I was first diagnosed in 1991 and I was devastated. I knew of people with severe psoriasis and thought it would be the same for me.
As it turns out, the form I have is palmar-vulgaris,which is mostly confined to my hands and feet. It’s more frustrating and irritating than devastating but I was still embarrassed by the way my hands and feet looked. I was grateful when it went into remission in 1994, but I have since learnt to live with it after it reappeared in 1995. Today my psoriasis isn’t responding to treatment leaving me frustrated and embarrassed again by the way my skin looks.
Even with the embarrassment, I never felt the need to cover up – I wear mini-skirts, bikinis and sandals. I won’t allow it to change the way I live my life.
The most important thing I want people with psoriasis to know is that there is support out there, there are associations that can help you. My advice is learn as much as you can about your condition and stay positive.
