The MayoClinic answer to this question in their latest newsletter. Do you take fish oil supplements? Do they help improve psoriasis symptoms?

Answer

from Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D

A number of studies show that fish oil supplements may reduce inflammation and improve psoriasis symptoms, such as itching and scaling. However, not all studies have shown fish oil supplements to be effective psoriasis treatment, and, as with any supplement, there may be some risks.

Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids — eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in particular — play an important role in reducing inflammation. EPA and DHA may also suppress the body’s response to white blood cells called T lymphocytes or T cells. If you have psoriasis, overactive T cells trigger immune responses and cause an increased production of both healthy skin cells and more T cells. The skin cells can’t slough off quickly enough and accumulate on the skin’s surface, creating thick, scaly psoriasis patches.

Fish oil supplements are generally recognized as safe if taken as directed. Side effects are usually mild, but can include a fishy aftertaste, heartburn and nausea. Doses greater than 3 grams a day can affect blood clotting, increase your risk of bleeding and decrease blood pressure. This may be of particular concern if you’re taking blood-thinning medication or high blood pressure medication.

If you’re considering dietary supplements or other alternative therapies for psoriasis treatment, consult your doctor. He or she can help you weigh the pros and cons of specific alternative therapies, including fish oil supplements.

Answerfrom Lawrence E. Gibson, M.D
A number of studies show that fish oil supplements may reduce inflammation and improve psoriasis symptoms, such as itching and scaling. However, not all studies have shown fish oil supplements to be effective psoriasis treatment, and, as with any supplement, there may be some risks.
Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids — eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in particular — play an important role in reducing inflammation. EPA and DHA may also suppress the body’s response to white blood cells called T lymphocytes or T cells. If you have psoriasis, overactive T cells trigger immune responses and cause an increased production of both healthy skin cells and more T cells. The skin cells can’t slough off quickly enough and accumulate on the skin’s surface, creating thick, scaly psoriasis patches.
Fish oil supplements are generally recognized as safe if taken as directed. Side effects are usually mild, but can include a fishy aftertaste, heartburn and nausea. Doses greater than 3 grams a day can affect blood clotting, increase your risk of bleeding and decrease blood pressure. This may be of particular concern if you’re taking blood-thinning medication or high blood pressure medication.
If you’re considering dietary supplements or other alternative therapies for psoriasis treatment, consult your doctor. He or she can help you weigh the pros and cons of specific alternative therapies, including fish oil supplements.

Catherine Dolan from the Facebook Psoriasis Group suggests to fill in a form.  This form describes a research study that Samuel Kunjukunju from the University of Rochester is conducting.

Sam Kunjukunju, is researching into psoriasis (particularly the treatment of) and would like our help! The purpose of this research study is to look at how Psoriasis patients are managing their condition in order to further Psoriasis research.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=cAZwnVTvKQ6UNoHZhE%2fC9A%3d%3d#q1

This study involves a survey of 32 questions. We estimate that approximately 500 individuals will take part in this study. You will be asked to complete questions about how you have treated your Psoriasis and your experience in managing your condition. This should take about 15 minutes. There is a small chance that some of the questions may make you feel uncomfortable. You don’t have to answer those questions if you don’t want to. In fact you don’t have to answer any question that you choose not to answer (except the initial eligibility questions). Just skip that question and go on to the next one.

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You are free not to participate or to withdraw at any time, for whatever reason without penalty or loss of benefit to which you are otherwise entitled.
All answers are confidential and you will not be required to enter any contact information/information that will identify you individually. It took me under 10 minutes to complete so please if you have a spare few minutes do take part.

New Contest Sponsored by Amgen and Pfizer Offers Chance for Five People to Win a Style Consultation with Tim Gunn in New York City

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Amgen and Pfizer have once again partnered with Tim Gunn, television host, fashion consultant and chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, Inc., to launch the second year of Addressing Psoriasis™, the disease awareness program designed to help people with psoriasis get more information about their condition and feel more confident in their everyday style. Dermatologist Susan C. Taylor, M.D., and Gunn are working together, again in 2010, to encourage people with psoriasis to visit a dermatologist and take the first step in managing their condition.

