Psoriasis on the hands

This form of psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects:

• Palm trees.
• The areas between the fingers.
• Hands.

Most often, people suffering from this form of the disease develop serious psychological complexes.

This form of the disease does not pose a serious threat to human life, however, with the development of severe forms, this disease can lead to the development of many very serious complications.

One of the most common complications is damage to the joint area of the lower and upper limbs. This complication leads to the development of psoriatic arthritis. This disease is quite dangerous, as it can lead to temporary disability and even disability.

Most people with hand psoriasis are diagnosed with lesions that appear specifically on the palms and soles.

This form of the disease causes a lot of discomfort to the patient, since the main foci of the development of the disease cannot be hidden under clothing, and the formation of cracks is accompanied by the appearance of painful sensations.

The lesions themselves are small plaques, pink in color. Plaques are strongly raised above the surface of the skin and eventually become covered with gray scales.

In some cases, the formation of yellow pustules is observed.

The main symptoms of the development of this form of the disease:

• Dry wine.
• Thickening of the skin.
• The appearance of redness.
• Appearance of cracks.
• Appearance of callus-like formations.

Cause

Among the many factors that trigger the disease are:

• Allergic reactions;
• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Diseases of the kidneys, liver and pancreas;
• Overweight;
• Dysfunction of metabolism and endocrine system;
• Hereditary tendency;
• Chronic depression, stress or nervous tension.

As already noted, the exact causes of psoriasis have not yet been determined. Specialists could not determine exactly what causes psoriasis and in which cases it appears.

At the same time, diseases or moments that cause skin damage in the patient have been identified:

1. Heredity.
2. Immune system disorders and metabolic problems.
3. Psycho-emotional overload.
4. Bad habits and eating disorders.
5. General poisoning.
6. Viruses, bacteria, fungal infections.
7. With a sharp change in climatic living conditions.
8. In case of chronic skin disease.
9. If the patient takes drugs belonging to different pharmacological groups for a long time.

Sometimes the manifestation of the disease can occur when a person uses detergents that strip the skin of its natural covering. It is important to note that since psoriasis is not contagious, you do not need to be overly concerned about personal hygiene.

Various factors can cause eczema on the hands:

• hereditary predisposition;
• weakened immunity;
• disorders in the functioning of the endocrine glands;
• changes in hormonal levels;
• chronic diseases;
• infections;
• nervous tension;
• frequent stress;
• constant exposure to chemicals (detergents, paints, solvents) on the skin;
• uncontrolled use of drugs (for example, anti-inflammatory drugs);
• Clothing made of synthetic fabric;
• rings and bracelets made of certain alloys;
• cheap, low-quality cosmetics;
• pollen;
• Poplar fluff;
• animal hair;
• insect bites;
• mold;
• household powder;
• helminthic infections;
• some foods.

The mechanism of psoriasis formation is not fully understood, but it was found to be caused by a violation of the division of skin cells, in which the diseased cells begin to multiply and grow 5-10 times faster. Soon immune cells join the process and blood vessels grow.

After the cells die, keratinized areas remain on the smooth surface of the skin - convex psoriatic plaques. In addition to genetic predisposition - characteristics of immunity, skin structure, and indirect causes that influence the onset of psoriasis have been identified.

The latest medical research shows a connection between the disease and other pathologies:

• metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, increased production of free radicals and nitrogen oxides involved in skin keratinization);
• arteriosclerosis;
• cardiovascular diseases;
• liver and kidney pathologies;
• osteoporosis;
• obesity.

Risk factors include:

• smoking;
• alcohol abuse;
• change in weather conditions.

You cannot become infected through contact with a sick person, there are no external carriers of the disease. The inflammatory process takes place in the body, and a genetic predisposition to a characteristic disease cannot be ruled out. Other causes of psoriasis on the hands are detailed below:

• impaired metabolism;
• hormonal imbalance;
• Occupational injury;
• tendency to allergic reactions;
• the presence of bad habits;
• poor nutrition;
• disorders of the body's immune system;
• violation of personal hygiene rules.

Dermatosis is heterogeneous. The disease has exogenous and endogenous causes.

Exogenous factors include environmental temperature fluctuations, bad habits, long-term drug use, infections, injuries, and an atherogenic nutritional profile. Endogenous factors include hereditary predisposition, weakened immunity, stress and sensitivity of the body.

Provocative factors trigger the development of the pathological process. Modern dermatologists tend to regard psoriasis of the palms and soles as the combined result of several causative factors.

The causes of the disease are not fully understood. Scientists identify several theories:

1. Psoriasis is a genetic disease.
2. Psoriasis appears due to disorders of the immune, endocrine and nervous systems.
3. Psoriasis is a disease that appears due to bad ecology and the accumulation of harmful substances in the body.

