Wow! Comfortable with my poriasis? Now, yes. Well better, anyway. When I first had it, it appeared on the palms of my hands, under my finger nails and the bottoms of my feet; no matter what lotion I used it seem to worsen and itch till I scratched myself to death and hid it definitely. I never went too far, always pulled the sleeves over my hands and gained weight due to the pain in my feet. It took 8 months to be diagnosed and I hid it very well even from my family and husband.

I was embarrassed and felt all alone. Now I realize I made myself that way but when I first had it I was disgusted in myself.

I think now I am comfortable; I explain to others what I have and have controlled it somewhat mostly with the foods I eat. The cream I was prescribed worked on the outside but i was always itchy and after being on benadryl for a year and a half i chose to sample foods ans watched what bothered me more than others and it has seemed to help and I am no longer ashamed of my feet which is where my psoriasis is only now. My hands and nails have been free for 2 1/2 years and also my 1 foot although they are scarred with darker red skin, I seem to be comfortable.

Wow I can't believe after reading what I just typed how I really felt but it all came rushing back. Don't let others make you feel that way and don't look at yourself that way. Get up and get moving!! People are really understanding when they understand; just keep on smiling, I know I do.

Unbelievable story, CJ. Very inspiring words.

It also took me years to finally come to terms with my psoriasis ridden skin. When I was younger, the thought of wearing a t-shirt or shorts was completely out of the question. It just didn't happen. I would do anything to cover my elbows and knees. I was embarrassed yes, but mostly I was jealous and sad. My friends just didn't know how lucky they were to have beautiful, clear skin.

Now that I'm 29, I'm okay with what I've been dealt and I too keep moving forward. Life is just too short to worry yourself over the exterior. It's what's inside that counts.

Luckily, I've figured out all sorts of different ways to manage the flares and such. Diet, exercise, a great dermatologist who listens to me complain about my skin :)And of course, I have good days and bad days...

I love this line: "Don't let others make you feel that way and don't look at yourself that way" - I couldn't have said it better myself...

I do my best to avoid people seeing me without shirt and long pants, smile. Working on the fence this summer, I tried to get as much sun exposure as I can with the least public exposure. Some neighbourhood kids sort of helped with the fence scraping and asked about all my mosquito bites (psoriasis spots, many spots that are head to toe). It is hard to explain, but the main thing is to stress they can not catch it, it just bothers me. Personally I won't go into a pool for then my spots turn bright red, scary to others. With the sun I have only a few spots left right now, come winter big scale patches. For many years I was lucky in that I never got spots on my face or hands, sadly no longer true.

I used to be as bad as either one of you! Luckily, I never had that "stuff" on my face! Every year, with colder weather coming, I was always happy to cover myself and nobody asked questions. Although, every summer, with lots of time spend in the sun, it seemed to get better. On the other hand, sun is the cause for another, sometimes more deadly disease. Only in the last few years I have been almost free of scales. I wonder why? I have stopped working outside the home, so stress has gone way down! Also a different diet has helped. That seems to be one of the triggers, a lot of prepared foods! As soon as a new spot shows up now, the cream that I have used before seems to help much faster!

My mother also had psoriasis, so I was told that it may also be genetic. For her, a lengthy tar treatment took care of most of it. It seems to stay mostly under the finger nails and toe nails. It's the same in my case. My daughter has no sign of it (thank God!) and again, hopefully with all the research that is going on, someone may just "stumble" upon something that will take care of this.

When people asked me what is wrong with my arms (or legs) I used the say with a dismissive move of my hand: There is nothing wrong, it's just psoriasis. Thankfully, a lot of people are now more informed, knowing that is not contagious and don't ask anymore. If someone does, take a good look at who is asking and decide if you want to answer.
G.A.

I get tired of people constantly asking me what is wrong with my legs, to the point where, if they ask if I got burnt, I would just reply: yes.

I never wear anything but long sleeves and long pants, my psoriasis is just too wide spread. My family wants to go on a vacation to Mexico or somewhere else hot, I live in fear of this. If I have to go, I'll be the only one at the pool or on the beach totally covered up.

As a young teen with moderate psoariasis I socially excluded myself from many activities (e.g. swimming) that would bare the plaques and in very hot weather wore clothing which was weather inappropriate (long pants&long sleeves).

