or 
FORMER model Alicia Stratton and
her mum Nicole know the misery of psoriasis, a painful and disfiguring skin
condition.
But there is hope. Stunning Alicia has beaten the disease which causes scaly
skin and itching, while Nicole’s is under control after a battle lasting
decades.
Psoriasis is in the news because of new movie The Singing Detective, starring Robert Downey Jr as a patient with an extreme form of the condition.
And Hollywood star Nicole Kidman is known to suffer from severe skin complaints.
Research out this week shows psoriasis sufferers may have a higher risk of getting lymphoma, an immune system cancer. Alicia, 20, had psoriasis throughout her teens but is now free of it — as long as she avoids dairy foods.
She says: “Psoriasis runs in families and I first noticed it when I was six or seven. I had patches on my elbows and scalp.
“It got worse as I got older and I often had outbreaks after a bacterial throat infection or tonsillitis.”
Alicia was taken on by a modelling agency at 14. She did catwalk work and shoots for magazines but gave it up due to her condition.
At 16 Alicia — who lives with Nicole, 47, and dad Stephen in Warlingham,
Surrey — was diagnosed with Guttate psoriasis, a type brought on by tonsillitis.
She says: “I finally had my tonsils out two years ago and I’ve been clear ever since. But I don’t eat any dairy foods. If I have a small piece of cheese I flare up.”
Alicia, an events co-ordinator, adds: “The worst thing is not being able to wear the clothes you want when you go out with friends.”
Nicole, a training co-ordinator, hopes The Singing Detective will help more
people understand the non-contagious skin condition.
Like her daughter, Nicole had her first bout at an early age and it has affected her elbows, legs and scalp since.
She says: “Psoriasis can flare up at any time. If I’m stressed or hot and bothered it comes back.”
Nicole has spent her life trying to disguise the symptoms and looking for ways to ease her suffering. She said: “I got so desperate I saw a specialist who recommended a course of 21 sulphur injections in my backside. But three weeks later my psoriasis came back.”
She has tried everything from UV light treatment to steroid creams. Nicole says: “The best treatment I’ve found is a cream called Aqueous Cream BP.”
Alicia adds: “I’d say to other psoriasis sufferers you’re not alone and nobody’s perfect. And there is plenty you can do to control it.”
Facts about Psoriasis
What is psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a non-contagious, chronic and incurable skin disease affecting one in 50 people.
It is a condition where the person’s immune system starts reacting against their own skin cells.
The cells mature more quickly than normal and move to the surface too soon, causing the formation of thick, silvery, scaly, inflamed patches of skin.
It can be itchy and embarrassing for the sufferer.
What causes it?
No one knows but it is believed to have a genetic link — up to 60 per cent of sufferers have a family history of psoriasis.
It can be triggered by injury to the skin, infections, drugs and stress. Flare-ups of psoriasis can become a vicious circle, with the condition worsening due to the stress caused by the disease.
Who gets it?
It affects men and women equally and can occur on any part of the body, although elbows, knees, scalp, hands, feet and genitals are the most usual places.
Psoriasis can occur at any age. It cannot be caught from other people and nor can it be transferred from one part of the body to another.
Is it serious?
It can vary from a few psoriatic patches to — at its worst and rarely — a widespread eruption.
Most people with psoriasis have small patches that get better spontaneously or need little treatment. The more severe forms may need intensive medical and nursing care.
How is it treated?
There is no cure. Current treatments aim to improve symptoms and quality of life. Various creams and ointments can be applied directly to the skin.
In serious cases a GP can refer the patient to a dermatologist and one option is UV light treatment to the skin.
Many sufferers lose the condition naturally for long periods.
Whatever treatment used, it is also important to apply a moisturiser to make the skin more comfortable.
For more information call
the Psoriasis Association on 0845 676 0076 or go online to the website Psoriasis
Association