This year, Addressing Psoriasis™ kicks off with an exciting new contest inviting people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis to share their personal stories about the challenges of living with the condition, including the impact on their personal style, and how they think Gunn may help them present their best selves to the world. Individuals 18 or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis are eligible to enter for a chance to win a personal style consultation with Gunn and the opportunity to help raise public awareness of the condition. Five winners will be chosen, each of whom will receive a trip to New York City to receive a one-on-one consultation from Gunn. To learn how to enter the contest, view complete official rules and find useful resources about psoriasis, visit http://www.addresspsoriasis.com/. You can also find Addressing Psoriasis™ on Facebook.

“Through my involvement in the first year of Addressing Psoriasis™ I learned how much of an impact psoriasis can have on a person’s physical and emotional well-being,” said Gunn. “As someone who has always been an advocate of confidence as the ultimate fashion staple, I’m thrilled to continue to help encourage people with psoriasis to address their condition, which includes visiting a dermatologist and embracing their personal style.”

From now until April 30, 2010 people are encouraged to visit http://www.addresspsoriasis.com/ and offer their tips for living fashionably with psoriasis. Questions about style challenges can also be submitted to Gunn via the Web site. Select questions will be answered by Gunn later this year in a style resource guide designed especially for people with psoriasis.

“One of the best parts about being an Addressing Psoriasis™ winner was having the opportunity to share my story with other people in the psoriasis community,” says Cynthia McGowen, a 2009 Addressing Psoriasis™ winner. “I know from personal experience just how isolating this disease can be, so I encourage people to enter the contest and connect with others who have faced similar challenges because of their psoriasis.”

Source: Business Wire

Study Shows People Taking Statins Have Less Severe Psoriasis

March 8, 2010 (Miami Beach, Fla.) — Once again, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have been shown to be good for more than the heart.

Already linked to a reduced risk of rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer, statins also may help to improve symptoms of psoriasis, researchers report.

In a study of 232 people taking medication for psoriasis, those who also took statins had fewer of the thick, red, scaly, itchy patches that are the hallmark sign of psoriasis, compared with people who didn’t take the cholesterol-lowering drugs.

“There was a trend toward less severe psoriasis severity in people taking statins,” says researcher Adam Perry, a fourth-year medical student at Emory University in Atlanta.

The study is preliminary and doesn’t prove cause and effect. And no one should start taking statins in an attempt to ward off psoriasis symptoms, doctors stress.

But the findings, presented at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, raise an interesting possibility worthy of further study, experts agree.

Read the full story 

Source WebMD Health News

Psoriasis has perplexed sufferers and their doctors ever since the skin condition was first described. It persists as a major medical problem around the world, with an estimated 7.5 million sufferers in the United States alone

What do doctors think causes psoriasis?
No one seems to have a widely accepted answer to this question, and there is likely more than one cause. What seems clear is that specific immune cells called T cells mistakenly attack healthy skin cells and create an inflamed condition characteristic of infection or wound healing.

What causes the T cells to function this way is not known, but researchers speculate that it might be related to a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Also, psoriasis symptoms can clear up and return for no obvious reasons.

Are there common triggers for psoriasis flare-ups?
The Mayo Clinic Web site lists some common things that can trigger psoriasis. These include injuries to the skin (scrapes, bug bites or severe sunburn), stress, cold weather, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, a variety of medications and infections such as strep throat.

The link with strep throat is interesting. Some researchers have proposed that the streptococcus bacteria that commonly lives inside of tonsils is capable of producing “superantigens” that, through a complex series of steps involving the immune system, can trigger the symptoms of psoriasis. Although much more research is needed to prove this theory, one study reported that people with psoriasis had strep throat infections 10 times as often as usual. Also, some cases of partial or complete recovery from psoriasis have been reported after tonsil removal. However, there was no way to prove that the psoriasis remission was related to the tonsillectomy.

Do diet and nutrition play a role in the disease?
A variety of nutritional factors are being studied. These include the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, wheat gluten, antioxidants and vitamin B-12. None of these have emerged as clear-cut major factors in psoriasis, but they might help some patients. Though not a cure, prescription vitamin D analog skin creams can help reduce symptoms. Oral vitamin D supplements also might help, but combining supplements with the use of creams should only be done with medical supervision.

