Louie

Louie has had psoriasis for about 3 years. He first noticed a small patch on his chin but didn’t think much of it until he also had some skin flaking from his scalp. He saw his GP and was initially told it was ringworm (a fungal infection). He saw another GP 6 months later because the skin patches had got bigger and the creams weren’t working. The new GP diagnosed it as psoriasis and Louie remembers feeling really distraught when he learnt that it is a life-long condition. His psoriasis isn’t painful or itchy, and the main impact for Louie is the physical appearance making him feel self-conscious. Louie’s psoriasis has affected most parts of his body. He finds it especially hard to have psoriasis on his scalp as he worries about what others might think of the skin flakes. For example, he sometimes feels quite embarrassed about flakes on his school blazer and tries to discretely brush them off. He used to also avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes and prefer long-sleeved shirts when he felt very self-conscious, but now is less concerned about this. 

Louie has tried lots of prescribed creams and ointments for his psoriasis but found many were off-putting to use. For example, they can be smelly or leave a “shiny glaze”, which Louie worried would draw attention to him. One ointment for his scalp was very runny and took a long time to dry, meaning that Louie would have to get up earlier than usual for school. He didn’t notice an improvement and prefers to use shop-bought shampoos now. Since being referred to a dermatologist, Louie feels more hopeful. He’s due to start taking methotrexate (immunosuppressant tablets) soon and is optimistic that it may work for him. Louis had a good experience with the dermatology doctors and nurses when he went for phototherapy (light therapy) and he felt comfortable if he had to go to some of the sessions on his own. This was sometimes the case as it is tricky for Louie’s parents to get the time off work.

Having psoriasis has made Louie feel depressed and anxious before. He felt like he lost his confidence and stopped socialising or taking part in sports. For example, he used to do competitive swimming but found it difficult having his skin visible. He wore a vest for PE classes as he wanted to cover his skin, but this often drew more attention and people would ask questions. Stress is a trigger for his psoriasis and this can become a vicious cycle. It was difficult when Louie’s psoriasis returned after light therapy as it was during the time that he was also sitting his mock GCSEs. One way that Louie tries to cope with stress is by talking to supportive friends and family. He recently stopped wearing the vest for swimming, a decision he was very nervous about but ended up being “a liberating feeling and quite a relief that I could just go back to how I was before”. Louie also feels that, now he is a bit older, looks matter less when looking for romantic relationships.

Louie says that having psoriasis can make you think and behave differently, but that you should “keep your head up high” and take part in activities that you enjoy. For Louie, going to football matches is “an outlet” which helps him to “be myself again” as he doesn’t think about his skin so much. In Louie’s experience, his friends and family have been incredibly supportive. He didn’t want to tell his friends at first and he didn’t like it initially when his mum looked online about psoriasis, but eventually came to realise that they had his best interests at heart. Louie has since also researched on the internet about psoriasis and learnt, for example, that fragranced bath and body products can aggravate psoriasis. Since cutting these out, he’s noticed that his skin tends to be less red and irritated. Louie encourages doctors treating young patients to “get into the frame of mind of the child and realise how it’s affecting them”. This includes being aware of how psoriasis impacts the many “little things” that are normal in other people’s lives.