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Heres her story about living with psoriatic arthritis.
Nydia Lilian/Adobe Stock
For my senior prom, I bought a beautiful backless dress that I couldnt wait to wear.
I asked the makeup artist to cover my back with foundation.
Im a big researcher, so I did some investigating on my own.
I asked my doctor about psoriasis and was told, Black people dont get that.
It came back positive, and I was diagnosed in 2005.
Being able to put a name to what I had didnt help me feel better.
Psoriasishit my self-esteem hard.
I was 18, crying in my dads arms over how badly I felt about myself.
I didnt tell anyone except my family and my then boyfriend.
Someone told me psoriasis was contagious, so I refused to touch anyone.
I struggled to get my doctors to listen to me about the severity of my condition.
The psoriasis was sore and it kept spreading.
I eventually found another doctor who really listened and helped me.
I felt so alone.
It turned into a vicious cycle.
I dislocated my knee twice.
Running, which had once brought me so much joy, became too painful to even attempt.
This instigated another round oftrying to convince doctorsto believe that I was in pain.
It took nine years to finally get a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis.
And during that time, my symptoms became even more severe.
My nailsseparated from my nail beds.
Sometimes my toes would go numb.
The condition changed my personality.
Id always loved sports, but I became too self-conscious to join any teams.
What if I had to wear shorts?
Plus, I didnt have the energy to do things I previously enjoyed.
My friends couldnt understand why I wanted to crawl into bed instead of going out with them.
I blamed myselfI thought I was lazy.
Since then Ive figured out ways to help manage my psoriatic arthritis, including medication.
I also invested in the Delta Faucet 7-Spray Touch Hand Held Shower Head (Amazon, $25).
It has really powerful spray options, and the combination of heat and pressure helps soothe the soreness.
I just try out different things and see what works for me.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to run again.
Managing my stress is a big challenge,especially in 2020.
I also limit my social media use.
But then my psoriasis flared up, so in June I got another doseand then I got COVID-19.
I had severe symptoms.
Fortunately I wasnt hospitalized.
I spent 25 days in quarantine and keeping up my news-free bubblehelped me get through that time.
Reading headlines about COVID-19 isnt helpful when you already have it.
Ive learned that the best way to handle people staring at my psoriasis is by educating them.
I used to wear long sleeves even in the summer, but that only draws more attention.
I find that confidence goes a long way.
Im not going to cover up for other peoples comfort anymore.
I want them to know that Ive been where they are and made it throughand they can too.
I also started a Facebook group where people can send me questions and Ill do my best to respond.
I now have a brilliant dermatologist, but I spent years being dismissed andignored by medical professionals.
And thats such acommon experience for Black people.
Because of that, I would like to tell people that you should probably be your own advocate.
Do your research, ask questions, and dont accept everything at face value.
Dont be afraid to shake the table and get the help you need.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