Since the immune system is clearly involved in psoriasis, maintaining an overall healthful diet that meets all nutrient needs is likely important. Many nutrients are known to be essential for normal immune function, so a wide variety of nutritional deficiencies could be involved and they could be different from one sufferer to another.

source: starbulletin.com

www.talkpsoriasis.com is a patient led support and information web site dedicated to helping people who live with the day to day difficulties of psoriasis.

TalkPsoriasis was launched in 2004 in response to the large numbers of visitors who were, surprisingly, visiting TalkEczema, the first web site launched by TalkHealth. These visitors were looking for information and support about psoriasis. However, at that time there was a lack of sites about this condition.

Whilst eczema and psoriasis are completely different dry skin conditions, treatments are similar and the emotional effects of both are identical. It is the emotional impact of a skin condition such as psoriasis that can be debilitating for both the patient and their close family. Patients often feel the need to cover up areas of affected skin, feel self conscious and this can lead to low self-esteem.

TalkPsoriasis offers visitors a platform where sufferers can band together and form communities to help and support one another. There’s nothing better than talking with someone who understands exactly what you are going through, as well as being able to learn about products and treatments that may help. Joining a site like TalkPsoriasis means that people don’t have to suffer alone.

The site also has a Members’ area which provides access to Find a Friend, a pen pal area for members to talk on a one to one basis, and a patient Forum. The Forum has a number of message threads which members can contribute to about every aspect of living with psoriasis from diet to moisturisers.

The main site has a Psoriasis Care section covering a wide range of both traditional and complementary treatments and products, Your Stories where visitors can post their experiences in the form of personal stories, and a Features section with a range of articles about psoriasis that is updated regularly. TalkPsoriasis aims to keep visitors fully informed about everything to do with psoriasis and the ongoing management of the condition.

For more information visit www.talkpsoriasis.com

Article written by Deborah Mason, Founder and Managing Director of TalkHealth Partnership Ltd

Psoriasis Help Organisation (PHO) was started by a newly diagnosed psoriasis sufferer in 2000. He realised, when looking around for information about psoriasis, that there really wasn’t very much available for people to find out more about the disease and how to deal with it on a day-to-day basis.

As more and more people were beginning to have access  to the internet, he saw potential for a website that could fulfil a need: instant access to information and a place to find help and support.

The heart of PHO is the forum; a place where all psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis sufferers can post about their experiences, treatments and ask questions about their disease from other sufferers. More importantly, they can gain much needed support from people who truly understand what it is like to live with a disease that can not only affect their skin and joints, but also their confidence, relationships and work lives.

PHO is unique by the fact that it is privately owned, free to join and participate in and has absolutely no advertising or sponsorship.

PHO has more than 10000 members, not only from the UK but from across the world and as the site has grown, so has its reputation as a safe environment for sufferers to freely talk about their experiences.Next year, PHO celebrates its 10th birthday and we know that it and the members who make it what it is have not only given much needed support to 1000s of psoriasis sufferers over this time, but will continue to do so for many years to come. http://www.psoriasis-help.org.uk/

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) reported the following about getting a flu shot when suffering from psoriasis.

If you have psoriasis, you may be feeling especially anxious about this year’s flu season. The news that people with a chronic medical condition should be among the first to receive flu shots may have left you wondering if these shots are safe for people with psoriasis. The following information should help relieve your anxiety.

People who have psoriasis can get flu shots
While people who have psoriasis should not get the vaccine for smallpox, they can get the 2009 – 2010:

• Seasonal flu shot
• H1N1 (a.k.a swine flu) shot

Notice that these are both shots. You may have heard that this year’s flu vaccines also are available as a nasal spray.

If you are taking a medication that targets your immune system, you should not receive either vaccine as a nasal spray. The nasal sprays contain a live virus. Getting a live vaccine while taking a medication that suppresses the immune system can cause serious complications.

Not sure, talk with your dermatologist first
If you are not sure whether the medication you are taking to treat your psoriasis targets your immune system, you should talk with your dermatologist or rheumatologist first.

If you are taking a medication that targets your immune system, talking with your dermatologist or rheumatologist also can help you determine the best time for you to receive the flu shots.

