Psoriasis Awareness Week 2024

Dev's tried many treatments whilst living with psoriasis for over 10 years, even travelling to India in the search for solutions. He shares his story this Psoriasis Awareness Week.

August 2011

At seven years old, I was diagnosed with acute psoriasis. Red, flaky lesions covered my body, and topical steroids became part of my routine. Although my skin improved, I was unaware that stopping the steroids would lead to a relapse. When I went off the creams, I was excited to resume normal life, only to find that two weeks later, psoriasis had returned, covering 70% of my body in red, pus-filled lesions. My skin became infected, and I was bedridden with fevers and immobility.

We traveled to India for treatment, where I received steroid injections twice daily. My skin cleared for two weeks, but I was back at square one. Over the next six years, my condition flared up regularly. We saw numerous dermatologists and tried various treatments, but nothing worked long-term. My mom became spiritual, and I became reclusive, missing school and covering up my body in public.

December 2017

My dad found a new psoriasis medication called Aprezo in Mumbai. I tried it, however it worked only for a few months before my body became immune. In early 2019, my psoriasis worsened drastically, and I ended up hospitalized and injected with steroids again. I struggled mentally, and bullying at school made things worse. I missed exams and isolated myself further.

March 2019

I turned to Ayurveda and began treatment at SGVP Holistic Hospital in Ahmedabad. It was an intense and painful 25-day process involving a liquid diet, ghee consumption, herbal pastes, and leech therapy. My skin improved for a few months but then relapsed with joint pain. When the pandemic hit in 2020, I gained nearly 30 kg, and my mental and physical health deteriorated.

April 2020

We found a new dermatologist, Dr. Roop Saini, who prescribed methotrexate. My skin cleared within six weeks, and I began a fitness program, eventually losing 10 kg. For the first time in years, I felt good about myself, mentally and physically. Dr. Roop has been a significant part of my journey, and I now maintain my skin with Methotrexate, folic acid, and Cyclosporine. Although the long-term effects of the medication are uncertain, I choose to live well in the present.

Today, I am a lot more confident, feel great, and no longer hide my skin. I’m studying veterinary medicine in the UK, learning to manage flare-ups through diet and non-steroidal treatments including PUVA which I am soon to start. My family and friends have been my pillars of support, and I’m grateful for the strength psoriasis has given me.

It’s shaped who I am today.

Harry is sharing his story this Psoriasis Awareness Week after living with psoriasis for 6 years. He talks about how he manages his stress levels which is his biggest trigger.

Hello, my name is Harry – I have just turned 26 and have been living with psoriasis for the last 6 years.

My first flare-up happened in my second year of university in 2018, during a time where I was going through a sudden and extremely stressful few months. I started to notice that my face was developing red patches, and my scalp was starting to form small lumps. The worry about these unknown symptoms caused my stress levels to double and, within a few months, I was covered head to toe in guttate psoriasis.

The university GP diagnosed me with psoriasis and gave me Enstilar foam for my body and Dovobet for my scalp. These worked somewhat to keep symptoms at bay but, due to the extent of the coverage on my body, they just weren't enough.

By coincidence, I was due to go on a family holiday to Dubai the following month. The thought of exposing my body in its current state on a beach filled me with dread, but I had heard that sunlight was beneficial to psoriasis.

Cut to four days in Dubai later, and my entire body was completely clear of all my psoriasis – I couldn't believe it. This remission lasted a good number of years, although I did keep it at bay with the occasional use of Enstilar.

In June 2022, I became really ill with some form of infection. It caused some of my symptoms to resurface for the first time in three years. My face become really red and patchy, and some spots developed on my body. It didn't take hold as a full flare up, however, and I managed to keep it at bay with Enstilar and a new ointment I began to use for my face, Tacrolimus.

In spring 2023, I went travelling to America for three months. Whilst I had an amazing time, some of the in-built stresses that come with travelling took a hold, and I started to notice new spots developing on my body. I also at that point decided to stop using steroids cold turkey, as I had become spooked by TSW – I now, however, realise that stopping steroids suddenly was not a good idea!

My skin flared up rapidly, and I watched how more and more spots appeared across my body as 2023 went on. I went to a dermatologist, who recommended UVB light treatment and also suggested I really take a look at my stress management.

It has taken most of 2024 to get here, but my skin is finally the best it has been for nearly two years. I started at-home UVB phototherapy in August, and my skin has almost entirely cleared. I still have some time to go with it, so I'm hoping that it has the same type of effect that Dubai had all of those years back.

I have also taken my stress management very seriously. I have undertaken CBT sessions, started stress-targeted acupuncture, and commenced meditating daily. I still have a long way to go, but I know stress is my main trigger and I am determined to get a hold on it.

To be frank, though, my latest flare up has taken a wrecking ball to my mental health. Until September, not one day of 2024 went by without me agonising over the state of my skin. My self-confidence dropped, and I just felt like I was watching everybody else live their lives whilst mine was on pause.

I am hoping that I've seen the worst of this flare up and better things are in store for the future. I am in the process of getting my mojo back to where it was at the start of 2023. It's been so useful to read about everyone else's stories, and know that we're not alone in this! Wishing you all the very best.

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