The Truth About Psoriasis

Before I start with the details about psoriasis and ways to deal with it, I would like to first tell you my personal story
about how I got it and how I personally dealt with this disease.

I started working as a call center agent way back in 2009. As a fresh graduate, I really tried my best to be good at the
first job I was ever hired for (I got rejected multiple times) and was determined to make a mark in the company I was
working for. Shortly after, hard work paid off and I started to have some valuable contributions and recognitions from all
the things I was doing.

But due to the stress and the lifestyle I had as a member of the BPO Workforce, my health suffered. Years ago, I noticed
that I had dandruff that I just couldn’t get rid of. I tried various shampoos and to no avail it never goes away. After that,
I found several spots in my legs that itches and leaves small spots. Later, I decided to visit a dermatologist who later
confirmed that what I have is psoriasis. She said it isn’t curable, but it can be treated.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind that I had psoriasis, though it did influence me. For some time, there was this occasional
teasing from past work mates about my dandruff issue. Not everyone knows what psoriasis was, and it did hurt my ego
to be known as the guy who has heavy dandruff issues. Soon after, I became wary of the clothes I will wear as wearing
dark clothes will literally show off my flakes.

That is my personal experience with psoriasis. But some people had it worse, especially those who have it on more visible
parts of their body, like the face, the arms and the neck. The stigma is real.
According to WHO, Psoriasis is a global pandemic, affecting people from all ages and gender. It has a very huge impact
on people’s lives – especially on the areas that matter like work, relationships and our social responsibility. Another thing
is that a lot of countries do not really measure this disease and most of the reports are only by personal experience.

What is Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic (long lasting) disease that normally manifests in the skin. The reality is that this disease is more
than skin deep. Psoriasis is a disease of the immune system. When psoriasis happens, the immune system is hyper
active. It triggers inflammation in the skin because the normal rate of skin replacement from 28 – 30 days is expedited to
4 – 5 days. Old skin gets pushed on top of the other which causes the red spots that are flaky and itchy.

Cause of Psoriasis

Research studies have not yet found a definite cause of psoriasis though it can be attributed to different factors such as:

•  Genetics – According to some research, one out of three people who have psoriasis reports that they knew of a
  relative having the disease. Not only that, but like cancer – 10% of the population have the genes that already
  candidates them to have psoriasis, though only 2 to 3% actually develops the disease.
• Environment – This cause has different factors altogether. Some attributes stress, infections or medications which
  can cause the predisposed psoriatic gene in the body to activate.
• A part of another story – Psoriasis can also be a complication from another disease such as diabetes and others.

These are just some of the most popular causes of psoriasis. And due to limited amount of knowledge about this disease,
there are also some misconceptions that people think about when they hear about it:

Top 3 myths about Psoriasis

• Psoriasis is contagious – While psoriasis may look like a contagious skin disease, in reality it isn’t. You cannot
  catch psoriasis by being with someone who has. You can definitely hug, kiss or share a meal with someone that
  has.
•  Psoriasis is curable – Psoriasis is a lifelong condition. While there are times when it can disappear, it can reappear
  again as quickly as it was gone. However, it can be treated. There are many ways to treat psoriasis which we’ll
  touch later in this article.
•  Psoriasis is because of poor hygiene – Just like my personal story, people often think that hygiene is the major
  culprit for psoriasis. I’ve been told countless time to shampoo my hair carefully and it will go away. But the fact is
  it doesn’t because it’s not about hygiene.

4 ways to treat Psoriasis

• Reduce stress – Unhealthy amount of stress does affect our body negatively. Prolonged and unhealthy stress
  causes psoriasis to flare up. That is why it’s important to know how to minimize stress.
•  Eat healthy – While we cannot pinpoint what exactly may cause psoriasis in our diet, starting to eat healthier is
  overall beneficial to the body. Some food may trigger reactions and vary from person to person. Keeping a food
  diary can help you pinpoint which food can be taken or which ones should be avoided.
•  Stop smoking – Smoking is not only deadly, but it also causes higher risk of psoriatic flares. It’s best to avoid it
  altogether.
•  Apply Topical Creams / Oils – When I was first diagnosed with psoriasis, I was given a cream to apply to the
  affected area to minimize the inflammation and to reduce the flaking in my skin. Recently, I started to use Oleia
  Topical oil and I can immediately feel that the inflammation goes away as quick as 15 minutes.

The Takeaway

Living with psoriasis may cause a lot of heartache for some. But as a person who is living with it, what I can say is that
life is more than our appearance. We can still live, love and be happy even with psoriasis.

Paolo is your regular 8 to 5pm work guy who loves to travel and plays sports once in a while to keep up with his work-life balance. He always bring with him his Oleia Topical oil wherever, whenever.