What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic skin and joint disease which is suspected to be of genetic and immunological origin and causes rashes with itchy, scaly patches.
The name psoriasis comes from psora, the Greek word for itching, referring to one of the disease’s main symptoms. Not only do the itchy, reddened skin areas cause discomfort to patients, but they are often ashamed of their disease and, if psoriasis is particularly severe, are stigmatised by society, which can result in isolation or even depression.
To prevent this, causal and symptomatic treatment is particularly important in psoriasis. Micro-immunotherapy can be of great help as an immunoregulatory treatment.
Is psoriasis an autoimmune disease?
It is now widely assumed among researchers that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system attacks body-own, healthy tissue. It has been found that skin cells are transported by T cells (particularly active in psoriasis patients) from deeper skin layers to the skin surface at an accelerated rate.
Psoriasis can manifest in different body sites, the areas subjected to bending or stretching being particularly affected:
Why can psoriasis be more severe in winter?
When the air is dry and cold in winter, one organ suffers particularly: the skin. That is why it needs a lot of care and must be supplied with sufficient moisture, especially during the cold season. Many people who suffer from psoriasis experience worsened symptoms in winter. This is due to several factors. For one thing, the sun shines less often at this time of year. Its UV rays have an antiinflammatory effect on the skin and suppress the body’s excessive reaction.
In addition, the skin is particularly stressed in winter. While it is exposed to cold temperatures outside, it is confronted with dry heating inside. This change puts extra stress on the skin, making psoriasis worse in winter.
How can micro-immunotherapy help with psoriasis?
As there seems to be a close connection between psoriasis and the immune system, micro-immunotherapy is a suitable treatment for psoriasis. It aims to balance immune processes so that overactive T cells no longer accelerate the transport of skin cells.
Micro-immunotherapy also has an antiinflammatory effect. Thus, it is well-suited as a complementary treatment to help alleviate psoriasis in the affected areas of the skin.
Further skin care
In addition to micro-immunotherapy, comprehensive skin care is particularly important for those affected. A wide variety of products and methods are available, such as ointments, moisturising creams or shampoos for the scalp.
Light therapy can also help, as the UV rays have an anti-inflammatory effect on the affected skin areas and the itching is relieved.
Relaxation exercises can have a positive effect on psoriasis, as stress is involved in the worsening of the symptoms.
Which method is found to be effective by those affected can vary from person to person. All methods can be combined with micro-immunotherapy.
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