If you wish to come to us for treatment or a detailed explanation of studies, we ask you to make an appointment by phone. For the first treatment per quarter, you will also need a referral and your health insurance card. Please come to our visitor address in Schwanenweg 20 on the third floor for your appointment.
Visitor address
University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Clinic for Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology Neurodermatitis Center Schwanenweg 20, 3. OG 24105 Kiel
Telephone: 0049-(0)431 500 21234
Fax: 0049-(0)431 500 21228
Psoriasis consultation
In Kiel, we have been intensively involved in the treatment and research of psoriasis for many years. In our special consultation for psoriasis, we take sufficient time to provide comprehensive advice on the disease and its causes, as well as on all available treatment options.
Nowadays, the symptoms of psoriasis can be treated very well with targeted therapies; complete freedom from symptoms has become a possible goal of treatment. Therapeutically, many external and internal medications are available, as well as treatment with ultraviolet light.
Which therapy method is right for you in detail must be discussed together with your attending dermatologist during the consultation hour. During the consultation in our consultation hours, we will also talk about what you yourself can do for the health of your skin.
In the following we would like to give you some information about psoriasis:
Psoriasis is one of the most common chronic, inflammatory skin diseases in Germany. The medical term for psoriasis is Psoriasis. Around 2 million people are affected by psoriasis, which means that 2 out of 100 people suffer from it.
According to current understanding, special genetic factors must be present in order to develop psoriasis. Many genes are involved, whereby not the disease itself, but the predisposition to the expression of psoriasis is genetically determined.
The first symptoms usually appear before the age of 40. Men and women are affected with approximately the same frequency. Psoriasis is also a common condition in children and adolescents.
Symptoms of psoriasis can be triggered by various factors (so-called trigger factors). To date, not all triggering factors are known. Infections especially of the nasopharynx. Purulent tonsillitis plays an important role, especially in childhood. But also certain medications, stress and overweight can lead to relapses of the disease.
When does a psoriasis develop??
Psoriasis can occur at any age. The influence of the above factors (such as z.B. upper respiratory tract infections, certain medications, stress or obesity), together with genetic predisposition, leads to symptoms of the disease. Type 1 often appears for the first time in childhood-. young adulthood on. Other family members are also frequently affected.
Type 2 usually appears first in late adulthood. Other family members are rarely affected.
What is the course of psoriasis?? Psoriasis varies greatly from individual to individual. Usually progresses in phases. It is not possible to predict the course of the disease. There are cases in which there is only a single episode of the disease, in other cases the skin symptoms remain constant. Sometimes the disorder varies in severity over time.
What happens to the skin in psoriasis??
Inflammatory reaction occurs on the skin. This causes the skin cells to divide more quickly than is normally the case. There is reddening, thickening and scaling of the skin.
Typically, the hairy head, elbows and knees, as well as the belly button and buttock folds are affected. These areas are called "predilection sites" of psoriasis. In addition to the skin, the fingers can also-. Toenails are affected. These pathological nail changes are divided into nail matrix (place where the nail plate is formed) and nail bed changes. If inflammation occurs in the area of the nail matrix due to psoriasis, the nail grows out with changes. An example of these nail matrix changes are the "spots" (depressions) of the nail plate.
The umbilical bed is the part of the finger end phalanx on which the nail plate rests. If changes occur in this area, these skin changes shine through the nail plate. These include z.B. the yellowish-brownish stains under the nail plate, known as "oil stains.
What is psoriatic arthritis ("psoriatic rheumatism")??
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory disease of joints associated with psoriasis. About one in five patients with skin changes develops inflammation of the joints.
Often, but not always, skin changes are present first. Joint changes can also occur many years after the development of the skin changes.
Typical symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are morning stiffness of joints lasting longer than 30 minutes. Joint complaints often occur at rest. Get better with exercise. Swelling and inflammation of all joints of individual fingers or toes can occur, the finger end joints can be affected, but also individual large joints such as shoulders or knees. With ca. 40% of affected patients may experience deep-seated back pain, which also occurs mainly at rest or at night.
Another feature of psoriatic arthritis is inflammation of tendons, such as.B. of the archilles tendons.
Early detection of joint changes is important. Therefore, your dermatologist should be informed in good time about joint complaints.
To confirm the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis, the dermatologist will in many cases consult a rheumatologist. Rheumatologists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases and are particularly familiar with the clinical picture of psoriatic arthritis.
Diseases associated with psoriasis
Psoriasis is a disease of the skin in which other conditions are more common than in the general population. These concomitant diseases are called comorbidity.
Psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease of the joints that occurs exclusively in patients with psoriasis, is one of these concomitant diseases.
But also internal diseases belong to the concomitant diseases of a psoriasis. These include: Overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, chronic inflammatory bowel disease (z. B. Crohn's disease) and depression.
Obesity in particular plays a very important role in psoriasis. If excess weight is reduced, the psoriasis improves and drug therapies can work better.
Overweight and psoriasis
Psoriasis and obesity are very closely related to each other.
People who are overweight develop psoriasis more often than people who are of normal weight.
In some studies it was found that patients with a known psoriasis can achieve an improvement of the skin disease and a better therapy response of medications by losing weight.
Overweight is most easily determined by the "body mass index" (BMI). BMI takes into account body weight and height. You can determine your own BMI by dividing your body weight (in kg) by the square of your height (in meters).
It makes medical sense to achieve a value between 18.5 and 25. Higher or lower values are considered unhealthy.
Psoriasis and diet
There is no special diet for psoriasis. Especially in chronic diseases, nutrition is often blamed for the disease. This does not apply in the case of psoriasis.
However, for psoriasis, as for many other diseases, a balanced diet and healthy living are important. If overweight, this should be reduced.
Do smoking, alcohol and stress affect psoriasis?
Yes, all three factors can worsen a scaly spot and should be avoided. The amount of nicotine and alcohol also has an influence on the severity of the psoriasis. Thus healthy living conditions are important especially for patients with psoriasis.
In addition, patients with psoriasis more often have cardiovascular disease and high blood prere. Also for this reason smoking should be avoided. Avoid stressful situations if possible.