If these causes are combined, psoriasis appears. However, the main factor is still genetic: scientists have identified several genes that are responsible for the development of the disease.

Factors that trigger the appearance of psoriasis:

• stressful situations;
• hazardous industries, especially those with high phenol concentrations;
• injuries, abrasions, burns: sometimes psoriasis appears in these places;
• alcohol, smoking;
• infections: especially streptococcus;
• incorrect selection of certain drugs.

Why does palmar psoriasis develop?

Psoriasis can appear in a person regardless of age and gender. However, there are statistics that indicate the frequent development of the disease between the ages of 30 and 50.

Scientists have determined that the main reason for the development of the disease is the malfunction of the human immune system and genetic predisposition. However, these facts have not been fully proven, and the clear causes of psoriasis are still unclear. The main factors that trigger the development of palmar psoriasis are as follows:

1. Reduced immunity.
2. Mechanical damage to the palm.
3. Frequent hand contact with water.
4. Contact of the skin of the hands with chemicals, such as household chemicals, as well as various products in the workplace.
5. The cause is often diseases such as scarlet fever, chronic tonsillitis, kidney disease and other diseases.
6. Oncology.

Doctors attribute alcohol abuse, drug use and certain medications as another cause of the disease.

The main manifestations of palm psoriasis

It is worth noting that this type of disease occurs primarily in people who do physical work that involves stress on their hands. In medical practice, three types of the disease are usually distinguished. These include:

1. Plaque fan-shaped.
2. Circular.
3. calluses.

Types of psoriasis on the hands

Psoriasis localization on the hand	Description of the problem
On the palm	Redness of the skin surface of the palm, itching, roughness of the upper layer, the appearance of calluses. Outwardly, many people confuse palm psoriasis with mycosis or eczema. In order to make the correct diagnosis, you need to consult a specialist.
On the hands and fingers	Inflammation, swelling, peeling, cracking, pain and itching of the fingers.

Depending on the localization of the process and the place of appearance of the primary lesions, several types of psoriasis of the hand can be distinguished:

• Pustular - the most dangerous type, affects any skin. First, small spots appear on the walls of the fingers and palms, coating the nail plates. Then the spots merge, fill with pus, the lesion spreads to the hand and other areas, causing swelling and degenerative changes in the organs.
• Droplet-shaped - the rashes are pale pink, convex, in the shape of a small drop. It is located on the shoulders and forearms and covers a wide area.
• Nails – This type of psoriasis leads to changes in the appearance of the nails and the nail bed. The "thimble symptom" is observed when the color of the nail plates changes and small indentations and furrows appear on them. At the same time, the nails thicken and begin to peel off until they are completely lost.
• Plaque (vulgar) - ranks first in occurrence. These are typical psoriatic plaques that tend to coalesce and form "paraffin lakes". They appear above the elbow joints, on the extensor surface of the arms, and affect the palm. Palm psoriasis is characterized by a thickening of the epidermis and the formation of callus-like bumps on the surface of the skin that crack.

Stages of the disease

In the initial stage of psoriasis of the hand, even before the appearance of the first rash, the following disorders can be recognized:

1. swelling is observed in the joint area;
2. the skin acquires a reddish tint in places;
3. the nail plates become inflamed.

The following stages of psoriasis on the hands can be distinguished:

1. Exacerbation is the progressive stage of the disease. It is characterized by an increase in the number and size of spots, increased itching and peeling.

2. Stationary stage - it is characterized by the weakening of the disease, a change in the color of the psoriatic plaques (less red, more white) and a decrease in spots.
3. The remission phase is characterized by the complete disappearance of all signs of psoriasis.

The hand affected by psoriasis is extremely unpleasant to look at. But the disease is so common that people need to know what psoriasis looks like on their hands in order to detect the problem in time and start treating the disease in time.

Psoriasis of the hand develops gradually. Doctors note that in medicine there are several stages of the disease, which, in the absence of timely therapy, imperceptibly replace each other. The clinical outcome of the patient depends entirely on the therapeutic measures of timely response. The development and signs of the different stages of psoriasis of the upper limbs are as follows:

1. Initial stage. Small round papules have clear borders. At first, they are solitary, but 2-3 days after the dermis peels off, they spread and cover large areas of the lesion.
2. Progressive stage. Painful nodules are distinguished by a bright red shade, and in the center there is peeling and crusting of the epidermis. Pathology is preceded by skin microtrauma.
3. Standing stage. The once-red rashes turn blue and dry. The inflammatory process reduces its intensity, itching ceases, but skin hyperemia is present.
4. Regressive stage. The local manifestations of psoriasis decrease in intensity and when the painful lesions disappear. The remission is long, there is no peeling, but white spots with clear borders are visible.