When I did dare to partake in those activities following the support of my circle of friends who assured me I was just self conscious and nobody would notice, strangers would ask what it was with a look of disgust. This often led to a withdrawal socially from these activities again. Many years have past I have a family with whom I do a lot of activities like swimming. I just don't seem to care so much what others think anymore in fact I get more annoyed with people who ask questions impulsively without social consideration that speaks more to me about them then what condition my skin is.

I had pustular psoriasis for 10 years before someone finally recognized it. After finding out what it was and why I had it it has been very easy to explain it to others. I just give them a big smile and start talking. I have found if you smile at people and answer their questions, most people are very nice about it. We are all bothered by anything that unfamiliar and can be frightened.

Un jour j'ai promis a ma fille d'aller a une de ses activités scolaires. Il a fallu évidemment que ce soit une activité PISCINE !! J'ai angoissé longtemps. Puis, une idée géniale m'est venue: je me suis dit ''il n'y a rien de pire que de voir qqun qui a une maladie apparente et de ne pas savoir ce que c'est''; Alors j'ai demandé au professeure si je pouvais venir devant la classe pour leur expliquer ce qu'est le psoriasis. Ce que j'ai fait, en plus j'avais mis des SHORTS pour leur montrer a sec a quoi ça ressemblait. Les élèves m'ont bombarder de questions. Une élève, entre autre, m'a demandé ''est-ce que cette maladie a des effets secondaire ?'' je lui ai répondu que oui et que le pire effet secondaire était la méchanceté des gens face a ce qu'il ne connaissent pas et leurs commentaires. Les élèves avaient compris le message et surtout je les avait réconforté en leur disant que ce n'était pas du tout contagieux. En finissant mon exposé a la classe, je leur ai donné une mission: d'informer les autres élèves qui iraient a l'activité sur le psoriasis et qu'ils étaient mes protecteurs contre l'effet secondaire.

Résultat: je n'ai jamais eu autant de FUN et d'AMIS dans cette piscine !! ;)

N'ayez pas peur d'en parler et de vous montrer, vous pouvez être surpris combien les gens sont compréhensifs.

I cannot imagine anyone with Psoriasis being at ease or comfortable in their skin. Summertime or warm weather is a challenge because everyone is wearing less clothes and the person with psoriasis is having to cover up more. It's embarrassing, difficult and very very hard to have an easy lifestyle around it.

I have psoriasis on my fingers and my nails are very pitted. They're very sore and red, sometimes I even wear gloves at work with cream inside them to stop them from hurting. Your hands are something you use and wash constantly, work around the house suffers as after a day at work I don't want to come home and do washing or clean toilets etc. as my hands are sore enough. As far as hiding it, it's pretty hard for me to do as your hands are at the cash, eating your meals etc. I would give anything to have Psoriasis on my elbow or somewhere else I think.

Its hard cause people don't ask me what's wrong; they just look and point. It really bothers me, so that's why I try not to wear anything that will show it. I moved to the country so I can wear shorts and t-shirts and not have to worry about anyone looking at me. I'm trying to deal with it, but its hard.

Ya. Psoriasis sucks! I would love to wear a short sleeve t-shirt at work like the others but I am so self conscious about my "ugly elbows" so I just wear long sleeve shirts. Summer is tougher because you know that people see your psoriasis, but I've just learned not to care. This is the way that I was made and I have to accept that. It is important to exercise, eat good foods, and don't get stressed.

It is very hard to deal with. For years I covered everything I could. Now I'm 56 and do not care what ppl think or say anymore. I just have a quick comeback for them; it is the kids that are honest they just ask.

I have had psoriasis since the age of 8. That is 50 years living with it. As a child and teen it was difficult to deal with the condition because of the stare and people being afraid to catch it. Now I am fine with it. I guess reaching this age, I am have earned the right to think what other people think of me is none of my business. These past four months my skin has flared up I have experienced a job loss and the stress of it all really took a toll on my skin.

For a long time I wore only long pants and shirts with long sleeves to hide the condition. I find that by wearing cotton is better. There are time that I cannot tolerate others to touch me I find that my skin is very sensitive. You know with time you learn to live with it not against it.

After a shower or bath I moisturize my skin a lot that is the most helpful hint that I learned by reading about this condition.

I am fortunate that I don't get it on my face or hand. Mostly every where else.

