10 Women Living With Psoriasis Share Their Confidence-Boosting Tips – Glamour

Living with psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease, is a roller coaster, Tikeyah, a 30-year-old woman with psoriasis, told Glamour. The unpredictable skin condition causes inflammation in the body that sometimes shows up as red patches with silvery scales on topfrequently on the knees, elbows, and scalp, though they can appear anywhere.

But Tikeyah has found ways to feel confident while living with psoriasisand so have millions of women like her, no matter what their skin looks and feels like on any given day. Scroll down for their tips.

Psoriasis can feel debilitating at times. To make myself more comfortable, I try to wear loose-fitting cotton clothes whenever Im home, and I opt out of wearing underwear whenever possible. When nothing is rubbing against my inflamed skin, I feel more confident and relaxed, and I can spend more quality time with my family. Masha, 30, California

From my experience, most people react negatively to my skin condition because theyre afraid its contagious. I wont go around telling everyone that I have psoriasis. But when my flare-ups are visible at work, I let my company know. It may sound weird, but getting it out of the way up front usually saves me a lot of troubleand a lot of worried side glances or carefully crafted questionslater on. It may be frustrating, but I remind myself that people are hardwired to shrink away from things that they arent familiar with. Jill, 50, British Columbia

Take your experience and make the best of it. I dont mean to come off as blas: I understand the struggleboth internally and externallythat people go through with psoriasis. But when you get through the muck of it, take time to be kind to yourself. No matter what you look like or feel like, this is your bodyand its your only one. Learn to love yourself. Find ways to reach deep down and build that relationship with yourself. If you feel negatively, its okay to get help. I did and still do. Its a constant struggle but its very worth loving yourself. Brittany, 35, New York

One of the frequent, potentially embarrassing situations I used to run into was hair appointments. I would always cringe when I first sat down in the chair because I have dry, flaky patches on my scalp. Now I tell anyone who is going to come into contact with my scalpwhether for a scalp massage or shampooingthat I have this condition, I was born with it, and it wont harm them in any way. I think the more we can own who we are, the better we can feel about ourselves. Sarah, 37, California

For special occasions, I like to splurge on a professional spray tan. There is something about golden, sun-kissed skin that brings on that extra boost of confidence for summer weddings and celebrations. Bianca, 34, California

Living with psoriasis is a roller coaster. But you can build confidence by taking control however you canwhether thats picking outfits that make you feel pretty, or changing your hairstyle if you have scalp psoriasis. Whatever it is, do it. Psoriasis is an unpredictable autoimmune disease, so its easy to feel like its controlling your every move. But finding ways to take control of what parts of my skin I choose to show has proven to be so helpful for me. Tikeyah, 27, Georgia

If you have a job interview or a social occasion that calls for an outfit that will reveal a flare-up, try using a natural concealer without fragrances or alcohol to minimize any redness. I like to use concealers that have jojoba seed oil to reduce inflammation and redness on my legs. Kristin, 40, New York

Find a personal mantra that supports how youd like to feel, then practice it until you find peace and feel confident. I write my mantra on my bathroom mirror so I can see it. You begin to love the skin youre in by accepting yourself in a positive light. Patrice, 34, North Carolina

Recently my family moved to the beach permanently, and its taken some getting used tomy psoriasis gets in the way of me feeling comfortable. Teeny bikinis are on trend, but theyre not for me. Buy a bathing suit that you feel most comfortable in. Its important to feel your best when you are at the beach, and a less-revealing bathing suit makes me feel more confident. Caitlyn, 20, North Carolina

I avoid black shirts. I have psoriasis on my scalp, so flakes are going to stand out on a black shirt. I stick to bright colors and patterns, and fabrics like satin or silk, where you can just flick off any flakes that fall down. Erin, 27, Ohio

*Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

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10 Women Living With Psoriasis Share Their Confidence-Boosting Tips - Glamour