In recent years, the world has seen an increase in the incidence of psoriasis, including among young people.[1] In Russia, according to research, there are about 3 million people suffering from this disease. [2] Psoriasis is a chronic inflammation of the skin that affects joints and even nails. The development of the disease is associated with the immune response and pathological activity of the cells of the upper layer of the skin. [3] A characteristic manifestation of psoriasis is a rash, most often occurring on the extensor surfaces of the arms and legs. Also, rashes can spread to the scalp and various parts of the body.
Advanced and progressive disease significantly affects the quality of life. Patients experience not only physiological, but also emotional discomfort - many patients with psoriasis become fixated on this problem, which leads to depression, rejection of close relationships and isolation.
Choosing the appropriate treatment for psoriasis is a rather difficult task, since there are many theories about the development of the disease, as well as factors that can cause exacerbation. Treatment must be comprehensive; choosing one or another therapeutic measure must take into account the form of the disease, stage, symptoms and individual characteristics of patients with psoriasis. To understand the principles of treatment, it is necessary to establish which factors cause the disease and provoke an exacerbation. The clinical picture of the disease and the severity of the course are also of great importance.
Salicylic Ointment Review
Salicylic ointment
Salicylic ointment is widely used to heal wounds, burns and skin lesions. Can be used for psoriasis as an adjuvant . Since psoriasis is a systemic disease (affects many systems of the body) and genetic, it cannot be cured with salicylic ointment even in the earliest stages.
Active ingredient (composition)
Salicylic acid is an antiseptic and dermatotropic agent.
Indications for use
- burns, wounds;
- skin lesions, including psoriasis.
Operating principle
Salicylic acid complex action:
- protects skin from germs and bacteria;
- cleans wounds from pus, heals;
- eliminates inflammation;
- suppresses secretions from the sebaceous and sweat glands;
- exfoliates dead skin cells;
- has a local irritant effect.
Contraindications
- increased sensitivity;
- renal failure;
- cannot be used by infants;
- Use with caution in pregnant women under medical supervision.
Duration of treatment
Salicylic ointment is used only as an adjuvant to relieve symptoms. Therefore, the course of treatment is individual.
Side effects
- temperature increase;
- pain, itching and burning in the area of plaques;
- allergic reaction.
Reviews from forums
Reviews say that the ointment helps with exacerbations in combination with other means:
Review from user angel about salicylic ointment
Python user review of salicylic ointment
Review from user Argus about salicylic ointment
In addition, they talk about the effectiveness of sulfur-salicylic ointment (sold in pharmacies):
Review from user toad about sulfur-salicylic ointment
Review from user help about sulfur-salicylic ointment
Medical research on the drug
Not publicly available.
Price
Price in Moscow - 23-26 rubles. per package 25 g.
Features of treatment
Taking into account the large number of provoking factors, as well as the various manifestations of psoriasis, many treatment approaches have been developed. The most effective is considered to be a combination of drug therapy and non-drug measures. Also, many doctors emphasize the importance of diet and skin care. Patients are advised to reduce their consumption of fatty foods, give up alcohol, as well as confectionery and flour products. The diet should be dominated by proteins, which can be obtained from lean meat and fish, vegetables and dairy products. [7]
In the drug treatment of psoriasis, topical agents are used. They are aimed at reducing inflammation and peeling. The most effective are creams and ointments containing salicylic acid, as well as external glucocorticosteroids. [8]
Conclusion about the drug
Salicylic ointment gives results for psoriasis : relieves irritation, itching, exfoliates. However, it must be used in combination with other medications.
For example, if the area of psoriasis is no more than 20%, you can exfoliate the scales and then apply ultraviolet 311 nm. With this course of treatment, if you follow the instructions, the remission will be long-lasting.
In addition, you can use folk remedies to treat psoriasis. They also help in complex treatment.
Analogs
Level 4 ATX code matches:
Mikonorm
Undecin
Gentian violet
Zinkundan
Exoderil
Exiter
Batrafen
Lotseril
Lamisil Dermgel
Lamisil Uno
Lamisil
Salicylic acid
Keto Plus
Exifin
Fungoterbin
Mycoseptin
Thermikon
Nitrofungin
Sulsena
Baziron AS
- Zinc-salicylic ointment (5%);
- Urgokor callus.
The best remedies for Psoriasis
Add to cart
Antipsoriasis cream 990 rub.
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Magnipsor ointment RUB 1,490
Add to cart
Ultraviolet lamp Dermalight ® RUB 14,900.
What does nail psoriasis look like?
Symptoms of the disease are varied. Nail damage characteristic of psoriasis affects the matrix (growth zone), tissues of the nail bed, and lateral ridges. Such changes are called psoriatic nail dystrophy. Depending on the severity and location of the inflammation, it manifests itself in the form of different conditions.
Damage to the nail matrix causes thimble syndrome, leukonychia, plate dystrophy, onychorrhexis, transverse grooves (Bo's lines). If the nail bed is involved in the inflammatory process, this manifests itself in the form of onycholysis, hyperkeratosis, splinter hemorrhages, and spots. Damage to the ridges leads to psoriatic paronychia. Each of these types of dystrophy is observed individually or in combination with others.
Some nail changes are painful and make it difficult to move your fingers freely. Examples of psoriasis of fingernails in the photo (manifestations on the feet look similar):
The dystrophy options are described in more detail below.
Thimble Syndrome
Thimble syndrome is the most characteristic and striking symptom of nail psoriasis. It is this that occurs more often than other manifestations of pathology on the nails. The longer a person is sick and the more severe the form of the disease, the higher the risk that this symptom will appear. Thimble syndrome is depressions scattered across the entire surface of the nail plate. Their diameter ranges from 1 to 1.5 mm. These depressions are arranged in lines, rows or randomly.
