5 Things This Person With Psoriasis Wishes You Knew


Psoriasis is a skin condition that plagues me. While there are moments of relief, the condition has been stubbornly persistent for years.

When I was diagnosed, my doctor told me that psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes white blood cells to attack healthy skin cells by mistake. My skin overreacts, leading to red, itchy, scaly patches.

The disease usually affects the elbows, knees and scalp. But it can appear anywhere on the body. Some people even get it in their fingernails or toenails.

My psoriasis is mild, but sometimes my symptoms become more severe. For example, I’ve had outbreaks on my face and hands that took weeks to clear up. At its worst, my psoriasis has covered almost half my body.

I take medicine to keep outbreaks at bay but there is no cure for psoriasis yet. That’s why learning how to manage flare-ups is so important for me and millions of others like me around the world. Here are five things I wish everyone knew about living with this condition.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the rapid buildup of skin cells. This buildup of cells causes scaling on the skin’s surface. Inflammation and redness around the scales is fairly common. Psoriasis typically occurs on the knees, elbows, and scalp, though it can appear anywhere on the body.

I have psoriasis all over my body, including some spots on my scalp. Some people assume I have dandruff or don’t know how to take care of my hair. But psoriasis is not something I can control with Head & Shoulders; it’s a lifelong condition that requires daily treatment.

There are many misconceptions about psoriasis. As someone who lives with this condition every day, I wish people knew more about what it really means to have psoriasis.

1. It’s not contagious.

Psoriasis is a skin condition that isn’t contagious, and it won’t spread to your children if they touch my skin. I’m more likely to catch something from you than you are from me. Please avoid the “eww” response, but if you do have one, be aware that I get it a lot and I am used to it.

2. It doesn’t hurt, but it can be very uncomfortable.

It doesn’t hurt to have psoriasis, but it can be hard to tell people about it because of the unsightly appearance of this skin condition. I don’t want pity or feel sorry for myself, and neither does anyone else who has psoriasis or eczema or any other chronic skin disease. We just want understanding and acceptance as we are.

1. It’s not contagious.

I wish people knew that if I hug them, they’re not going to get psoriasis. The only way you can get psoriasis is if you’re genetically predisposed to it, but someone can’t give it to you like an illness or disease.

2. It can be severe and chronic.

It’s a skin condition that has no cure and lasts the rest of your life. It’s not like a cut that heals or a bruise that goes away in a week. Sometimes people will ask me, “When did you get it?” And I say I’ve had it my whole life, but it would go into remission for months at a time when I was younger and then come back. Now it’s much more persistent because as you age your immune system becomes weaker. People don’t really realize how serious it is, even though they may have heard of the condition before.

3. My skin isn’t dirty or unhygienic.

When people see the patches on my elbows or knees and ask what happened, I tell them it’s psoriasis and they often respond with “Oh,” followed by an awkward silence as they try to figure out what else to say because they don’t

I used to worry that people would think I was contagious. In fact, psoriasis isn’t contagious.

Psoriasis is a condition that causes skin cells to build up on the surface of the skin. This buildup of cells creates patches of red, flaky, crusty skin covered with silvery scales. Psoriasis is an incurable condition, but it can be managed with treatment. Some people only have one or two mild patches while others have many patches covering large areas of their bodies. Many different things can trigger psoriasis including stress and infections. Psoriasis has also been linked to other conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

I was diagnosed when I was 12 years old after noticing patches of dry skin on my scalp and elbows. At first, I thought it was just dry skin and ignored it. But then my mom noticed scaly patches on the back of my knees and elbows and took me to the doctor’s office. My doctor looked at my skin and told me I had psoriasis, but she reassured me that it wasn’t something that would hurt my health — it was just a cosmetic problem. She gave me some lotion to treat it, but it didn’t seem to help much.

I remember feeling embarrassed about having ps

**1. Psoriasis Isn’t Contagious**

The first thing I wish the general public knew about psoriasis is that it isn’t contagious. Although it’s one of the most common skin diseases, it has a negative stigma attached to it because people aren’t sure what psoriasis is or how to react when they see it. It’s easy to confuse psoriasis with other skin diseases, such as ringworm or eczema, that are contagious.

**2. The Connection Between Psoriasis and Depression**

Psoriasis isn’t just a skin disease; it’s an emotional disease as well. Having psoriasis can lead to depression. Because people with psoriasis often feel self-conscious and embarrassed about their skin, they tend to withdraw from social situations and hide themselves away. This lack of human interaction can contribute to feelings of depression and isolation.

**3. The Link Between Psoriasis and Arthritis**

Many people aren’t aware that there are two forms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). One form affects the finger and toe joints closest to the nail (distal interphalangeal predominant) while another affects the joints in the spine and pelvis (spondylitis). A person can

[1] Psoriasis is not psoriatic arthritis.

I didn’t realize that when I was diagnosed with psoriasis. One of the most common misconceptions I encountered was that people thought psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are the same thing.

They’re not.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes raised, red lesions to form on the skin — often covered with scales. It can be itchy, dry, and even painful. Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that develops in people who have psoriasis. In addition to causing joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, psoriatic arthritis can also lead to permanent damage of your joints if left untreated.

Either way, though, both conditions are caused by an overactive immune system and are linked genetically. They can both affect any part of your body from your scalp to your toenails and everything in between. Each person’s experience with either condition will be different but they’re both chronic conditions that have no known cure.[2]


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