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Privacy NoticeKim Kardashian, Love Island star Olivia Bowen and Strictly Come Dancing’s Aljaž Škorjanec have something in common – they suffer from psoriasis. The autoimmune condition causes raised scaly patches on the skin which form itchy, flaky scales. It’s usually the result of skin cells replacing themselves faster than they should. On average, skin cells renew in three to four weeks. For those with psoriasis, the process only takes three to seven days. In the UK, one in 50 people are affected, and with the result ranging from mild irritation to extreme pain, the impact on daily life and self confidence can be huge.
Linzi Dunlevy speaks to OK! about her experience suffering from psoriasis
(Image: Linzi Dunlevy)
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To mark Psoriasis Action Month, primary school teacher and mum-of-one Linzi Dunlevy, from West Lothian, tells us how her condition nearly proved fatal. “Stress is something many people face, but for me a house move, the loss of my aunt and working hard nearly cost me my life. I developed a potentially fatal version of psoriasis known as pustular psoriasis, which caused pus-filled white bumps to develop on top of my already scaly skin. These then joined together, bursting open and leaving my skin tender. “My open wounds and sore skin meant I was compared to a burns victim, with 67% of my body covered, everything except my face and hands. It felt like my skin was on fire. “I was hospitalised for two weeks and given an immune-suppressant drug for nine months, usually used for kidney transplant patients. It was a scary time,” Linzi says, talking about when she first started showing symptoms more than a decade ago.
67% of Linzi’s body was covered and she said it felt like her skin “was on fire”
(Image: Linzi Dunlevy)
“I felt embarrassed by the appearance of my skin, and experienced a terrible itch 24/7, which impacted my sleep and my work. At times my skin was so raw that out of sheer desperation, I’d take a tepid bath at 4am in an attempt to cool it down,” adds Linzi, 38, who was initially diagnosed with dermatitis. She then developed guttate psoriasis – a form of the condition that appears as small, round spots called papules. After trying lotions prescribed by her GP and light therapy, she turned to topical steroids, but they exacerbated her problem. “I was using my steroid cream whenever I had flare-ups. But overuse and intermittent use can cause skin thinning,” she says. “My body was unable to tolerate the steroids any more. It’s called Topical Steroid Withdrawal. It made my skin worse and that’s when I developed the potentially fatal pustular psoriasis. “After being hospitalised, I learnt that for me, my psoriasis worsens if I’m stressed, if I drink alcohol or if I’m tired. As soon as I have a drink of anything, dark spots immediately appear on my skin, like an allergic reaction. I was also told that when you’re pregnant there’s a 50/50 chance it can get better, or worse – mine got worse.
“I felt embarrassed by the appearance of my skin,” says Linzi
(Image: Instagram / wee_red_spots)
“Psoriasis is a chronic condition – there isn’t a cure, just ways to learn to live more comfortably with it. You know it’s always there and you’re just waiting for it to come back.” In 2022, Linzi was given new hope with a daily food supplement by AxisBiotix – a blend of four live bacteria mixed into water, which helps modulate the immune system. “My condition has already started to stabilise and I haven’t seen a doctor in a year,” Linzi says. “I think this supplement keeps my skin calmer and under control. I used to try to get in and out of the shower without looking in the mirror because I found myself repulsive. Now I’m mindful of what I eat and manage my symptoms by making good lifestyle choices.” For more information, visit axisbiotix.com Little known psoriasis facts “It classically occurs in young adults, after a recent sore throat, but can also run in families,” says Dr Ross Perry, GP and Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics. “The scaly, thick plaques of skin are different to eczema in that they’re not often itchy.”
Psoriasis affects one in 50 people in the UK
(Image: GETTY)
An injury to the skin such as a cut, sunburn or insect bite, called the Koebner response, can also trigger it. “It’s not contagious but has two peaks over a lifetime,” says Dr Ross. ”The first is between 20 to 30 years of age and the second between 50 to 60.” “Prognosis tends to be lifelong and it will come and go with flare-ups when stressed or unwell,” adds Dr Ross. Try to keep stress levels to a minimum by meditating, exercising and unwinding. Other triggers can be an unhealthy lifestyle, such as drinking too much alcohol, smoking and a poor diet, and hormonal changes, such as during puberty and the menopause. Visit cosmedics.co.uk for more information Follow OK! on Threads here: https://www.threads.net/@ok_magStory SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnHealthReal Life
