Long sleeves, long dresses and pants are staples in Lynn Coveyduck’s wardrobe since she was diagnosed with psoriasis 20 years ago.
“It’s changed the way I dress. I would say it’s made me definitely more self-conscious about what I wear and what I do on a daily basis,” says Coveyduck.
Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
“They get red flaky skin, sometimes it’s itchy and it can be very widespread or sometimes it can be very localized,” says dermatologist Dr. Kerri Purdy. “It just depends on the patient.”
Dr. Purdy says there is a genetic predisposition for psoriasis and flare ups can be triggered by several things, including infection, certain medications and stress.
There are also many misconceptions surrounding the condition. One of the most common is that it’s contagious.
“They see this red flaky skin – it can involve hands and other areas that are exposed – so people think it’s contagious and they don’t want to be around the person and they don’t want to touch the person,” says Dr. Purdy.
Dr. Purdy says another common misconception is that psoriasis is just a skin disease, when it can also have a major psychological impact.
“Many people avoid daily activities. They don’t want to go to the gym. They don’t want to go to the beach. They don’t want to go to the pool,” Dr. Purdy tells CTV News. “They feel embarrassed by their skin. They don’t shake hands or they don’t engage in relationships in a way that people who don’t have psoriasis do.”
Coveyduck was diagnosed when she was 25-years-old.
“Unfortunately, I had probably the worst cases of it while I was younger and that was tough,” she recalls.
Dr. Purdy wants patients to know treatment has come a long way, with many new options available. She also hopes to see more public awareness to help break the stigma.
“This is not a contagious disease. This is not something you need to be worried about touching their skin or being around people that have psoriasis.”
