He althy radiant skin with flawlessly even relief and uniform color is the key to beauty and success of its owner, regardless of gender. With age or as a result of trauma, as well as the impact of other pathological factors, negative changes occur in the tissue composition of the dermis: the superficial and deeper layers become thinner, the volume and number of elastic fibers decrease, causing skin atrophy.
Appearing on open areas of the human body (face, décolleté, collar area, hands and the rest of the surface), these aesthetic flaws spoil the overall impression of the appearance. Often they bring to the majority of women and men not so much physical as moral suffering. Immediate contact with a doctor and adequate treatment will help to avoid irreversible pathological changes in the dermis.
Classification
Medics distinguish between physiological (or natural) destruction of the skin resulting from gradualaging of the body, and pathological, in which not the entire skin is affected, but its individual sections. Age-related or physiological atrophy of the skin after fifty years is associated with changes in the hormonal sphere, the tissue blood supply system, the chemical composition of the blood, as well as with violations of the neurohumoral regulation of the physiological functions of the body.
This process develops slowly and gradually over many years. Pathological destruction of the skin is characterized by several signs of division: by the nature of formation (primary and secondary); by prevalence (diffuse and limited); by time of appearance (congenital and acquired).
Primary atrophy of the skin (the photo of which shows the presence of stretch marks, or striae) is caused by pregnancy, when there are significant changes in the work of the endocrine organs.
Diffuse damage to the skin changes an impressive part of the surface, including the outer layer of the epidermis of the hands and feet. The limited form of the disease is characterized by the presence of local lesions adjacent to intact he althy skin.
Secondary destruction of the dermis occurs in areas of the body previously affected by other diseases (tuberculosis, syphilis, lupus erythematosus and other inflammatory processes or skin disorders associated with diabetes).
Local atrophy of the skin after hormonal ointments most often occurs in children, young women or adolescents with uncontrolled use of drugs, especially those containing fluorine ("Sinalar" or"Ftorocort"), as well as enhanced action of ointments prescribed for use under an occlusive (hermetic) bandage.
Etiological factors of development
The most common form of damage to the structure of the skin is hormonal atrophy of the skin that occurs during pregnancy or obesity associated with metabolic disorders. During stretching or tearing of elastic fibers, striae appear on various parts of the body.
Other triggers for this skin ailment are:
- endocrine disorders (including Itsenko-Cushing's disease);
- malfunctions of the central nervous system;
- eating disorders (including wasting);
- rheumatic diseases;
- infectious lesions (tuberculosis or leprosy);
- exposure to radiation and burns;
- traumatic injury;
- dermatological diseases (lichen planus, poikiloderma), as well as the use of drugs containing glucocorticosteroids (including in the form of ointments).
The appearance of skin atrophy, despite many provoking factors, is based on the mechanism of local biodegradation of tissues, in which their nutrition is disturbed, the activity of cellular enzymes of the skin is significantly reduced. This leads to the predominance of catabolism processes (destruction of tissue structure) over anabolism (their construction or restoration).
Signs by which foci of the disease can be identified
The peculiarity of degenerative tissue changes due to skin atrophy is associated withthinning of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, the appearance of translucent vessels and age spots, telangiectasias (spider veins) or malignant neoplasms. Simultaneously with a decrease in the volume of the dermis, local seals of the skin can be noted due to the growth of connective tissue. The areas changed by the disease are more often localized in the face, chest, abdomen, lower back and hips. Outwardly, they are hollows of the skin covered with a thinned whitish dermis resembling tracing paper (or tissue paper).
Cosmetic defects in the form of sinking "islands" with different shades: from pearly white to blue-red or vein meshes can be adjacent to he althy areas of the skin. Violation of metabolic processes in the dermis leads to the appearance of folds with thinned skin, any careless touch of which can injure the epidermis. In older patients, stellate pseudo-scars, hemorrhages or hematomas often occur in the affected area.
Which doctors are needed for diagnosis and treatment
Pathological atrophy of the skin, the treatment of which is a complex of various measures, should be examined by many specialists. Dermatologists with the involvement of endocrinologists and neuropathologists, allergists and infectious disease specialists, surgeons and oncologists can confirm or exclude this diagnosis. Scars located below the level of the skin, which appear as a result of trauma or medical procedures, burns, chicken pox or acne, should beshown first to a dermatologist.
Professional treatment method
The methods of treating this disease depend on a number of factors: the etiology and localization of the destructive process, age, he alth status and perseverance of the patient. Skin atrophy after hormonal preparations (including the use of external agents in the form of ointments) can occur after a long time (up to several months!) After completion of treatment by an endocrinologist.
In order to activate the process of tissue repair, it is necessary at the initial stage to stop taking drugs containing corticosteroids. With a secondary pathology of the dermis, the doctor recommends initially curing the underlying (preceding) disease, and then proceeding to improve tissue trophism, saturate the body with vitamins and, in some cases, use antibiotic therapy.