Precautions help prevent side effects
Taking these precautions before getting a flu vaccine can help reduce side effects:

• Do not get vaccinated if you have an infection.
• When taking medication that targets your immune system, always ask if a vaccine contains a dead or live virus. You should not get a “live” vaccine if you are taking a medication that targets the immune system. A vaccine that contains a dead virus also may be called an “attenuated” vaccine.

Rest assured, most people living with psoriasis get immunizations and injections without experiencing any side effects or worsening of their psoriasis. If you do experience any side effects after getting a flu shot, be sure to report this to your dermatologist. This information can help your dermatologist plan future treatments.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

What is World Psoriasis Day?
Conceived by patients for patients, World Psoriasis Day is a global event that sets out to give an international voice to the 125 million people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis around the world. Formed by a global consortium of patient associations from around the world,World Psoriasis Day aims to raise the profile of a condition which needs to be taken more seriously by national and international authorities.

Activities take place in many countries throughout the world to mark the day.

Who runs World Psoriasis Day?
The event is presented by the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA).

What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a common and chronic skin disease. A person with psoriasis generally has patches of raised red skin with thick silvery scales. The affected skin may be red and scaly or have pustules, depending on the type of psoriasis the individual has.

Psoriasis is linked to serious conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

People with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis report that their disease impacts their daily lives. Their self-confidence, social interactions, work and school are often affected.

What is psoriatic arthritis?
Anyone who has psoriasis and joint pain may have psoriatic arthritis. A chronic skin and nail disease characterized by red, scaly rashes and thick, pitted fingernails. The disease is similar to rheumatoid arthritis in symptoms, characterized by joint inflammation.

Based on an extensive review of the highest-quality scientific literature on psoriasis and the opinion of recognized psoriasis experts, the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has released new guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, also known as phototherapy.

Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.

Published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, this is the Academy’s fifth of six sections of the guidelines of care for psoriasis, with four previously published sections focusing on general recommendations for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as the use of biologics, topical and systemic therapies.

“Although treatment options for psoriasis have expanded considerably in recent years, UV light therapy remains an important treatment option for many psoriasis patients,” said dermatologist David M. Pariser, MD, FAAD, president of the Academy. “Over the years, phototherapy has been shown to effectively clear psoriasis, and it is a cost-effective therapy that generally does not suppress the body’s immune response like traditional and biologic systemic therapies. However, because this therapy delivers UV light to the skin (a known carcinogen), patients need to be closely monitored by their dermatologists for the potential risk of skin cancer.”

Source: American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

Patients with psoriasis resistant to topical therapy frequently wait a year or longer to receive systemic therapy, investigators reported.

On average, patients continued with ineffective topical therapy for four years before their physicians initiated systemic therapy with a conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drug or a biological agent.

A comparison of patients with and without long delays in systemic therapy revealed no clinical differences that could explain the delay, according to a presentation at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology meeting.

In particular, disease severity did not appear to influence the decision to initiate systemic therapy.

“Despite the availability of systemic treatment, including biological agents, there is a delay in the appropriate care of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis,” Carle Paul, MD, of Toulouse University in France, and colleagues concluded.

“Strategies are needed to improve the referral process and to reduce the time to initiation of systemic treatment in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis.”

The findings came from an examination of the start of systemic therapy within the context of patients’ perceptions that their psoriasis was inadequately controlled by topical agents. The study involved 52 psoriasis patients referred for evaluation by general practitioners or office-based dermatologists.

Each patient completed a questionnaire that covered clinical and demographic information, quality of life, and symptoms of depression. Additionally, patients were asked to estimate the interval between the time they perceived their psoriasis was not controlled and the initiation of systemic therapy.

The study population’s Psorasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score averaged 18. The Beck Depression Index (BDI) score averaged 3, and the mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score was 11. The median delay in the start of systemic therapy was 13 months.

Paul and colleagues separated the patients into two groups: those who waited less than 12 months to start systemic therapy and those who waited 12 months or longer. The two groups did not differ significantly with respect to baseline PASI score (19.5 versus 23), BDI score (5.1 versus 6.3), or DLQI score (10.8 versus 12.4).

