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- Help for the skin
- Psoriasis - the symptoms
- Is psoriasis hereditary?
- Psoriasis - what to do about the itching?
- Psoriasis - what really helps?
Help for the skin
In Germany, an estimated two million people suffer from psoriasis. How to recognize the disease and how to treat it properly.
It is much more than a skin disease. Because not only the unbearable itching and tingling plagues those affected: Studies have shown that psoriasis patients suffer from depression almost twice as often as healthy people. Therefore, experts advise that the chronic inflammatory skin disease is always treated holistically: In addition to the skin, the soul of the patient should be treated as well.
Psoriasis - the symptoms
Prof. Ingrid Moll, Director of the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, explains: "Typical are shiny silver dander, the foci are sharply defined, the skin bleeds easily in the smallest injuries, and the reddened, flat raised, often palm-sized foci tend to fall on the knees and elbows, upper buttocks and hairy head. " The psoriasis is not contagious. It runs in spurts and is chronic. In severe cases you can lose your nails. Not only the skin is affected: The joints can also stiffen, the blood vessel system and the heart get sick.
Is psoriasis hereditary?
"Psoriasis is a hereditary condition involving at least nine genes that are already known, " says the specialist. "In addition, there are trigger factors such as medications, mechanical irritants such as constant scratching, stress or throat-nose infections, often caused by streptococci, which can trigger a relapse or exacerbation."
Psoriasis - what to do about the itching?
Moll advises to definitely avoid any skin irritation such as scratchy clothing. For skin care, moisturizing products are suitable.
Psoriasis - what really helps?
| Rays stop the discomfort | Even if the most hereditary disease is not curable yet, today there are a number of therapies that provide relief. In addition to the treatment with creams containing ingredients such as cortisone, salicylic acid or urea, the treatment with UVB light has proven to be very successful: the ultraviolet rays have an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce the excessive formation of skin cells. The duration of the sessions depends on the skin type of the patient and the severity of the disease. As a rule, three to five treatments per week are performed over a period of three to eight weeks. The treatment is taken over by the statutory funds. |
| Salt baths relieve the inflammation | Sole-Photo-Therapy, which has been used in rehab clinics for around 25 years, has also achieved good results. It is a combination of a daily 20- to 30-minute saltwater bath followed by a short full-body exposure to UV light. The procedure simulates a bath in the Dead Sea and reached in 60 to 90 percent of those affected good to very good results. The effectiveness of treatment has been proven in scientific studies. However, the health insurance companies only pay for the therapy costs as inpatient or semi-stationary use in hospitals, not as outpatient treatment in the case of a general practitioner. |
| Nibbles fish the skin | Somewhat hard to get used to, but very effective for many sufferers is also the Knabberfisch therapy: Here the patient baths for about three weeks every day for two hours daily in a special therapy tub with about 200 reddish Saugbarben, also called doctor fish. The animals gently nibble the dander of the diseased areas. After only a few minutes, itching and distension are noticeably relieved. Subsequently, the patient receives a short UV radiation and is further treated with skincare creams. A study from Vienna has shown that in over 90 percent of the participating patients a good to very good success in therapy was found. Unfortunately, the Knabberfisch therapy (around 1700 euros) so far not supported by the health insurance. |
