This piece was originally published in 2019 and has since been updated.
So today is World Psoriasis Day. For anyone who suffers from it, we know we don’t need a day for awareness. We’re very aware of it.
The thing is, the world around us isn’t. And often, that’s by our own design.
Before I talk about my experience with psoriasis, I want to get a few things out of the way.
Psoriasis is a genetic, systemic autoimmune disease that affects 1.6 million people in this country. Worldwide, a staggering 125 million people are affected by it – which, broken down, works out to be about one in 16 people. So if you think you don’t know someone with psoriasis, you’re wrong. They’ve most likely hidden it from you.
The disease causes the overproduction of skin cells, leading to painful rash-like lesions that present in different parts of the body – commonly, it affects the joints, limbs, trunk and scalp, but for many people, it can cover the whole body – it does not discriminate.
And no, you can not catch it.
I was one of those eczema kids, always with a rash of some sort and my parents trying desperately to stop me itching. I might have been predisposed to psoriasis, but I’ve still never discovered the genetic link in my family.
I was 18 when I was formally diagnosed. I had just moved away to college in Bathurst to study journalism and was on my own for the first time. I relished those first few months of independence, made heaps of friends and drank to excess.
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Good to hear your story, I also had ezcema as a child all over my body, then I became pregnant at 21 and it disappeared and I was so excited to have normal skin. Then my father passed away suddenly, I had a miscarriage and then my relationship broke down, I then found myself with an awful rash in my peri anal area. My Dr was way to excited when she saw it as skin conditions was her interest as a GP. Anyway had biopsy all confirmed I now had psoriasis after 6 years of no skin issues I was now faced with a new dilemma. So I ended up with psoriasis all over my body but the worst was still the perianal region. Had Methotrexate for three months which worked well, stopped drinking alcohol as that is a big trigger. My stress comes from living with BPD so I have daily struggle to keep all things in order. In the last 9mths I have been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis so the struggle continues on three fronts to be able to keep it together......the stigma of the skin issue has gone as it doesn't flare very often but the pain and limited movement of the PA is a real struggle.
But hey one day at a time, thanks to AA for that, I can manage.
I have had psoriasis for over 20 years. Recently it’s developed heavily on my face - the rest of my body I can explain away and not feel upset by comments (some inconsiderate and others genuinely concerned) - but my face - well it’s crippling. Some days I don’t leave the house because of it. Makeup doesn’t even cover it.