Lichen
Lichen is a name that unites a group of skin diseases of a polyethological nature. For them, the unifying symptoms are skin rashes accompanied by itching. This is a disease in which peeling colored spots appear on the patient’s body.
The content of the article:
Lichen in humans: the causes of lichen and the mechanism of infection
Pink lichen
Shingles
Pityriasis
Ringworm
Lichen
Diseases differ in the nature of the pathogen, rashes, their locations, contagiousness, among them are:
soaking lichen;
ringworm;
scaly lichen;
pink lichen;
shingles.
The disease can occur in a variety of ways, but all types of the disease are characterized by a long period of development, the presence of exacerbations, the danger of introducing secondary infection into open wounds of skin rashes, physiological and psychological discomfort experienced by the patient, the presence of cosmetic defects. Naturally, the treatment of each type of lichen is individual and is selected by a specialist in accordance with all the data obtained.
Lichen in humans: the causes of lichen and the mechanism of infection
The causes of lichen of any type are microflora of a viral and fungal nature. The mechanism of damage to the human body is still unknown: not everyone who had all the risk factors available subsequently really got sick with lichen. Doctors suggest that, perhaps, the disease is provoked by a combination of aspects: weakened immunity, stress, genetic predisposition, the presence of infection in the body, overstrain of a physical and psychological nature. The combination of these factors can lead to a disease with pronounced symptoms of lichen.
General data on the disease allow us to judge its equivalent danger for all segments of the population. Some experts note differences in the susceptibility to lichen disease of certain age groups. In addition, the nature of the course of the disease is also distinguished: there is acute and chronic lichen.
Pink lichen
Pink lichen is a disease that has an infectious and allergic nature. It occurs among patients of all ages and genders. A characteristic symptom of the disease is the appearance of round pink spots on the skin, their surface may peel off.
Most often, spots appear on the skin of the back, but can be spread throughout the body. The disease is not highly contagious, so outbreaks of the disease even within the family are quite rare. You can get infected with pink lichen through the use of common items and accessories for a bath or bath. Weakened immunity or respiratory infections caused by the virus can provoke infection.
Pink lichen is characterized by seasonality: it is especially active in spring and autumn. Judging by the fact that resistance to re-infection is developing, we can confidently say that the patient’s body develops immunity to the disease.
Pink lichen begins with the appearance of a round spot, the size of which does not exceed three centimeters in diameter. This single formation is also called maternal, its central part turns yellow, wrinkles and flakes off on the second or third day after its appearance, and a week later many other rashes appear on the patient’s body, smaller in size and located along the lines of maximum elasticity of the skin (Langer lines). Peeling will form in the center of each lichen over time, and a red border will outline the contour. The rash is not prone to fusion and is not accompanied by itching or a tingling sensation.
The duration of pink lichen can be increased due to the appointment of improper treatment, constant contact with water, intense sweating. By itself, the disease can be cured independently, without the use of therapy. With adequate treatment, pink lichen completely disappears in an average of two months. During treatment, patients are advised to protect their skin from solar radiation, not to wear synthetic fabrics. It is also recommended to use ointments of antibacterial and antifungal action, which help to stop the symptoms of lichen. Solutions are used — bactericidal and herbal, which have a positive effect on the treatment of pink lichen and often turn out to be sufficient for the complete healing of the patient.
Shingles
Shingles is a herpetic disease that manifests itself after secondary contact with a virus or activation of a latent herpetic infection. Shingles is characterized by inflammation of the nerve ganglia, which causes abundant rashes along the nerve trunks.
This is a disease inherent in older and elderly people. It can be triggered by stressful situations, depression, a decrease in the immune system, the presence of infections in the body.
Shingles can occur in different ways, manifest itself in mild form or in very severe, affecting the central nervous system. Naturally, the treatment of this type of lichen should be carried out immediately. Before the rash appears on the skin, the patient feels soreness along the entire course of the nerves. The rash appears on the third or fourth day after that. Sometimes small vesicles may occur, later drying into crusts or becoming covered with peeling. The patient may experience symptoms of depriving the body of mild general intoxication, meningoeciphal symptoms of the disease.