The reason for the appearance of depressions is associated with the formation of small psoriatic papules in the matrix area where new plate cells are born. Papules create obstacles to the formation of a smooth nail structure and disrupt the structure of the plate. The top layer of nail cells does not keratinize correctly everywhere; some of the cells subsequently exfoliate, resulting in the formation of depressions.
In addition to nail psoriasis, such changes in the structure of the plate are observed with alopecia, eczema, dermatitis and other pathologies. But with psoriasis they are deeper and quite painful when pressed.
Furrows
With psoriasis, the nail plate is covered with transverse grooves, which are also called lines or furrows of Bo. These are deep transverse grooves that form against the background of psoriatic inflammation in the area of the nail matrix. Inflammation interferes with normal nail growth and disrupts the compactness of the cells of the nail plate. Depending on the width of Bo's lines, it is easy to guess how long the inflammation has been present.
Beau's lines are not characteristic signs of nail psoriasis. They are also observed in other conditions. For example, with injuries, circulatory disorders, infections, malnutrition.
Onycholysis
Onycholysis is the detachment of the plate from the nail bed. It usually occurs gradually, without pain or inflammation. More often, separation of the plate is observed from the free edge or on the sides. The onycholysis zone comes in different shapes: circle, crescent, longitudinal stripes. The main cause of onycholysis is a disruption of the cohesion or adhesion between the cells of the plate and the bed. As a result, a subungual space is formed, into which air bubbles, dust, and particles of the epidermis penetrate. Due to the entry of air, the onycholysis zone appears white, grayish-white or yellow-white.
Nail detachment in psoriasis is provoked by a disruption in the formation of the layers of the plate against the background of inflammation. Onycholysis also occurs in metabolic disorders, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, allergies, and weakened immunity. But the peculiarity of psoriatic onycholysis is the presence of a narrow light pink stripe outlining the detachment zone. Over time, this stripe turns yellow or brown.
Rarely, with psoriasis, the nail peels off not from the side of the free edge, but from the side of the lower ridge or nail growth zone. This is called onychomadesis. Unlike onycholysis, onychomadesis develops quickly and is characterized by a severe course.
Subungual hemorrhages
Subungual hemorrhages in psoriasis resemble splinters or fragments. These are small black, yellowish-brown or brown-black vertical lines. They are formed when the capillaries that permeate the nail bed rupture. Rupture occurs at the slightest injury to the plate due to overflow of small vessels in the area of psoriatic plaques.
Similar vertical lines also form with subungual melanoma and infective endocarditis, so to find out the cause of their appearance, go to the doctor.
Subungual hyperkeratosis
Subungual hyperkeratosis is a thickening, an increase in the size of the hyponychium or the visible part of the nail bed, which grows to the plate from the side of the free edge. Thickening occurs due to the proliferation of hyponychial cells as a protective reaction in response to chronic local inflammation.
With subungual hyperkeratosis, gray-yellow horny masses accumulate under the plate, which compress the soft tissues of the nail bed, causing discomfort and pain.
Subungual hyperkeratosis is often present with fungal nail infections, and it is important to distinguish it from psoriasis.
Psoriatic paronychia
Paronychia is an inflammation of the skin on the nail folds. With psoriasis, in addition to inflammation, there is thickening of the skin and redness of the fingertips. Often there is an accumulation of pus with subsequent discharge from under the nail fold.
Spots on the nail plate
With psoriasis, spots of different shapes, sizes and colors form on the nails. Color: white, yellow, red.
Characteristic signs of the disease include a translucent “oil” or “salmon” stain. It looks like a drop of blood frozen under the plate. This is what a psoriatic plaque formed under the plate looks like.
White spots on the nails are called leukonychia. They come in the form of stripes or small dots. Formed due to air bubbles getting between the plate and the bed. At this point, the nail loses its transparency and the surface becomes white. The reasons for their appearance are numerous, but psoriasis is on this list.
Red spots are formed due to the expansion of capillaries in the nail bed area.
Differences from other pathologies
Symptoms of nail psoriasis are also observed with other nail problems. But people with psoriasis usually have manifestations of the disease on the skin, so it is enough to carefully examine the body. If psoriatic changes are present only on the nail plate, the diagnosis becomes more difficult. It is important to ask the patient whether his parents had this disease. If necessary, to clarify the diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe a biopsy of the nail bed, examine the skin with a dermatoscope, and take a scraping from the altered part of the plate to identify fungal pathogens.
In the absence of manifestations on the skin, psoriasis is difficult to distinguish from a fungal nail infection (onychomycosis). External symptoms are similar: onycholysis, clouding, thickening, destruction of the nail plate. Fungus or psoriasis on the nails can be determined after a mycological examination of scrapings from the affected part. With onychomycosis, fungi will be detected. In 35% of cases, both diseases are present simultaneously. Inflammation, which occurs in psoriasis, facilitates the penetration and reproduction of pathogenic pathogens. When a mycotic infection occurs, the symptoms of nail psoriasis will intensify.
Psoriasis is often confused with another similar skin disease - eczema, which also affects not only the skin, but also the nails.
How to distinguish nail psoriasis from eczema? Look for skin rashes. With eczema, watery blisters form, the elements of the rash become weeping, and then become covered with crusts. Eczema appears only on sensitive areas of the skin, on the inner flexor surfaces of the knee and elbow joints. With psoriasis, rashes can appear on any part of the body.
