BUILD A HEALTHY ROUTINE
Dermatologic Conditions
How to treat skin lesions?
Psoriasis
Chronic skin disease whose main characteristic is the appearance of red, scaly and raised patches on different parts of the body. These patches, called psoriatic plaques, are caused by a rapid turnover of skin cells.
The condition, which affects between 1% and 5% of the world’s population, causes itching and discomfort and can lead to lesions caused by rubbing or scratching against a surface or part of the body. However, some lesions may be asymptomatic and are usually found on the elbows, knees, scalp, sacrum, buttocks and genitals. In some cases it can also affect the nails, eyebrows, armpits and navel.
Treatment for psoriasis includes topical treatments, ultraviolet light therapy and immunosuppressants. The most important first step is skin care, keeping the skin moisturised with emollient creams or lotions, controlled exposure to light and topical medications with corticosteroids, vitamin D analogues or retinoids.
Psoriasis is a disease for which there is no cure, but in aggressive cases it is treated with oral or injectable medications that work throughout the body to reduce inflammation and cell proliferation. Healthy lifestyle recommendations are also used to reduce symptoms, including emotional support for the impact on mental health.
As a baseline condition, patients come with chronic inflammation, we invite you to review this section, as well as the autoimmunity section, as it is considered that this type of alteration in the immune system may be a baseline condition.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
This is a chronic skin condition characterised by redness and inflammation of the skin. Diagnostically, it occurs when the protective layer of the skin is compromised, resulting in symptoms such as dryness, itching, scaling and some rough patches. It is common in children and can occur at any age without risk of infection.
To diagnose the condition, which is a combination of genetic and environmental factors, it is important to see a dermatologist if you are experiencing discomfort that is interfering with sleep or daily activities. Also, if lesions appear on the skin that are large and persistent, pus or yellowish crusts. It should be noted that patients with this condition may have a personal or family history of allergies such as asthma or hay fever.
Management of this condition includes keeping the skin well moisturised to reduce dryness and irritation. Avoid irritants such as soaps, detergents, fragrances or fabrics that increase discomfort. Topical corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and avoid scratching. It is also important to treat secondary skin infections that can result from eczema.
As supportive and complementary therapy, supplements or intravenous infusions with minerals such as zinc, antioxidants such as vitamin C and glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins such as vitamin D and B complex vitamins, ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygenation therapy also known as hyperbaric chamber can be used.
Chronic wounds/ulcers
Skin lesions characterised by slow healing or frequent recurrence due to factors such as constant pressure, diabetes, poor circulation, chronic disease or repeated injury. These painful and uncomfortable wounds include venous or arterial ulcers, diabetic ulcers or pressure ulcers.
The wounds that occur in the skin of patients are defined as tears in a part of the body with loss of tissue, but it is very important to arrive at a diagnosis in time to initiate appropriate treatment and prevent the ulcer from worsening, delaying healing or resulting in other major health implications for the person.
The initial diagnosis is made on the basis of the underlying disease that the person has in order to control it medically or stop its progression. If the ulcer is already present, the first priority is to clean it to prevent infection. In some cases, debridement is needed to remove damaged or dead tissue.
Application of the appropriate dressing to protect the wound is critical to wound care and healing. These dressings are determined by the individual diagnosis and can vary between hydrogel, alginates, transparent or foam films. In other cases, compression therapy with bandages or stockings is used to improve circulation and reduce swelling.
If the wound is infected, it may require treatment with antibiotics, antimicrobials or ointments. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, vacuum therapy, skin grafts, and other advanced procedures may also be used to help the wound heal.
Alopecia
A medical condition characterized by loss of hair in certain areas of the scalp or other areas of the body, such as eyelashes, armpits, genitals, or beard. This condition, which can affect both men and women, manifests itself as a gradual or sudden loss of hair. It has causes related to genetic factors, hormonal imbalances, autoimmune diseases, stress, among others.
Alopecia has variables such as androgenetic alopecia, which is the best known in male and female patterns. The areata, which attacks and produces hair loss in patches, product of an autoimmune response of the body; and the totalis, which is the complete loss of hair on the body.
Treatment of alopecia depends on the type and cause of hair loss. Temporary or gradual hair loss can be treated with topical or systemic medications, laser therapy, or injections. Hair transplants, the use of hair prostheses, better grooming habits, and stress reduction can also help.
As mentioned, there are different causes and therefore, one treatment does not necessarily work for all types of alopecia. Among the complementary therapies, there is the application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) enriched with exosomes, ozone or stem cells to the scalp.
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