Evaluation of sociodemographic variables showed that treatment delay was more likely among patients who performed manual labor, who lived in rural areas, and whose monthly income was less than 1,200 Euros.

Source: European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology – MedPage Today

Psoriasis patients have a substantial comorbidity burden that can reduce life expectancy by 10 years or more, according to data presented recently.

On average, patients whose psoriasis was diagnosed before age 25 did not live to age 60. In contrast, a psoriasis diagnosis at age 25 or afterward was associated with an average life expectancy greater than 70.

The disparity emphasizes the need to diagnose psoriasis and initiate treatment to clear the disease and possibly increase longevity by avoiding psoriasis-related comorbidity, Wayne Gulliver, MD, said at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology meeting.

“There is an intriguing relationship between psoriasis, multiple comorbidities, and loss of longevity,” said Gulliver, of NewLab Research in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

“It is documented in the literature that individual diseases, such as diabetes, may decrease life expectancy by five or six years, and high blood pressure and heart disease by three to four years. When you start layering all of those comorbid conditions with psoriasis, then, in people who have early age of onset of psoriasis, the loss of longevity may be as high as 20 years. For people with psoriasis at age 25, it’s about 10 years.”

The findings came from an ongoing study of comorbidity among psoriasis patients living in Newfoundland and Labrador. Gulliver presented data on the nature of psoriasis-associated comorbidities and all-cause mortality in a founder population of psoriasis patients and in patients included in a newer, more contemporary dataset.

An initial comorbidity and mortality study included 3,228 patients who had a new diagnosis of psoriasis from 1989 through 2005. Almost half of the patients (1,494) had one or more acute-care hospitalizations during follow-up.

Conditions most often associated with hospitalization included digestive disorders (27.3%), circulatory disorders (25.8%), genitourinary conditions (20.5%), and respiratory disease (19.7%).

More than half (55%) of the 1,494 psoriasis patients had multiple comorbid conditions, including a third of patients who had three or more comorbidities.

Using provincial and nationwide data sources, Gulliver and colleagues examined causes of death in a founder population of 120 individuals with psoriasis and in a new dataset including 418 psoriasis patients.

In both groups, circulatory diseases were the most common cause of death (39%), followed by cancer (37.5% of the founder population and 28.5% of the more recent group).

Demographic data on patients in the founder population showed that women died at an average age of 73 and men at 67.5. Severity of psoriasis and psoriasis genotype did not significantly affect life expectancy.

However, age at diagnosis of psoriasis did. Patients whose diagnosis occurred at age 25 or earlier had an average age of 59.3 at death compared with 71.2 for patients whose diagnosis occurred after age 25 (P=0.001).

Of particular concern to Gulliver was the proportion of deaths attributed to mental and nervous-system disorders and accidental or other “external causes,” such as injury or poisoning.

Deaths due to mental/nervous system disorders increased from 3.4% to 4.3% from the founder population to the newer dataset.

External causes accounted for 2.5% of deaths in the founder population and 3.6% in the newer dataset for psoriasis patients.

“The data suggest that the risk of dying from suicide, injury, or poisoning may be as high as 1 in 600 and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease is approximately 1 in 75,” said Gulliver.

“Knowing that the risk of dying from an adverse drug event related to psoriasis treatment is less than 1 in 10,000, and that systemic psoriasis treatment may decrease the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities, it is important that physicians initiate therapy that will clear the psoriasis, improve the quality of life, and potentially decrease the risk of premature death from a psoriasis-related comorbidity,” he said.

Source: European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) – MedPage Today

Summary
Accumulating evidence indicates that body weight, alcohol and smoking are associated with psoriasis. However, these factors have scarcely been investigated in relation to onset and disease activity at onset of psoriasis.

A population-based case-control study was performed including 373 cases with onset of first-time plaque psoriasis within 12 months and matched healthy controls. Psoriasis activity was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Analyses were performed using conditional logistic regression. In multivariable analyses for each unit increment in body mass index, there was statistically significant 9% increased risk for psoriasis onset and 7% higher risk for increased PASI. Obesity (body mass index ≥ 30) compared with normal body weight was associated with a two-fold increased risk for psoriasis onset. Smoking was associated with a 70% increased risk for onset, but was not related to PASI. A positive association with alcohol drinking was observed among men, but not among women.