I've had psoriasis literally head to toe (face included) since I was 8, I'm now 25. I've had it be bad enough as to cover 60% of my body. I tried not to let it get in the way, still played sports, went swimming, did dance classes, and dealt with the whispers, pointing fingers and gasps. If kids teased me, I'd be sure not to tell them it wasn't contagious and then rub my arm on theirs :D (Yes 15 years later I can admit that was mean on my part too, but it made me feel a bit better at the time)

In high school I did the long sleeve deal, but I found it harder to explain why I was wearing long sleeves when it's 30 degrees out, rather than just letting my skin be exposed. Nobody in my family has it, I really feel like an oddity sometimes. I came to a point in my life when I realized that I was made this way for a reason, and I will run around in a bikini on the beach any sunny day of the week, and if some one is too caught up on physical appearances that they put me down, then they weren't the type of person I'd want for a friend anyways. That's how I know I have a great fiancee, friends and family, they see me, not the scales.

Explaining my condition to others. Very frustrating at times, people are so stupid. I have Psoriatic Arthritis and am quite over weight. People just can't help themselves and when I explain my disease I often get. "Well just lose some weight and it will probably go away".

WOW, and I mean wow...I just got psoriasis at the age of 28, lived my whole life without it...I am 32 now and I can't believe how this skin disease has turned me into a cripple; psychologically, sexually, emotionally. It has changed the whole of my world, my ability to live. Since finding out about my psoriasis, I have had my marriage dissolve, sunk into a very deep depression, and gained a tremendous amount of weight. I find it hard to leave my home and am almost agoraphobic in that regard. I have anxiety and panicky feelings whenever I have to be around people. It has affected my ability to work, enjoy recreational activities with my children and have any semblance of a relationship. I pray for a cure.

Bonjour à tous,

Vivre avec le psoriasis a 20 ans c'est très difficile, car toutes mes amies sont très jolies et portent des mini-jupes quand il fait chaud ou vont se baigner en maillot. J'ai passée toute l'été en veste et pantalon 3 quart je me devêtie que devant mon copain qui m'appuie toujours et me dit de me sentir a l'aise devant mes copines qu'elle vont comprendre peut-etre vont elle comprendre mais je sais que dans leur tête il auras des commentaire du genre"ouach ces degueu sont affaire".

En plus nous vivons dans une société axés sur l'apparence qui devient pour moi comme un étau chaque jour j'ai l'impression que la maladie affecte plus que ma peau je me regarde et je me demande ce que j'ai pu faire pour mériter sa. Nous somme 4 enfant j'ai moi et je suis la seule qui en souffre. Ma soeur étudie en médecine elle m'a toujours dit qu'elle ferait tout pour trouver quelque chose qui me guérirait les nuit ou je ne pouvais pas dormir car je pleurais je voulais tellement etre comme les autres. Pas etre obliger de ce cacher dans les toilettes du vestiaire pour me changer en gym. Savez-vous sa fait combien de temps que je ne me suis pas baigner en public au moins 15 ans. Depuis que j'ai l'age d'etre consciente du regard des autres sur moi donc j'avais 6 ans. À tous les jours je prie pour qu'on trouve un médicament éfficace mais je suis sauvée l'hiver s'en vient!!!

I am finding that talking to people about it before they have a chance to wonder what it is is helping. I was just diagnosed 3 months ago and I am 30 years old. Mine was triggered by severe strep throat. YAY! The more people I talk to about it, the more people I find are suffering as well. My husband supports me and sees past the spots. I am trying to keep my ego healthy (my husband might say too healthy ha ha) by concentrating on the physical traits I can control. Dairy was a big trigger for me, and cutting a lot of it out has caused me to lose quite a bit of weight! Places like this are just what we need!

I constantly get people asking me how I "got burnt". Then I have to go on and explain for the 50 thousandth time that it's psoriasis, yes it's a skin condition, no you can't CATCH it, yes it hurts, yeah, I'm lucky it's not all over my face. That would be REALLY bad. (Insert sarcasm here)
I'm so tired of explaining - isn't there some kind of card I can hand out? Like deaf people do with those little hands and sign language on it but instead have little sample pictures of the different types of psoriasis. Kind of like how whale watchers differentiate whales. I think that would be kind of funny. How about taking out a full page ad in the local newspaper telling the community that those red, dry, scaly, flaky patched they see on their neighbors kid is just psoriasis - not some side effect from having AIDS. Yeah, I actually had a lady once ask me if I had AIDS. I guess it's really true what they say - Ignorance IS bliss.