This type of complicated forms has an extremely unfavorable prognosis. If even a minimal set of symptoms of lichen is detected, you should immediately contact a specialist.
Clinical manifestations help to accurately identify the disease, its treatment and therapy are based on visual examination and interviewing of the patient by a specialist. The treatment of lichen depends on how strongly the symptoms of lichen are manifested, in what form and stage the disease is. Hospitalization and simultaneous observation by a neurologist and a dermatologist are necessarily indicated. Drugs aimed at curing and eliminating the symptoms of lichen, correction of the central nervous system, analgesics, sedatives, immunomodulators, antiviral drugs are used.
Pityriasis
Pityriasis is also called colored. This is a fungal skin disease affecting the stratum corneum of the skin.
Provoking factors for the onset of the development of pityriasis are active sweating, hot temperature conditions, seborrheic condition. The disease is more common in young people and women of all ages. Seasonality is also important for this type of disease: the bran-like appearance is especially active in summer.
Ringworm enters the patient’s body through contacts and household items. For example, you can get infected with it by using a common comb.
The bran-like type shows the following symptoms of lichen: it begins with the appearance of a pink spot of a round shape, bearing a single character. After that, other spots of smaller diameter begin to form on the patient’s skin, affecting the smooth skin and scalp. Changes in the skin are not inflamed, the spots are yellow or brown, there may be a slight peeling that appears after mechanical action. Skin lesions tend to merge, but they do not cause unpleasant sensations like itching or tingling.
The affected areas of the skin can pass into the secondary leukoderm if they are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for a long time.
Treatment of lichen begins with diagnosis. The bran-like appearance is diagnosed after a thorough examination. Due to its inconspicuousness and the absence of unpleasant symptoms, the disease may go unnoticed. However, if you perform a scraping and examine it with a microscope, then the accumulation of filaments of the fungus will be very obvious.
Treatment of this type of lichen, like bran, is carried out with the help of antifungal drugs: ointments and tablets. The affected areas of the skin are additionally treated with salicylic alcohol, which ensures deeper penetration of ointments into the layers of the dermis. Due to the fact that pityriasis never leaves the patient’s body, prevention of relapse must be carried out with the help of personal hygiene, applying antifungal ointment during the spring.
Ringworm
The ringworm type of lichen is also known as “trichophytia”. This is a type of skin disease that affects the scalp and smooth areas of the skin. The cause of the disease is its carriers: sick people or animals. The disease can flare up both within the family and in groups, for example, in kindergarten or school class.
The essence of the disease is the germination of mycelium on the human skin. If the structure of the hair is disturbed in the process, the mycelium will destroy them. Falling out, the hair leaves behind short skeletons, hence the name of the disease. In addition, the disease is manifested by peeling and light plaque. There is no tingling or itching.
Ringworm can be asymptomatic, which requires a lot of attention from the doctor making the diagnosis. However, it also exists in suppurative forms. They can be of different sizes, but when pressed, pus always flows out of them. Infiltrates affect the scalp, including the beard and mustache. Ringworm of this form can resolve itself due to the fact that pus has a detrimental effect on the cells of the fungus. But at the same time, it can turn into a more dangerous form of abscesses, which leads to a sluggish and chronic form of the disease. Treatment of lichen of this form begins with diagnostic measures. Diagnosis and drug treatment of ringworm is carried out on the basis of clinical manifestations and analyses. The doctor examines and interviews the patient, takes a scrape. The analysis will show the mycotic nature of the disease. Sowing is also performed, which allows the doctor to determine the pathogen, its type, type, susceptibility to drugs of one kind or another. After that, the most effective treatment is prescribed, showing the best result in a short time.
Treatment of ringworm is successfully carried out with local antifungal ointments. Sometimes such treatment can be supported by tablet medications. If the ringworm is in a complicated form, then the treatment of such lichen begins with symptoms.
Prevention of ringworm is, first of all, in the observance of personal hygiene and work in sanitary conditions. In order to avoid outbreaks of the disease, it is necessary to identify patients in time, regularly inspect children in kindergartens, schools, clubs, etc.
