‘95% of my skin is covered by psoriasis, but I’ll never hide my body’

Shrestha, who is from Chhatisgarh, India said: ‘One of my classmates who I considered my close friend told my other friends that my hands looked like a pig’s tail.

‘When my teachers and other classmates would question me about the situation, I would excuse myself by telling them that I burned myself or fell while riding my bicycle.

‘I was made to feel that my skin was not normal throughout my childhood. Strangers would look at me weirdly – I would often catch eyes following me.

‘These stares and faces would make me feel ugly from the inside. It was disheartening to get such unwanted attention.

‘That made me feel abnormal and unaccepted.’

Psoriasis impacted Shrestha’s confidence and mental health greatly. She realised strangers perceived the condition to be contagious and would actively avoid her.

‘I have always expected to become successful and build a reputation for myself,’ she added.

‘[But] I have left my job and now I feel scared to get back to it, as it might bring back another painful flareup.’

Despite everything, Shrestha has finally accepted her skin and started to show her patches during her second year at college. Then she began to openly speak about her condition on social media.

Now, she proudly shows off her skin to her Instagram followers, offering self love, empowerment, and advice.

‘Even though psoriasis is a common disease, it can get lonely for the patient,’ she said.

‘We feel like we are not understood by people around us because they cannot resonate with what we go through.

‘I started to build an online community for psoriasis warriors. In the future, I want to help this community by providing them with expert advice on alternative medicine and how they can start their natural healing journey.’