Psoriasis of any form and localization, including psoriasis of the skin of the hands, goes through 3 stages:

1. Progressive stage (exacerbation) - spots grow, new ones appear, the manifestations of psoriasis intensify.
2. Stationary state - the manifestations of the disease fade, the spots turn pale and decrease in size.
3. Regression stage (remission) - the manifestations disappear completely.

The initial stage of psoriasis of the arms and hands can manifest itself in several ways: either pale spots appear, barely noticeable, or immediately bright, as in the acute stage (less often).

Features of therapy in pregnant women and children

Due to the weakened immunity of the mother and the immature immune system of the child, it is necessary to treat eczema of the fingers:

1. Changing the diet of a nursing mother and her child, limiting milk intake, eating green fruits and vegetables, and fermented milk products. At an older age, flour, smoked meats and foods with a high salt content should be excluded from the child's menu.
2. Taking vitamin complexes to support the immune system of pregnant women.
3. One of the recommended measures is to limit contact with household chemicals and water.
4. Use of antihistamine ointments or dermatotropic agents.

The following medicines can be prescribed for the treatment of children:

• Preparation of body lotions based on boric acid
• Taking calcium-based drugs, taking into account the reduced content of this microelement, which is characteristic of pathology in children.
• The use of ointments containing antibiotics is practiced to relieve the symptoms of a serious infection.
• Use of antihistamines to reduce the intensity of itching.

Measures aimed at the recovery of the mother and the child should include the observance of personal hygiene standards and the maintenance of the sanitary condition of the premises.

Psoriasis on the hands

Official medicine classifies psoriasis of the hand as a chronic disease with multifactorial etiology. This means that the exact causes of the disease have not been established, and doctors consider them as possible factors. Based on the main symptoms of doctors - red scaly plaques appearing on the skin - it is classified as a skin disease. But the person responsible for the disease is hidden deep inside the human body.

During long studies investigating the mechanism of psoriasis, scientists have identified a connection with autoimmune insufficiency.

The first signs of psoriasis appear on the hands in the form of small red papules with light contours. 2-3 days pass and the papules are covered with scales. Then begins a long process of progression of the disease, characterized by periods of exacerbation and remission. Thus, psoriasis that initially appears between the fingers can spread to the entire surface of the palm. Individual plaques grow and fuse to form a continuous scaly crust. The photo clearly shows how psoriasis looks on her hands.

The first changes appear on the back of the hand, gradually affecting the sides of the hand. At the beginning of the negative process, they lead to an obvious cosmetic defect, when it is already difficult for a person to hide the presence of the disease. What could have happened?

Symptoms of psoriasis on the hands

Symptoms characteristic of psoriasis on the hands should be considered in the context of symptoms appearing anywhere on the patient's body. When the lesion begins, small areas of the dermis are affected, but the process does not end, and over time the plaques can cover the entire hand. Common symptoms look like this:

• the appearance of small papules;
• scaling;
• dryness and peeling of the skin of the hands;
• the nail plates lose their natural color, their structure changes;
• signs of skin hyperemia;
• the skin in the affected area will be red;
• pain appears in the joints;
• feeling of internal discomfort.

We have given the general signs of the disease, but experts divide them according to the stages of the disease.

What forms of the disease exist?

The diversity of the manifestations of psoriasis that doctors encountered forced them to describe different forms of the disease. Experts have classified existing species into two main groups: pustular and non-pustular.

The pustular group includes the following forms of the disease:

• generalized;
• similar to annular centrifugal erythema;
• palmoplantar.

The non-pustular group includes:

• the classic form of psoriasis with early or late onset;
• psoriatic erythroderma.

The presented classification does not include diseases such as seborrhoeic, exudative, napkin disease, atypical and drug-induced psoriasis.

Causes of psoriasis on the hands

Among the places affected by the disease, the hands account for 85% of all diagnoses. Many years of observations of patients suffering from the unpleasant disease have led scientists to the conclusion that the causes of psoriasis on the hands depend on the patient's gender and age.

Psoriasis is extremely rare in black people. There is no scientific explanation for this fact yet.

What causes psoriasis on women's hands?

The main reason is what doctors call genetic predisposition. It is noteworthy that even if the woman's parents did not suffer from psoriasis, it is likely that one of her relatives had this diagnosis. Other reasons:

• climatic characteristics (very humid, cold or hot);
• hormonal imbalances;
• bad habits (alcohol, smoking, drugs);
• stress and nervous tension;
• taking antibiotics, certain vaccinations, overdose of vitamin preparations;
• injuries, burns, cuts.

The same reasons can cause the disease to worsen. It is difficult to eliminate the listed factors from your life, but some can be eliminated.