No associations were observed for weight gain and use of smokeless tobacco. Our results indicate that excessive body weight and smoking are risk factors for onset of psoriasis and that higher body mass index increases the PASI of plaque psoriasis at onset.

PubMed

National Psoriasis Foundation started a global petition for a cure for psoriasis.

October 29, 2009 is World Psoriasis Day, a global effort to raise public awareness about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and the seriousness of these diseases.

The NPF asks you to take a minute to sign this petition asking our members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 930/S. 571, the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Research Cure and Care Act of 2009, in honor of World Psoriasis Day.

TAKE ACTION FOR WORLD PSORIASIS DAY! 

World Psoriasis Day
World Psoriasis Day is an annual day specially dedicated to people with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis.

Conceived by patients for patients, World Psoriasis Day is a truly global event that sets out to give an international voice to the 125 million people with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis.

National Psoriasis Foundation
From its origins in a tiny newspaper classified ad in 1966, the National Psoriasis Foundation has grown to be the largest psoriasis patient advocacy organization in the world.

Located in Portland, Ore., the Psoriasis Foundation is run by a dedicated staff and governed by a lay Board of Trustees, all of whom have had their lives impacted by psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

I noticed, by carfeully considering my own diet, eliminating certain foods really helped me control the spots and ease the feeling itchy.

I think a psoriasis diet will be different for each person, because each body responds to food differently. For sure, there are certain foods that aggravate the skin of some psoriasis sufferers, but others can get away with eating those without problems.

To discover your psoriasis diet you can experiment by eliminating food for a month or two. When you notice a real difference, gradually reintroduce the products one at a time. So for example start to eliminate red meat, red wine, soft drinks, dairy, citrus fruits and tomatoes plus other food you find suspicious.

Try to avoid most foods that are high in sugar and fat, so no cakes, candy and desserts for a while. In any case a healthy diet will make you feel better.

People are already trying this and are blogging about their attempts, follow their stories and support them to achieve their goals.

Surviving Psoriasis
This is a record of my journey in dealing with psoriasis. Hopefully by writing about my experience, it will help me in dealing with it. I am determined to eliminate all spots on my skin and gain control over my life.

You Can’t Catch It!
A blog about fighting psoriasis through lifestyle change

Important note!  The best diet is a healthy and well-balanced one! You can use the eatwell plate to start eating healthy. Always discuss any changes in diet with your physician, some foods can interact with your medications.

I start telling  my story and hope to encourage other psoriasis patients to do the same.

Psoriasis pretty much affected my live in a severe way since it was discovered on age of thirteen in combination with vitiligo. Before psoriasis was diagnosed I was a  happy child enjoying life in every way. I was an actor at that age and performed in a lot of plays at school and played at the local theatre. After the diagnoses I got a shy, closed and pretty messed up guy. I felt ashamed, ugly and insecure as a result I had hyperventilation and panic attacks.

Life became a daily struggle to me. The dermatologist at that time told me there is no cure available and pretty much told me to accept it and that’s it. That was such a disappointment too; my thrust in medical treatment vanished immediately.

Years went by and living in my own save, protected world resulted in not really living for years. Talking to a psychologist at age 29 helped me accepting this incurable non contagious disease and helped me to find some trust in people again. With her help I started to visit a dermatologist again and she advised me to start talking about my psoriasis.

Now I write about psoriasis at my blog, I started talking about it to friends and family and even at work I shared my ‘big secret’. Surprisingly it helped me in a great way to start living again!People react positive and understanding and share their own life struggles.

There is a reason to tell this story. I haven’t been living for almost 17 years, missed out on chance to enjoy life. I hope dermatologists are aware of the role they play in giving people hope ,faith and confidence.

If my dermatologist at the age of thirteen had taken my condition seriously at the time it would have helped me dealing with psoriasis. Sure there was still a road to take in accepting the disease and overcoming the Shame of Psoriasis.

I am now thirty years old and finally I feel alive again! Still struggle with psoriasis and vitiligo every day, but at least I have thrust again, talk to people and started to enjoy the beauty of living.

Sebastiaan, Netherlands

Suffering from psoriasis, start talking! Share your story now