A leading skin expert has given hope to people who suffer from psoriasis after Kim Kardashian revealed she has the condition.
The Hollywood star had admitted she feared her career was over after being diagnosed with the problem. Psoriasis causes blotchy skin all over the body and as a model and actress, Kardashian is expected to have perfect skin so her worries are understandable.
For most people they are just concerned about exposing their blotchy, scaly skin on the beach. It is a condition which affects 7.5million Americans.
Many people think it cannot be cured but a leading skin expert insists if a person takes the right advise, the problem will clear up. And it does not necessarily mean the use of expensive drugs.
Dr Emmy Graber, assistant professor of dermatology at Boston University’s School of Medicine, examined Kardashian’s blotchy legs and torso. And she gave everyone with psoriasis hope for the future.
She said: “In many cases it won’t recur after treatment. Some people find just being outdoors in the sun with their affected skin areas exposed helps,” said Graber.
Other leading experts believe it is down to diet. Beauty Editor Kate Shapland said sufferers should avoid foods like sugar, yeast, wheat, glutten, fruit, refined foods, alcohol, cheese, smoked fish meat and caffeine.
Treatment can also include steroid creams to quell the immune reaction or light therapy, where patients go to a doctor’s office two to three times a week to stand for a few minutes in front of a light box that emits ultraviolet rays.
Lifestyle changes are also important to reducing flare-ups. Medical experts say sufferers should ensure they get a proper amount of sleep, eat a balanced diet, avoiding excess alcohol, and, minimize stress.
More persistent psoriasis can be treated with newer drugs like etanercept or infliximab that target specific immune system chemicals that produce inflammation. But these powerful injections cost more than the steroid creams and light therapy and pose a greater risk of side effects, including infections and liver injury.
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