Louis' Story

Louis' psoriasis was first triggered after experiencing a life changing accident at work. In his story, he talks about the flare ups he has had since diagnosis and why fundraising is so important to him.

My psoriasis journey began in 2022 after I experienced a life-changing accident at work. A 4ft x 6ft glass panel fell from above me, cutting open my head, back, and other areas of my body. Fortunately, I survived, but the physical aftermath was significant.

Soon after, I started noticing small red dots appearing on my skin. Like many, I had no idea what they were. After consulting my GP, they suggested it might be psoriasis. As a 23-year-old guy who’d never even heard of psoriasis (and probably would’ve guessed it didn’t even start with the letter ‘P’), I realized how little awareness there was about this condition.

I was quickly referred to a dermatologist at St. Mary’s Hospital, where I was diagnosed with guttate psoriasis, which had the potential to progress to plaque psoriasis. They put me on cyclosporine, but while on the medication, my body began to change dramatically—and not for the better.

After two months on cyclosporine, it became clear that my body wasn’t responding well. My ankles swelled, my skin turned scaly, and I started shedding skin like a snake. Even work became harder to manage.

By September, I returned to St. Mary’s, where they informed me my psoriasis had spread to 90% of my body and had now developed into psoriatic arthritis. I was admitted to the hospital for a week, and upon discharge, they started me on Apremilast.

A few months after this photo was taken, my body finally cleared up. For the first time in a year, I felt like myself again. I could wear short-sleeve shirts without worrying about being stared at. It was incredibly freeing.

Unfortunately, as I write this, I’m experiencing another flare-up. I’m unsure what triggered it, but I’m working to figure that out. I was recently put on Methotrexate, but like Cyclosporine, it hasn’t been effective for me. And let’s just say the side effects are not nearly as fun as the pamphlet suggests.

While this story might sound sad, I assure you it’s not all doom and gloom.

Anyone with psoriasis knows it’s not just about managing the physical pain and discomfort, but also the mental toll. I went from being a confident, outgoing 23-year-old to someone who shied away from social situations out of fear of being stared at or mocked for my skin. But now, two years on, I’ve learned that you can’t control what others think, and you certainly shouldn’t hide yourself away because of it.

I know there’s no cure for psoriasis yet, but I hope that through fundraising and awareness efforts, we can bring more attention to this condition and the impact it has on people’s lives.

Some days are better than others, but the most important thing is to remember that the only opinion that truly matters about your skin is your own. It’s mind over matter—if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.