new biological drugs

The latest frontier of psoriasis therapy? THE biological drugs which represent a precious resource for the – fortunately rare – more severe forms.

“It’s about biotechnological drugs – explains Dr. Arancio – based onaction of laboratory-created antibodies which selectively block the inflammatory cascade. They are generally reserved for cases of very extensive psoriasis, present in particular locations or when there is already known joint involvement “.

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Psoriasis: Lifestyle matters too

If the drugs allow to considerably improve the condition of the patients, to avoid worsening of the symptoms on the skin, it may be useful to follow some small foresight.

First rule: try to break the vicious circle of stress, which is considered one of the triggers of the disease and which, at the same time, is one of the most frequent consequences.

The physical and mental well-being it is in fact an essential condition to improve the symptoms of psoriasis.

“One healthy lifestyle it is very helpful – underlines the doctor – to reduce excesses, to follow ahealthy eating and balanced, do physical activity, sleep Well, not smoking e limit alcohol they are certainly important rules for those suffering from psoriasis. But not only that: nnever neglect silent infections which can be triggers for psoriasis. For example, tooth decay, which people often neglect, are sites of chronic infection that continually prompt an inflammatory response ”.

Call on yet expertfinally, it is essential, not only to receive a precise diagnosis and targeted treatment but also because dealing with the disease, talking to a specialist, can help to get out of isolation and the sense of shame often felt by patients.

Sun Exposure: Is It Really Good?

Among the remedies recommended until recently to treat psoriasis, there was also theexposure to the sun’s rays. Is it therefore possible to really benefit from it?

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“Once heliotherapy it was one of the few therapies available – concludes the dermatologist – it is still a practice used for mild or moderate forms, even if it is a very laborious treatment, which requires the use of special lamps, present only in some centers. Simple exposure to the sun, on the other hand, can have some benefit only in mild cases of vulgar psoriasis “

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