- Judith Duncan, 23, developed the condition while writing her dissertation
- Irritating skin condition causes red patches to appear all over her face
- Was working in a clothes shop when a customer made the cruel comment
- Decided to embrace her condition by writing a blog to raise awareness
Kate Pickles For Mailonline
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A fashion-blogger has become the face of psoriasis sufferers by bravely sharing pictures of her red patches and writing about the condition.
Judith Duncan, 23, was diagnosed with the long-lasting autoimmune disease almost three years ago.
The condition, characterised by flaky red patches on the skin, affects about two per cent of people.
Many self-conscious sufferers will cover their skin with make-up in an attempt to hide it.
But Miss Duncan ditched the cosmetics and embraced her patches after cruel taunts by strangers when she worked in a clothes shop.
Judith Duncan, 23, decided to share candid photographs of her psoriasis to raise awareness after cruel taunts she experienced while working in a shop
‘I was serving this lady and I was aware that she kept looking at my forehead,’ she said.
‘Eventually she pointed and said ”I thought you had to be pretty to work here?”
‘I was gobsmacked.
‘I realised I had two choices, I could either let this destroy me or I could say ‘yes, I do have psoriasis but it doesn’t affect me as a person, it doesn’t affect my beauty and it isn’t going to be my defining quality for anyone.’
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Miss Duncan, from Inverclyde, was diagnosed with the condition while at University writing her dissertation.
She was told stress was the most likely cause and it would clear up in due course but it became progressively worse.
‘When I was finally diagnosed I had never heard of it and felt like the only person in the world with psoriasis,’ she said.
‘For so long I tried to hide my psoriasis, so I have photos of me with half a face,’ s
‘The first little bit of psoriasis was in the middle of my forehead. There was no way of hiding my biggest insecurity.
Miss Duncan has become a global ambassador for the skin condition after a blog she wrote about it gained an international folowing
She refuses to cover up the red skin patches with make up as she says she accepts the condition as part of her appearance
‘But now I have accepted that this is how I look.’
Her psoriasis mainly appears on her forehead, scalp and cheek.
She started her blog, The Wee Blondie, last year to promote confidence for sufferers and says she has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the response she received.
The blog includes posts about fashion, beauty and psoriasis and Miss Duncan even met fashion designer Paul Smith through the success of the site.
The Robert Gordon University graduate now works as a marketing executive with Entrepreneurial Scotland.
Through the job, she has met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Chris Hoy and Judy Murray.
She is now writing for a Danish skincare brand as well as a UK-based pharmaceutical company.
She said: ‘As much as I would love to be cured, I think it would be weird to not have it on my forehead and other areas of my body. It’s part of me and who I am.
‘Many people are ashamed or embarrassed by their psoriasis, especially if it is visible. I want to put a stop to that.’
PSORIASIS – THE INCURABLE SKIN CONDITION THAT CAN WRECK CONFIDENCE
Psoriasis (file picture) develops when the body’s immune system attacks skin cells
Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales.
The patches normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back but can appear anywhere on the body.
It can start at any age.
For most, psoriasis develops before the age of 35 and the condition affects men and women equally.
The severity of the condition varies from person to person, for some causing a minor irritation, while for others it has a major impact on their quality of life.
Psoriasis is a long-lasting, or chronic, condition that involves periods when a sufferer will have no symptoms or mild symptoms, followed by more severe outbreaks.
The condition occurs when the process by which the body produces skin cells is accelerated.
Normally the cells are replaced by the body every three to four months, but in psoriasis the process only lasts about three to seven days.
The resulting build-up of skin cells creates the patches associated with psoriasis.
While the condition is not fully understood, it is thought the increased production of skin cells is related to a problem with a person’s immune system.
For those suffering with the condition, their immune system attacks healthy skin cells by mistake.
Psoriasis can run in families and there is thought to be a genetic element to the condition.
Many sufferers will experience symptoms following a certain event, a trigger. A trigger can include injury to a person’s skin, throat infections and using certain medications.
The condition is not contagious, so cannot be spread from person to person.
While there is no cure, a range of treatments can be used to improve symptoms and the appearance of the affected skin patches.
In most cases, a sufferer will be prescribed creams and ointments to ease the symptoms.
If these prove ineffective, doctors may opt for phototherapy treatment. It involves exposing the skin to certain types of ultraviolet light.
In the most severe cases, treatments such as oral or injected medicines that work throughout the body are used.
Source: NHS Choices
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