I've been wanting to write this post for a while, but also been very nervous about it. I mean, what's a post about my skin without showing photographs of it? It's been getting so much better recently though, so I thought I would make a post explaining my condition, and what I've been through for the past 10 or so years of my life with it.
What I have is called Psoriasis. Normal skin creates new skin cells and sheds the old ones at a reasonable pace, you don't generally notice it happening. However psoriasis is caused by the skin creating new cells at a more rapid pace, meaning the skin sheds dead cells more noticeably. Because of the extra blood supply needed to 'power' these skin cells, it leaves red, dry skin patches all over the body. Some people just have it on their scalp, some just on hands or feet, or some just have it all over. I've had it bad, but I've seen people with much worse conditions on the internet. I'll spare you the photos, but feel free to Google them if you're curious.
Fun fact: around 2% of the world's population have psoriasis, which is more people that own a pet budgie and around the same amount that have pet fish. (don't quote me on that like, I read it in a leaflet years ago!)
I've been lucky and never really had it on my face or hands, the two parts of my body I can't cover up with clothing or hair. One of the reasons I have my full fringe is to hide the skin on my forehead (not to mention that I suit a fringe ;D) I've had it all over my body and scalp too, which meant I couldn't do things like swimming, not that I physically couldn't, I just didn't want to show off my skin in any way. PE in school was difficult, as I would try and get changed as quickly as I could, while also hiding my body with the clothes I was putting on or taking off. I was also fortunate in that I was never bullied for it. Maybe people realised that it was something I couldn't control, or maybe they just felt sorry for me. I was bullied for other things but that's beside the point (plus that was before I got psoriasis) In fact, the only time people have mentioned it is in Youtube comments (just shows how people hiding behind a computer monitor aren't afraid to be rude asses)
I can't remember exactly when I got it, but I think I was around 11 or 12 at the time. It just randomly started appearing, perhaps due to puberty. They say it's hereditary, but no-one in my family has had it before, as far as I know. It's just a mystery.