When do you need the help of a surgeon? It is needed for excision of small atrophic scars, with multiple or large boils, carbuncles, deep purulent processes in tissues, as well as for skin grafting. Consultation with an oncologist is necessary if various neoplasms appear on the surface of the foci (warts, papillomas, and others). A biopsy is used to determine the nature of the growths to prevent the occurrence of cancer problems.
Procedures
Modern medicine has many different methods to get rid of an unaesthetic defect, such as atrophy of the skin of the face or any other part of the dermis. In the arsenal of professionals there are:
- surgical excision of the lesion;
- mesotherapy;
- microdermabrasion;
- laser therapy;
- chemical peel;
- subcision or cutting of scars;
- cryotherapy;
- electrocoagulation;
- enzyme therapy;
- moisturizing;
- treatment with special creams and ointments.
Depending on the degree of the disease, its etiology, the age of the patient and the presence of chronic ailments, the clinic specialist selects the optimal set of procedures.
The standard treatment regimen includes: taking multivitamin complexes that stimulate immune and regenerative processes in the patient's body; physiotherapy procedures that help activate the blood supply to the affected areas of the dermis, as well as injections or taking the drug "Pentoxifylline" (commercial name - "Trental"), which improves blood microcirculation.
At the aesthetic surgery clinic
Determining the various treatments for this ailment, for optimal results, a dermatologist may recommend surgical correction of scars to make them as neat and inconspicuous as possible. For this purpose, a laser or a scalpel is used, which lifts the edges of the affected area or transplants skin from he althy areas.
Another method is subcision. It involves cutting and lifting the connective fibers produced by the body at the site of the scar, using a special needle. Raising the bottom of the focus, the needle releases it, leveling the damagedthe surface of the dermis.
Other ways:
- microdermabrasion (skin resurfacing with microscopic crystals);
- mesotherapy (injections of therapeutic cocktails into the middle layer of the skin to stimulate the synthesis of collagen fibers, correct scars and age-related atrophic changes);
- chemical peeling (with removal of the upper layers of the skin - from superficial keratinized to median and deep);
- enzyme therapy;
- moisturizing (preparations based on hyaluronic acid);
- laser therapy.
Techniques can be used both to correct scars and to improve the appearance of skin as it ages.
Ointments
Hardware methods for the treatment of destructive processes in tissues can be practiced in combination with the use of external agents. How is the right ointment selected? Skin atrophies are diseases of the dermis, which should only be treated by a specialist! Self-treatment of scars and pathologically altered areas of the dermis can lead to a deterioration in their appearance and condition.
To solve an individual aesthetic problem, the doctor prescribes gels and ointments that improve blood circulation in tissues, their nutrition and oxygenation, have anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration stimulating properties: Contractubex, Kelofibrase, Stratoderm, MedGel, Dermatix, Scarguard and Kelo-cote, choosing the most suitable drug.
Traditional medicine in the fight against destructive skin changes
Treatment of skin atrophywith the help of home baths, lotions and healing oils, taking tinctures, decoctions and infusions from medicinal plants is allowed with the permission of a doctor in combination with traditional methods. For example, when the initial signs of white atrophy appear (small foci of round or irregular shape in the color of white porcelain), herbalists advise grinding chestnut fruits (100 g) and pouring 0.5-0.6 liters of alcohol over them. Infuse the remedy for a week in a place closed from light rays. Take chestnut tincture inside 10 drops 3 times a day. A similar homemade nutmeg remedy (prepared in the same way) is consumed 20 drops at the same frequency.
External folk remedies for skin disease
Powder from dried leaves (string, yarrow, thyme, birch and eucalyptus buds) is diluted in almond and peach oils, taken in equal proportions (50 ml each), and one tablespoon of glycerin is added. From skin lesions associated with burns, traditional medicine suggests using chamomile flowers, calendula, nettle leaves, yarrow and St. Decoctions for lotions from these herbs can also be used, in the form of a powder mixed in rosehip, sea buckthorn or corn oil. The addition of yellow beeswax to homemade "ointments" with vegetable oils and medicinal herbs has a beneficial effect on the skin.
Prevention and improvement of skin appearance
There are several specific measures to prevent the occurrence of destructive skin changes in adults and children: carefullyuse hormonal drugs, avoid prolonged contact with direct ultraviolet rays, monitor the general state of he alth and skin, carry out immediate sanitation of foci of infection in the dermis and in the body as a whole. Skin atrophy after hormonal ointments requires stopping their use and contacting a doctor. Regular examination and timely detection of serious diseases (diabetes, dangerous infections, disorders in the hematopoietic system) will also help to avoid problems with the destruction of the skin structure.
Moisturizing your belly during pregnancy with creams, olive oil or gels will prevent stretch marks. Skin care and regular visits to a beautician will help rejuvenate and accelerate the regeneration of the dermis. For all types of atrophy, sanatorium treatment is indicated for the prevention and relief of the disease: sulfuric and hydrogen sulfide baths, therapeutic mud, as well as vitamin general strengthening therapy.
