Hyperkeratosis of the scalp: causes and treatment of the disease

From this article you will learn:

• Causes of foot hyperkeratosis
• Treatment of hyperkeratosis of the skin of the feet at home
• Treatment of hyperkeratosis of the skin of the feet in the podiatrist’s office
• Treatment of hyperkeratosis of the skin of the feet with medications
• Hardware treatment of foot hyperkeratosis
• Effective prevention of foot hyperkeratosis

Hyperkeratosis of the feet is excessive keratinization and thickening of the epidermis in the sole area. As a result, the skin becomes rough and dry, calluses and even bleeding cracks may appear. That is why such a pathological process applies not only to cosmetic problems.

If you are also familiar with this condition of the dermis, which makes it difficult to wear light sandals and flip-flops in the summer heat, you may want to pay extra attention to your feet. The disease can be diagnosed by a podologist, dermatologist or orthopedist. But you will learn about methods of treatment and prevention of hyperkeratosis of the feet from our article.

What is keratosis?

Let's start with the fact that cutaneous keratosis is a collective term that refers to a whole group of non-inflammatory diseases associated with impaired keratinization of the skin. Clinically, the process can manifest itself as slight peeling or the formation of thickened horny layers. There are follicular, seborrheic, and actinic keratoses.

Keratosis follicularis is characterized by the formation of horny plugs at the openings of hair follicles.

Seborrheic keratoses are plaque-like or nodular formations with a warty surface, covered with dry, horny masses that are flesh-colored, brown, or black in people over 50 years of age.

Actinic keratosis appears on exposed areas of the skin, initially appearing as bumpy, rough skin that eventually develops into rough, scaly patches ranging in color from normal skin tone to reddish brown. They are often limited in size and vary in size.

For what reasons do acquired keratoses occur?

The main cause of almost all keratoses is said to be chronic exposure to ultraviolet rays. In the literature, all changes associated with sun exposure are often grouped under the term dermatoheliosis. Thus, the damaging effect can affect the epidermis (senile, actinic keratosis), dermis (solar elastosis), blood vessels (telangiectasia), sebaceous glands (porokeratosis) and melanocytes (dyschromia).

The effects of sun damage to the skin gradually accumulate as the total amount of time spent exposed to UV rays increases year after year. This leads to the fact that the peak incidence of this nosology occurs at the age of 50 years and older.

However, nowadays, actinic keratosis has become much more common in young people. As a rule, these are people of the first and second phototypes (with fair skin, blond or red hair, and blue, green or gray eyes). There is a high likelihood of developing keratoses in young people exposed to sunlight for a long time.

The incidence is slightly higher in men because they tend to use little or no sun protection. Clinical studies estimate that about 60 percent of predisposed individuals by the age of forty have at least one element of actinic keratosis. Some experts believe that almost everyone over the age of 80 suffers from some form of keratoses.

In addition, persons whose immune defenses are weakened by chemotherapy, extensive exposure to x-rays or a number of industrial chemicals, patients with AIDS, patients who have undergone organ transplants, patients with disorders of the nervous and endocrine systems, etc. less able to combat the effects of radiation and, therefore, more prone to developing keratoses.

Forecast and prevention of the disease

The prognosis of the disease depends on the time of initiation of treatment. However, in order to avoid relapses, it is necessary to follow certain recommendations.

The following measures can be taken as prevention:

• use moisturizing creams;
• eat well so that food provides the skin with all the necessary “building” elements;
• limit exposure to direct sunlight to reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
• when in the sun, use sunscreens (ointments and creams) with a high SPF level;
• When working with chemicals, you must use appropriate skin protection.

Keratosis is a skin condition that requires constant monitoring. In addition to an aesthetic defect, sometimes formations can develop into malignant tumors. And to prevent this, it is necessary to undergo regular examinations and monitor changes in the skin.

What are the symptoms of this disease? In what areas do they appear most often?

