I’ve always had issues with my skin, so when I found out that I was diagnosed with psoriasis, my first thought was “Crap, now I definitely will never have the perfect skin that I’ve always wanted”. Since I was a teenager, I have struggled with acne, uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation from acne scars, and dark undereye circles. That last one is a mix of allergies, genetics, and thin skin so I know that will always be a problem for me.
I began taking care of my skin with an official regimen since I was 13 years old. Now, I’m 28 and I wish I had the skin I did back then. I thought things were bad before, but I really only got the occasional pimple on my forehead at that time. These days, I can have flaky psoriasis patches on my face and scalp along with a hormonal acne breakout along my jawline and cheeks. And if it’s a really bad flare-up, you can add a lupus butterfly rash to that too.
My best advice to dealing with all these issues at once is to make sure you are getting enough rest, eating right by avoiding possible triggers, and using the prescribed topical medications to treating psoriasis.
I know when I eat dairy or lots of sugar, my joints and my skin will react in a negative way.
Dairy triggers inflammation for me and messes with my digestive system causing bloating and gas, so I always try to avoid it, if possible. I believe there is a link between my consumption of dairy products and acne breakouts. I notice during certain weeks when I have more cheese, I will have more acne than usual and they will be more of the inflamed cystic kind. For sugar, I think that it affects my psoriasis more, causing it to be more intense and spreading to other areas like my face and eyelids. This took some time to notice, so if you’re suffering from similar issues I would suggest creating a food journal that logs what you eat and how you feel on a daily basis. Then you can see if there is a trigger/link for you between your diet and your condition.
Oddly, going through all this has made me a more positive person. When I get an acne breakout now, I don’t let it bother me as much as it did before. That used to be the worst thing my skin went through. It would just ruin my mood and mess with my confidence. Now, I realize that it’s not the worst thing since I have other bigger issues to worry about now. Of course, having pimples and scars on your face is annoying and doesn’t make you feel your best, but realizing that it’s temporary and that you’re still a beautiful person regardless of what’s happening on your face is what I have to keep in mind.
With psoriasis and lupus, it’s actually very important to treat it when there’s an issue. During a flare-up, your body is telling you “I am attacking these areas” because it thinks it’s a foreign invader and your healthy tissue becomes inflamed. I mostly get psoriasis on my scalp and if I continued to not take care of it, my hair would probably start to fall out and the patches of skin cells would build up and become super itchy and even harder to remove. Visiting the dermatologist and trying different solutions until you find the combination that works for you is a must.
Lupus is even more serious than psoriasis, so I have to prioritize that treatment over psoriasis, though they sometimes overlap since they are both autoimmune diseases. For example, I am taking methotrexate right now which suppresses your immune system’s response. It is known to help lessen symptoms of both lupus and psoriasis. I mentioned this before, but the amount of sleep you’re getting every night is a huge factor as well. A normal person needs 8 hours each night, but since my body is constantly fighting an internal battle against itself it gets burned out much faster. Some nights I may need 10 hours to feel well-rested. Fatigue is a common symptom of those with chronic illnesses, so I have to listen to my body when it tells me “I’m exhausted and I need to lay down right now”. As much as I want to say, “I am strong and I will power through this”, I learned the hard way that my body will react differently. When I have done that in the past, the next day I could barely move and everything was inflamed. It’s so not worth it, so I must get the rest that I need.
Being stressed out is a huge trigger and will always result in some kind of physical problem for me.
Naps are the best way to combat my fatigue. If you’re feeling this way, just get into bed and lay down. I promise you will feel so much better afterward.
Learning how to live like this took some time. The hardest part for me was balancing productivity and rest. Being a Virgo, I love getting things done. I love to work hard. But with this condition, things changed and I had to accept the fact that I can’t do everything that I want to do in a day anymore. I used to be able to wake up, take a shower, make breakfast, go out for groceries/run errands, stop by a Sephora or HomeGoods, look around at Target, come back home, eat lunch, do laundry, clean my apartment, and then go out for dinner with friends. Now, I can only do maybe half of that. If I do go out for more than 4 hours, I would feel like collapsing by the time I came home. It was definitely a struggle to adapt to this new lifestyle. But I know I am not the only one suffering and experiencing this. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to start writing about what I’ve been going through. My hope is that this can be one of the places others go to for help or advice. Know that I am always here to listen and give guidance where I can. Please remember you are not alone!