What causes psoriasis on men's hands?

They tried to identify the main ones, the doctors were forced to admit that they could not determine them with great accuracy. The basis for the occurrence of psoriasis on men's hands is a malfunction of the immune system, which is expressed by the following:

• improper metabolism;
• imbalance of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism;
• increased sugar level;
• cholesterol.

Men with a family history of psoriasis are more likely to develop psoriasis. The reasons may be:

• chronic lack of sleep;
• poor nutrition;
• cold climate.

Those who moved from the southern country to the northern region say that the cold climate makes the disease worse and difficult to treat.

Causes of psoriasis on children's hands

In recent years, diagnoses have become more and more common. It often takes a generalized form, the plaques cover large areas of the body. The first thing that is determined as the cause of the disease is the hereditary factor. According to statistics, among the parents of patients with psoriasis, the child inherits the disease in 50% of cases. In addition to genetic causes, the disease can also be caused by:

• childhood infectious diseases (measles, ARVI, tonsillitis);
• stressful situations;
• severe fear, loss of a loved one;
• heat stroke;
• unbalanced diet;
• hypothermia of the body;
• tendency to allergies.

Diagnosis of the disease

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is enough for the doctor to know what psoriasis looks like on the hands. No special tests are performed to diagnose the disease. If the patient says that the plaques appeared on his hands for a long time, then the doctor may prescribe additional tests. Their list includes:

• blood biochemistry;
• general blood test to determine the amount of ESR;
• examination of the presence of rheumatoid factor and specific proteins;
• biopsy to detect accumulation of immature skin cells, Rete bodies, macrophages and T-leukocytes.

How to treat psoriasis on hands?

The treatment of psoriasis of the hands depends entirely on the stage of the disease. Although the disease cannot be cured, with an integrated approach to treatment, the symptoms will be almost invisible, and remission will last quite a long time.

External devices

In the initial and middle stages of the disease, it is sufficient to use drugs intended for external use. These can be creams and ointments belonging to different groups:

• It's not hormonal. They usually do not cause side effects, and their effects are mild and gentle.
• Hormonal.

These drugs are used when there are pronounced symptoms (persistent rash, brittle nails) when other ointments do not help. It can only be prescribed by a doctor, it can have strong side effects. The frequency and duration of the use of external agents depends on the severity of the symptoms: 1-2 times a day for 10-20 days. A break must be taken after each course.

Systemic drugs

Tablets and injections are prescribed if external drugs are ineffective in the later stages of psoriasis on the hands:

• Tablets: antihistamine, anti-inflammatory. Medicines belonging to the group of cytostatics, monoclonal antibodies, immunosuppressants, immunomodulators, tranquilizers and vitamins are also used.
• Injections: antihistamines, hepatoprotectors, immunosuppressants, immunomodulators, hormonal.

The form and type of the drug depends on the stage of the disease and the intensity of its manifestations. Systemic drugs are used only under the supervision of a doctor.

Physiotherapy and traditional methods

Psoriasis is a long-lasting, multifaceted disease. Therefore, the treatment is always comprehensive. Alternative methods can also be used:

• Physiotherapy: light therapy, bioresonance and PUVA therapy, cryotherapy, ozone therapy, ichthyotherapy.
• Folk remedies: birch tar, linseed or sea buckthorn oil, aloe, bay leaf, baking soda, sea salt, etc.

Their purpose and use should also be discussed with a dermatologist.

Use of herbs

Many herbs have the following properties:

• anti-inflammatory;
• regenerating;
• antibacterial.

Celandine, St. John's wort, horsetail, oregano, nettle and others are used to treat psoriasis of the palm. An infusion or decoction is made from medicinal plants. It is also used to complement the bathroom.

Treatment with soda

One method offered by alternative medicine to get rid of palm psoriasis is the usual baking soda treatment. Its use has the following effect on the affected skin:

• cleaning;
• softening;
• elimination of inflammatory processes;
• improvement of local blood circulation;
• eliminates peeling;
• relieves itching.

The recipe for preparing a solution for external use is quite simple: dilute a certain amount of the product in purified water. You should get a viscous paste mixture. This product should be applied to the areas affected by the disease. No need to rinse.

Prevention: what rules must be followed

Psoriasis on the hands can be cured more easily if possible to eliminate or minimize the factors that cause it. In this case, the treatment will be much more effective and the progression of the disease will stop.

Correct therapy can only be prescribed by a specialist even in the earliest stages, so the examination is mandatory. As well as using all available methods and tools: from ointments and creams to injections, tablets and physiotherapy. The order and dosage are prescribed by the doctor, but prevention should not be forgotten even in the regression phase. Hands should be treated with the greatest possible care: use protective creams and exclude aggressive household chemicals.