Keratosis of the skin, causes, types, symptoms, treatment

Like any other organ, our skin is subject to various diseases, which is caused by the impact of negative chemical, bacterial, mechanical and other factors. Keratosis of the skin is one of the most unpleasant diseases, expressed in the densification, keratinization of the skin, which, as the area of ​​the lesion increases, causes discomfort and a lot of unpleasant and painful sensations, including itching, cracks and bleeding, erosion and ulceration. What are the causes of the development of the disease and the methods of its treatment?



Skin keratosis and the causes of its development?
By keratoses are understood skin diseases are not inflammatory nature, which are associated with excessive herniation against the backdrop of a delayed peeling process. The cause of skin keratosis can be genetic factors (heredity), as well as the impact of external factors (radiation, mechanical, chemical effects) factors. In addition, the development of this disease can contribute to diseases of infectious nature, disruptions in the work of the nervous and endocrine systems, as well as the presence of malignant tumors of internal organs. Hence, in practice, two groups of keratoses are distinguished: acquired and hereditary.

Skin keratoses acquired.
Among the acquired keratoses are:

• Symptomatic, which is caused by violations of the functions of the endocrine and nervous systems.
• Paraecological keratosis of the palms and soles - is provoked by the presence of cancer.
• Professional keratosis - occurs when in contact with mechanical, physical and chemical factors.
• Keratosis can also occur as a result of an infectious venereal disease (syphilis, gonorrhea), against the backdrop of deficiency of the most important vitamins E , A, C.

In addition, this disease can be one of the symptoms of some types of dermatosis.

Keratosis of the skin is hereditary.
Hereditary forms of keratosis are represented primarily by ichthyosis, follicular keratosis (hair follicle, Kirl disease), keratoderma of the palms and soles, Mibelli's porokeratosis, and congenital polykeratoses. These forms can be focal (keratoderma, porokeratosis, cutaneous horn) and universal character (ichthyosis, ichthyosiform erythroderma, etc.). It is important to say that each form of the disease has its own characteristics of skin lesion, and its methods of treatment.

Symptoms of keratosis.
The disease manifests itself in the form of keratinization of hair follicles, scaling of the skin, tuberosity of the skin and its thickening on the palms and soles, which is accompanied by an unpleasant pain symptom, bleeding, erosive manifestations.

Ichthyosis.
In translation means "fish scales". General and local therapies are used to treat this disease. General therapy has a general strengthening effect, is expressed in the appointment of fish oil, calcium, vitamin A, iron, other vitamins and trace elements. Since the pathogenesis of the disease has a special role in neuroendocrine disorders, timely diagnosis and the appointment of optimal treatment is of paramount importance. In such cases, the reception of Thyreoidin with the parallel administration of insulin is often helpful. The use of heat also has a positive effect in the treatment of this disease. The effect of heat dilates the vessels, restores the process of sweating and helps to reduce dry skin, stimulates the vasomotor and muscle-hair reflex. The effect is also given by dry-air (55-60 °) and long warm baths (38-39 °) with the addition of baking soda. After such baths, patients are wrapped in a warm blanket and give them hot tea or raspberry infusion for two hours. Moreover, treatment with aqueous procedures is important to combine with massage, and this therapy should continue for a long time after improvement or recovery. Patients with ichthyosis are very well assisted by sulfur baths, a similar service is available in many resort areas.

Local ichthyosis therapy involves greasing in combination with salicylic acid (2%) of the affected skin, a similar procedure is advisable to be carried out an hour after taking a medical bath. With excessive dryness of the skin, the procedure of biorevitalization is effective. If the forms of the disease are too pronounced, more intensive exfoliation (sulfuric salicylic, salicylic-tar ointments, etc.) is used. It is also effective to use ointments, in which vitamin A predominates. In cold periods of the year, the condition of ichthyosis patients is significantly aggravated by the increased dryness of the skin, so it is recommended to leave for a time to a place with a warmer climate.

Congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma of Broca.
The therapy of this disease is similar to the treatment of ichthyosis, however, the duration and temperature of warm and dry air baths is much lower, which is due to a more pronounced manifestation of inflammatory phenomena (often even to blisters). As a local treatment, weak solutions of salicylic ointment (1%) are used, and in the case of tightness and burning sensations, indifferent ointments and fats are recommended.

Follicular keratosis.
This form of the disease manifests itself in the form of keratinization of skin areas in the mouth of the hair follicles. Outwardly, the disease resembles light rashes on the skin. Follicular keratosis is divided into papular, atrophy, vegetative. One of the diseases of follicular keratosis is hair follicle, characterized by the appearance of numerous nodules of small size and pink color. Nodules, as a rule, are covered with hard and rough scales. In the center of the emerging nodules there are twisted hairs. A favorite place of hair deprivation is the skin of the back, abdomen, limb flexion sites. In most cases, the disease occurs in children and adolescents, has a chronic course, in winter the disease worsens.

