A woman has been left devastated after severe and quick-spreading psoriasis covered her entire body and turned the rose tattoo on her arm into an ‘unrecognisable, blurry mess.’
When Kelly O’Hanlon, 35, first noticed her scalp was itchy and flaky, she thought it was simply dandruff, so she started using a specialist shampoo.
But when that made little difference, she saw her GP and was diagnosed with psoriasis – an incurable condition which sees the skin become covered in crusty patches.
Over the next few years, Kelly – who has two children – tried all sorts of treatments, including topical creams and UVB light therapy, but nothing controlled the condition for long.
‘I went from having a patch of psoriasis the size of a 50p to my legs, arms, stomach and even face being covered in red, sore patches,’ says Kelly.
‘The tattoo on my arm, which I got in 2017 and have always loved, was particularly affected. One day it was there, and the next it had disappeared into a blurred, distorted mess.’
The initial patch on Kelly’s scalp began to get grow and get incredibly itchy, but Kelly admits she never expected the condition to spread as quickly as it did.
Over the next three months, Kelly’s symptoms worsened until her hairline and the skin behind her ears were also covered in crusty patches.
In September 2011, she was officially diagnosed with plaque psoriasis – the most common form of the condition – and given some prescription-strength coal tar shampoo.
For the next 18 months, she did her best to manage to condition.
‘No one could see it at that point, because it was only on my scalp and the surrounding areas,’ she explains. ‘But because I knew it was there, I was constantly checking on it – itching and scratching to see how flaky I was. I became fixated, which added to my stress and anxiety.’
After giving birth to Ethan in May 2013, Kelly’s psoriasis ‘exploded’ across her body.
‘I noticed a minute patch of dry skin on my baby bump towards the end of the pregnancy but I wasn’t too bothered,’ she says.
‘Fast forward to three months later though, and both my legs were covered in sheets of psoriasis.’
According to the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Alliance, between and 10 and 20 per cent of women find that their psoriasis gets worse during pregnancy.
Her doctor told her the outbreak was likely linked to hormonal changes. She was then prescribed steroid cream and referred for a 10-week course of light therapy.
‘I had to go religiously three times a week for short bursts of light therapy, but because my skin is so fair it started off with a very low dosage,’ she says.
‘By the time I’d finished, it had cleared up most of the psoriasis on my upper half, and my legs had improved a lot.’
Finally able to enjoy motherhood without feeling self-conscious, Kelly went five months without a flare-up – but her psoriasis returned in 2014.
‘The psoriasis came back with a vengeance and after initially trying light therapy again, I just thought the benefits weren’t worth it,’ she adds.
‘I had already undergone 30 sessions of light therapy and you’re only allowed so many in your life due to the risk of skin damage.
‘The whole process was a juggling act and it wasn’t giving me the results I wanted the second time around.’
Sadly, Kelly’s confidence was soon at rock bottom – not least because of the stares and comments she faced from strangers.
‘I took the children out swimming and I was in my costume – something which takes a lot of courage, even on a good day – and the child behind asked his mum what was wrong with my legs.
‘I realise children don’t understand the impact their words have, but I couldn’t help feeling torn up by it all.’
When Kelly fell pregnant for the second time last year, a dermatologist recommend she try Epaderm emollient ointment as an alternative to steroid cream, which she was worried about using as an expectant mother.
According to the NHS, whilst most topical cortisteroids are considered safe to use during pregnancy, particularly potent ones are not usually prescribed.
‘During the pregnancy, the hormones this time around seemed to have a positive effect on the psoriasis – my skin cleared up for a good few months,’ she says.
‘Then after I gave birth in December, it all came back thicker than ever – my skin felt like it was on fire.
‘I just thought, “I can’t live like this.” It really was the worst it’s ever been.’
Kelly decided to start using Epaderm religiously, day and night – and within a matter of weeks, she said her skin was showing signs of improvement.
‘Now I use it morning and night, I even carry a little tube in my handbag,’ she says.
‘I don’t want it to come across like this cured my psoriasis, because it’s not something you can ever really cure, but it’s about finding what works for you.
‘Now, for the first time in a long time, I feel back in control, and I want to show others out there living with psoriasis that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.’
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