The patient, as a rule, may miss the onset of the disease and not pay attention to small irregularities, roughness, sometimes invisible to the eye, on the skin of the cheeks, bridge of the nose, ears, forearms, upper arms and forearms, back of the hands, back of the neck, upper chest, even on the scalp. Moreover, actinic keratosis can also develop on closed areas of the body that have been repeatedly exposed to the sun.

Developed actinic keratosis is represented by neoplasms from 0.1 cm to 2 cm or more. Over time, the spots become red or brownish in color and flake, and may rise above the skin in the form of growths. We most often see such patients at clinic appointments. Actinic keratosis usually develops very slowly and usually does not cause any discomfort other than aesthetic ones. Itching or burning in the affected area usually occurs in areas of long-term and severe keratinization. Most often, elements of skin keratosis develop slowly, but can disappear and reappear with repeated exposures that damage the skin. They can become inflamed and, in rare cases, even bleed.

Service cost

Price information is provided in our price list. The full cost of the keratoma removal service depends on the method used, as well as the size and number of tumors.

We suggest you evaluate in the photo the results of treatment of skin formations of this type at the Podology Clinic. The use of modern technological methods, as well as the efforts of our highly qualified doctors, help to perform the operation quickly and without the risk of noticeable scars.

If you need to get rid of keratoma, contact the Podology Clinic. You can make an appointment by calling +7 (495) 640-68-10.

Are there any new developments in this direction on the world market?

Well, for example, from 1998 to the present, the Australian biopharmaceutical company Peplin has been studying the topical treatment of actinic keratosis with the drug Ingenol Mebutate, which is the first in a new class of formulations and is derived from milkweed juice. This ingredient has a long history of traditional use for a variety of skin conditions, including the topical treatment of skin cancer and precancerous skin lesions. The company plans to enter the third phase of the trial soon.

What are destructive (ablative) methods?

All skin tumors must be examined by a dermatologist before removal due to the risk of skin cancer. Treatment performed in a timely manner will help prevent the development of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC).

1. Cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen is the most common method for treating keratoses, but is not suitable for hyperkeratotic lesions. Liquid nitrogen is sprayed directly onto the affected areas of the skin using a cryodestructor or applied using the “reed” method (application with a cotton swab on a wooden stick). Cryosurgery is easily performed on an outpatient basis, shows excellent cosmetic results and is well tolerated.
2. Radio wave, electro- and diathermo-laser destruction.
3. Photodynamic therapy involves the application of a photosensitizing agent, methyl aminolevulinate, and then exposure to light of a specific wavelength, which leads to tissue necrosis. Photodynamic therapy is well tolerated and has excellent cosmetic results.
4. Surgical removal . The surface of the skin is cleaned with a special instrument (curette).
5. Chemical peeling:

• Jessner's solution (resorcinol, lactic and salicylic acids in ethanol);
• trichloroacetic acid solution 35%.

• Dermabrasion . The affected areas of skin are removed using a fast-moving abrasive brush.
• Phototherapy (IPL) and fractional photothermolysis - coagulation of keratosis elements using light energy. Suitable for the initial manifestations of actinic keratosis.

Treatment of hyperkeratosis

If symptoms of hyperkeratosis occur, you should consult a dermatologist. For an experienced, qualified specialist, it is not difficult to diagnose the presence of hyperkeratosis. Only in isolated cases, to clarify the nature of the formations, a biopsy of suspicious areas of the skin is required.

To effectively eliminate the problem of hyperkeratosis, especially affecting the skin of the face, complex therapy is required. It is also necessary to prescribe treatment for the disease that provoked its development, if one has been detected. To do this, the patient may need to consult not only a dermatologist, but also an endocrinologist or other specialist.

As part of the treatment of hyperkeratosis itself, drug therapy and cosmetic procedures are prescribed. The first is the use of retinoids, vitamin C, and sometimes topical corticosteroids. For faster skin restoration and elimination of cosmetic imperfections, the following is recommended:

• paraffin therapy;
• mild chemical peels;
• UV therapy;
• mesotherapy.