The disease of Kierle is another common type of hereditary follicular keratosis. The disease is characterized by the appearance on the skin of the body, limbs or face of the follicular papules of gray color. As the growth on the surface of the papules, crusts are formed. Due to the fusion of the papules, wart-like growths are formed.

Keratoderma of the palms and soles.
A feature of this type of disease is the appearance of symmetrical yellow (brown) horny layers with a purple border on the palms and heels. The first manifestation of this disease is usually recorded in childhood, but over the years it only progresses. The surface of the keratinized layers is covered with painful cracks that bleed. The disease can spread to the back of the hands, feet, knees and elbows.

Porokeratosis Mibelli.
The manifestation of this type of disease is the formation on the skin of conical dense nodules of a grayish hue. Over time, the nodules form an annular plaque on the skin, which can reach up to four centimeters in diameter. A feature of the plaque is the presence of an occlusion in the center and a horny roller along the edges. The disease is very difficult to treat, diathermocoagulation, freezing, electrolysis, removal of large formations by surgery, X-ray therapy are used in therapy.

Hereditary palmar-plantar symmetrical keratoma.
This disease has another name - "disease of the island of Meleda." In the treatment of this disease, both general and local treatment is used. It is prescribed for long-term intake of vitamin A, with a fortifying effect, magnesium salts, etc. In local therapy, prolonged hot baths are used, soapy soap, (10%) salicylic ointments are applied as a compress immediately after the bath. In especially severe cases, surgical intervention with excision of the affected skin areas with subsequent plastication of the skin is shown. However, despite this, the disease can recur. Therefore, patients need to completely limit themselves from any pressure on the skin of the palms or feet. If the patient is associated with sedentary work, you may need to change it.

Congenital polykeratosis.
From the name it is clear that such diseases have symptoms of various forms of keratosis. In this case, the disease carries a lesion of the nervous system, bone tissue and some other pathologies, including changes in nails, teeth and hair.

Seborrheic keratosis.
The disease is represented by multiple rashes of oval horny lesions on the face, neck and other areas, which can be brown, corporal or black. This type of keratosis is considered the most common neoplasm of benign property among the elderly. Eliminated surgically with subsequent histological examination only if there is discomfort in the patient, increasing education, itching or bleeding. Otherwise, the course of the disease is under the supervision of specialists.

Actinic keratosis.
The disease is characterized by keratinization of the skin of the face, neck and décolleté zone. The inconvenience of this variety of keratosis is purely aesthetic. The cause of development is the long-term exposure to sunlight, which causes the skin to lose its elasticity and elasticity, to grow old and thicken. Outwardly, these are ordinary irregularities of the skin, which feel like a sandpaper to the touch. Actinic keratosis often turns into skin cancer, so it requires regular observation from a dermatologist.

Elderly skin keratosis.
The disease develops in large measure in older people (follows from the name). In fact, this is a precancerous disease, in rare cases, degenerating into skin cancer. It has the appearance of dry or fatty plaques of flat form of yellow-brown color, reaching in diameter 1-2 cm. Such keratinized layers are similar in appearance to warts and appear, as a rule, on open skin areas (face, neck or hands). The disease can persist for many years and almost does not bother, in rare cases there is a slight itch. However, there are cases when plaques become inflamed, begin to bleed with further erosion. The latter is a disturbing bell, which may indicate the onset of malignancy. In this situation, do not hesitate to visit a doctor. After careful examination and necessary tests, appropriate treatment is prescribed.

Keratoacanthoma.
Keratoakantoma is a fast-growing benign tumor with spontaneous involution (reverse development). Outwardly it resembles a dome of corporal color, in the middle of which there is a cork made of horny substance. Usually occurs in areas exposed to sunlight (face, hands). In addition to solar radiation, the cause of keratoakantoma development can be mechanical damage, viruses. The tumor disappears after a few weeks or months, but there is always a meager probability of its degeneration into squamous cell carcinoma of the skin , therefore it is impossible to pull a visit to a specialist in any case.

Treatment of skin keratosis.
Treatment of skin keratosis should be done by an experienced dermatologist. When the appearance of the formation, it is necessary to immediately contact a specialist, in order to avoid the development of a malignant tumor. Keratoses are characterized by long-term treatment with a special diet (with a predominance of vitamins and fats), applying external therapeutic ointments.

Various methods are used to treat keratosis, similar to the treatment of skin cancer (surgical, laser, cryotherapy, irradiation, medication). In each specific case, when designing the optimal treatment regimen, forecasts for the development of education, localization, general health of the patient are taken into account.

Skin formations that do not have a predisposition to degeneration or malignancy are treated based on cosmetic indications.