Many people wonder: psoriasis is contagious or not. This is natural, since the disease is common enough. The vast majority of people are afraid to contact the person from whom the skin visible psoriatic papules. How this fear is justified, will learn from this article.
Contagious psoriasis?
The disease is infections and germs that are potentially dangerous to others, and the white blood cells produced by the body of the patient.
Communication with a person suffering from psoriasis, can cause only aesthetical discomfort. Otherwise, such contact is completely safe for healthy people. The claim that psoriasis is contagious and dangerous to others ─ is only a common myth.
How is psoriasis?
A healthy person being infected by a patient with psoriasis impossible. Psoriasis is not passed:
- Upon contact with the skin, through the use of some everyday items with the patient (bed linen, towels, tableware).
- Through saliva, sweat.
- Sexually transmitted diseases.
- When caring for patients.
- Through the blood.
And hereditary to predisposition to developing psoriasis. A genetic factor in the development of the disease plays a key role. The probability that this disease will be passed from mother to child is high. It is 40-50%. If you're both parents, the risk that the disease will have their child reaches 75%.
In patients with psoriasis undergoing changes at the cellular level in the tissues of your skin. These pathogenic mutations are transmitted to children at the genetic level. Their presence leads to changes in metabolic processes and disease development.
Appears psoriasis not necessarily in the next generation. It can occur in a generation. The disease often remains latent. People do not realize that you may have a tendency to its development.
There are times when first psoriatic papules are formed in children, but over time have parents. This suggests the presence of the disease in a hereditary line.
First symptoms of psoriasis
Psoriasis are not a contagious disease. But it is important to identify, not to be confused with other dermatological diseases that are transmitted by contact.
With the development of psoriasis isolated patches of red color are formed on the surface of the skin. First, they are small. Education grow fast enough. The Horny layer of the rash is very scaly and turns into plaque. Is papules. The place of their localization scratched. The first eruptions occur usually at the bends of the body (knees, elbows, shoulders), head, back.
Distinctive signs of psoriasis:
- Education "stearin spot" ─ the scales papules rapidly exfoliates with a light touch to the surface.
- The appearance of the "terminal film" ─ after exfoliation of scales the surface of the skin becomes thin and shiny, as if wet.
- The effect of "blood dew" - if you damage the terminal film that is formed on the surface a small drop of blood, resembling drops of dew.
Although psoriasis is not browsers and always redirects your result, this is a very dangerous disease. You need to treat it at the first symptoms. This disease affects the skin and internal organs. In this lies its danger. If you do not pass in time the course of treatment chosen by the doctor, can develop serious complications:
- The defeat of the nail plate.
- The defeat of the joints, the development of psoriatic arthritis. The disease can have a pathological effect on the spine that leads to disability.
- Diseases of the eye-conjunctivitis, episcleritis, uveitis.
- The defeat of the mucous membranes-if plaques appear in the urethra and bladder, it threatens cystitis, prostatitis.
- Kidney disease and liver.
- The increase in the inguinal and femoral lymph nodes.
- Muscle pain, relaxation.
- Damage to the nervous system ─ is the risk of developing epilepsy, encephalopathy, polyneuritis.
Psoriasis ─ a systemic disease that affects all organs. Possible death at a very advanced stage.
Treated if psoriasis?
Cure psoriasis completely impossible. This is a chronic disease. However, the methods of modern medicine minimize the pace of its development, long then a period of remission. It can take years and even decades.
The main types of psoriasis:
Therapeutic methods:
- Photochemotherapy.
- The ultraviolet radiation.
- Laser therapy.
- PUVA-therapy.
Medical methods:
- Hormonal preparations, in particular ointments.
- The use of aromatic retinoids.
- The monoclonal antibodies.
- Antihistamines.
Special diet
Traditional methods
Maximum efficiency demonstrates a comprehensive approach to treatment.
Psoriasis is not contagious. It is not transmitted, regardless of the method of contact with the patient. But the disease has a hereditary character. If in the family somebody was psoriasis (even from grandparents, aunts-uncles), a person has a predisposition to its development.