The use of scrubs and other mechanical exfoliation products is not indicated for hyperkeratosis. This will only worsen the situation and can lead to skin infection. But it is always recommended to apply emollients to the skin, which moisturize and soften the skin. They contain natural lipids or natural oils that nourish dry skin and saturate it with the substances it needs. As a result, it is possible to restore the skin’s natural protection and restore its natural smoothness.

In case of seborrheic hyperkeratosis, accompanied by the formation of growths, they can be removed using electrocoagulation, laser or cryodestruction.

Unfortunately, hyperkeratoses often accompany chronic diseases, which cannot be completely eliminated. Recovery can only be achieved in situations where thickening and peeling of the skin is caused by mechanical factors or treatable diseases, such as mycosis. In other cases, when dryness and thickening of the skin are caused by chronic dermatological or other pathologies, it is only possible to reduce the frequency of their exacerbations and the severity of the course, that is, to achieve a stable and long-term remission. But this requires the correct selection of treatment tactics, constant skin care, and often diet.

Drug therapy

First of all, vitamin A, also called retinol, and vitamin C are prescribed internally and externally. Normally, a person receives the necessary vitamins from food, but today rarely anyone can boast of a balanced diet.

Vitamin A, in addition to regulating cell growth, is necessary to maintain visual acuity, hair and nail growth, and also performs a number of other functions. For hyperkeratosis, vitamin A in the form of synthetic derivatives called retinoids is used for general and local therapy.

Some of the brightest representatives of this kind of drugs are Roaccutane, in which isotretinoin is the active ingredient, and Neotigazon, containing acitretin. These compounds are derivatives of retinoic acid. In the case of the development of follicular hyperkeratosis, the use of topical retinoids, in particular adapalene, is indicated.

If hyperkeratosis, especially follicular hyperkeratosis, is accompanied by an inflammatory process, topical corticosteroids are prescribed, for example, drugs based on hydrocortisone, prednisolone, fluacinolone, clobetasol. Most modern drugs in this group are available in several dosage forms: emulsions, creams, ointments. Moreover, the effectiveness of treatment largely depends on the correctness of its choice. Additionally, corticosteroids help accelerate the exfoliation of dead cells.

Paraffin therapy

Paraffin therapy is a cosmetic procedure in which special cosmetic molten paraffin is applied with a brush to a previously cleaned face or other areas of the body affected by hyperkeratosis. The procedure takes on average 20-60 minutes and promotes:

• gentle removal of dead cells;
• cleansing pores of impurities;
• activation of microcirculation;
• moisturizing the skin;
• reducing inflammation.

Peelings

For hyperkeratosis, chemical peelings are indicated, in particular using acids such as:

• salicylic;
• glycolic;
• dairy;
• lemon;
• apple;
• tartaric.

All of them have a good exfoliating effect, and also additionally open pores and moisturize the skin. As a result, it is possible to effectively solve the problem of excessive dryness and flaking of the skin, as well as improve its tone and texture, restoring velvety.

UV therapy

Ultraviolet irradiation helps eliminate the manifestations of hyperkeratosis by suppressing pathogenic microorganisms, including fungi, activating blood circulation and metabolism, suppressing the inflammatory process, and providing a regenerative and desensitizing effect.

Mesotherapy

Mesotherapy is a well-known cosmetic procedure, which consists of introducing into the skin the substances necessary for its proper functioning using numerous injections or using hardware. As a result, it is possible not only to saturate the tissues with vitamins, but also to achieve effective hydration, which helps reduce the manifestations of hyperkeratosis and improve the condition of the skin in general.

Thus, hyperkeratosis is a very common disorder, although it does not affect the face as often as, for example, the feet, elbows, skin of the legs and back. However, with excessive dryness and thickening of the facial skin, even in the form of small papules, a serious aesthetic disadvantage occurs. But with a timely visit to a dermatologist and the start of complex therapy, including the use of modern cosmetic procedures, it is possible to significantly improve the condition of the skin of the face and other parts of the body or even completely eliminate the signs of hyperkeratosis.

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