Say What? 8 Great Comebacks for Questions and Comments About Psoriasis!

When you have a visible disease like psoriasis, people are bound to ask you questions. Sometimes it can become a nuisance and uncomfortable, but it's the way of life when you have this disease. For me, I used to hate when people asked questions. It meant that people noticed something I was trying so hard to conceal. I started to gain control of my mental health and emotions by finding the strength to answer questions opposed to changing the subject or lying like I had always done. I started to advocate for myself and my disease. Now, I welcome questions and I love when someone inquires because that means I get to educate someone on the subject.

There are a lot of misconceptions and stigmas that people believe because they don't understand the disease. The best way to combat questions and comments is to have responses already prepared. Get in the habit of thinking how you can respond to someone who asks questions or makes comments. The best way to spread awareness is to let go of the fear of talking about the disease. Check out the most commonly asked questions and comments and learn ways you can respond to them in 30 seconds or less.

Handling uncomfortable questions

Question: "Is there a cure for psoriasis?"
What you can say: Although there are lots of treatments to help relieve the symptoms of psoriasis, currently there is no cure.

Question: "Is psoriasis contagious?"
What you can say: Nope. I can't transmit nor can you catch the disease.

Question: "I've heard of psoriasis before, but what is it?'
What you can say:Psoriasis is an auto-immune disease that causes my skin cells to grow at an unusually rapid rate thus the dry patches.

Handling uncomfortable comments

Comment: "Oh I know how you feel, one time I had a burn on my skin and it was the worst thing ever."
What you can say: Psoriasis is a bit different than a burn. It's a chronic disease that I have to deal with on a regular basis that comes and goes, and for the most part, the flares are out of my control.

Comment: "Oh, psoriasis? That's like eczema right?"
What you can say: No, although both diseases are due to the immune system, the diseases are not the same and require different treatments. Eczema is usually associated with asthma and an allergic response.

Comment: "Psoriasis is just dry skin right?"
What you can say: Psoriasis is much more complicated than dry skin, it starts with an over-reactive immune system which just so happens to negatively impacts my skin.

Comment: "You should try a natural remedy, it worked for someone else I know."
What you can say: Psoriasis is a complicated disease. What may work for one person may not work for the next. Everyone's trigger, as well as remedy, will be different. This is not a one-size-fits-all disease.

Comment: "You should use more lotion."
What you can say: Lotion will help temporarily relieve symptoms of psoriasis, but my disease starts within my immune system.  My disease is much more complicated than dry skin.