Pulling back the curtain on this skin disease that impacts 1 million Canadians

What do you do when you've experienced a condition that impacts your skin? What if that condition is so bad, you change how you interact with your friends and family? 

If you're one of the millions of Canadians who deal with psoriasis, then you know that diagnosis can come with a lot of unanswered questions. 

To get a better understanding of th condition, we spoke with Dr. Fiona Lovegrove, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Certified Dermatologist, who has a keen interest in skin diseases.

The what's what on psoriasis

Dr. Lovegrove describes psoriasis as an immune-mediated inflammatory condition that impacts the skin. When the immune system signals to the skin to "overturn" or regenerate much faster than normal, it leads to inflammation. This appears as "red, raised, scaly spots," which often impacts people on the knees, scalp, hands, feet, and face but can appear anywhere on the body.

Other symptoms can include itchy and painful skin, nail abnormalities, scaly skin patches, and joint swelling, stiffness, or pain.

Dr Fiona Lovegrove/AbbVie

"I wish people knew that it's kind of not just a skin condition, it's something that really impacts people's quality of life and overall health," she says.

Additionally, a third of people living with psoriasis will develop an inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints. Patients will also have a higher risk of other conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and even depression.

Dr. Lovegrove explains that because psoriasis is so visible, it leads to many people believing it’s contagious — which is 100 per cent not true! "One of the things that I tell people is that it's very important to know that psoriasis is not contagious. Like, it's not an infection. You can't catch it from somebody,” she explains.

The patient's toll

All of this makes living with psoriasis that much harder, as patients feel like they need to hide or cover up.

Patients can also feel like they need to change how they interact with others or change their lifestyle — from avoiding swimming and handshaking to changing the clothes they wear to cover up. That can lead to anxiety, sadness, and even depression.

"People don't want to go swimming, or they avoid social situations, or they don't wear sandals because they're embarrassed about the way their feet look," said Dr. Lovegrove.

This is relatable for Toronto resident Flavian de Lima, whose long journey with psoriasis led him to change his lifestyle.

Flavian de Lima (AbbVie)

While working with clients, Flavian tells us, he would avoid shaking hands due to his psoriasis around that area.

“It changed how I dealt with people, my interactions. In the work I do... I'm always shaking people's hands; it became noticeable, and people would ask me about it," he says.

Dealing with psoriasis

So what's someone like Flavian to do? It's important to note that there is no cure for psoriasis, but that doesn't mean there aren't options. 

Patients can look to resources like Patient Voice to learn about psoriasis, the signs and symptoms, to help be better informed about the condition. Patient Voice also offers an online questionnaire that can be filled out and shared with your doctor if you believe that you have psoriasis.

One of the most important steps on your psoriasis journey is getting a concrete diagnosis, something Flavian emphasizes. At first, he was incorrectly diagnosed with solar dermatitis, and it took years to get a correct diagnosis and then continue with treatment.

Now, he says his journey with psoriasis has taught him the importance of speaking out to help spread awareness. "I’m kicking myself that I haven't done this sooner," he said.

Interested in learning more? Visit Patient Voice and talk to your doctor.

The information in this article is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medical decisions or seeking guidance about your condition.

This content was created by Hive Labs in partnership with AbbVie.