What You Need to Know About Pemphigoid

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The name alone should give you an idea about the nasty symptoms of this rare autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition like most autoimmune disease and it usually affects the elderly, although younger patients are not rare.

Know the Different Types
It’s important to consult a specialist to seek the right treatment for pemphigoid in Singapore, because there could also be other health problems caused by a weak immune system. The first sign is usually the appearance of rashes and blisters on the chest, arms, and legs. The blistering is not just on the surface, however, because it affects the mucous membranes, that is why the lesions can also be found in other sensitive areas like the eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals.

There are at least three types of pemphigoid classified according to their location on the body. Bullous pemphigoid appears on the arms and legs, especially on areas used for movement like the joints. Cicatricial pemphigoid affects the mucous membranes in the genitals, eye, throat, and nose. In some cases, the blisters can cause blindness and scarring if not treated. Pemphigoid gestationis affects some women who just gave birth and will have blisters on the abdomen, arms, and legs.

Before the blisters appear, the condition starts with rashes and reddish skin for a few weeks, until the ring-shaped lesions and small blisters show up. These blisters usually have yellowish or bloody fluids inside them.

Know the Risks
Pemphigoid causes your body to attack the tissues even if they are perfectly healthy, and this results in the separation of the layers of the skin and the appearance of rashes and fluid-filled blisters that are very painful. There is no known cause of pemphigoid, but it can appear late in life because of a combination of different factors, such as medications, autoimmune disorders, radiation, and ultraviolet light.

Bullous pemphigoid for example affects people aged 50 years old and above, but the condition affects children very rarely. Studies show that it is more common among people with dementia, psoriasis and Parkinson’s disease and those who already had a stroke.

Know the Treatments
If there are several lesions on different parts of the body, an admission to a hospital might be required to avoid complications such as infections and sepsis. The lesions will need to be dressed and treated with topical steroids, systemic steroids, antibiotics, and pain relievers. If there are other pre-existing conditions that may have contributed to pemphigoid, these should also be addressed. Side effects of the medications are also possible, such as hypertension, diabetes, gastritis, and osteoporosis.

The goal of treatment is to reduce the symptoms and to prevent infection because of the open wounds. There is no one formula used for all patients, but the dosage of the medications may be adjusted during the treatment. It might last for several years to see significant improvements, but it can also recur if not monitored properly.

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