Lies I've Told for Psoriasis

I was thinking the other day about all of the little lies I’ve told over the years on behalf of my psoriasis, often more than once!

Can you relate to these psoriasis lies?

All of the times I’ve lied about my likes and dislikes to avoid uncomfortable situations. Maybe some of you can relate? Here are some of the fibs I’ve told.

No really, I’m so cold

I’ll start with my most frequent lie. It’s the lie I tell to explain why I'm wearing long sleeves in the summer or at parties. "I’m cold, really! Maybe it’s because of poor blood circulation?  

Well, we don’t have air conditioning at home so I’m just used to being really warm. Don’t worry, I’m not too hot, this is the perfect temperature." The truth? I’m sweating bullets under these sleeves!

Swimming just isn’t my thing

Whether it was pool parties, hot tubs at friends’ houses, or saunas at the cottage, I was hyper-aware of any situation where a bathing suit might be involved.

I have always trundled out a reason to avoid these situations, from not owning a bathing suit to just not liking to swim. The truth? I love to swim, it’s one of my favorite things in the world.

I didn’t get that sweaty, I don’t need to change

I can’t blame my distaste for gym class entirely on my psoriasis, but in my high school years, it was certainly a factor. Trying hard at gym class meant sweating, and sweating meant having to get naked in the changeroom.

Over my dead body! I would do everything in my power to avoid communal showers/changerooms, even being subpar at exercise. The truth? I guess I didn’t have to try that hard at being subpar ;)

Yes, these are bug bites

I do try hard to be an advocate for psoriasis, but with unfamiliar groups of people, I sometimes don’t have it in me to explain my condition (especially when all eyes are on me).

I have guttate psoriasis, which means my body is covered in red spots. By far and away my guttate psoriasis is most commonly mistaken for bug bites, so every once in a while I just go with it. The truth? I wish they were just bug bites!

I’ll skip dinner out. I’m still pretty full from lunch

I’ve done a fairly good job at identifying my food triggers, but the list is extensive! Gluten, corn, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans, sugar, bananas, and excess salt are all sure to trigger itching and new spots for me.

While I feel empowered having this knowledge, it makes me a pretty poor dinner companion. I hate to feel like a burden when ordering, so I’ll often skip dinners at restaurants. The truth? I love eating out!

No thanks, you can do someone else’s hair!

While this may not apply to everyone, I attended a lot of camps when I was younger, and I have a lot of younger cousins. Braiding/playing with each other’s hair is the thing to do! Except, I’m really self-conscious about my scalp psoriasis and I dread these interactions.

Dandruff, scabs, and the smell of coal tar are all valid reasons I prefer people avoiding my hair. The truth? I love the feeling of people playing with my hair.

I don’t really like manicures

Getting mani/pedis with your girlfriends can be a great opportunity to chat and catch up. Here’s the thing though, my fingernails are pitted and my toenails are thick and yellow.

The last thing I want is someone examining them closely. I try and avoid these situations. The truth? It’s nice to be pampered.

Skirts aren’t really my thing

This one is a double whammy. Shorter skirts can expose psoriasis on your legs, and psoriasis on your legs makes shaving a real pain, which makes you less likely to wear skirts.

Avoiding skirts is a no-brainer for me. The truth? I would love to comfortably wear skirts in the summer and to the office.

I already have plans, sorry!

Any of the above situations may prompt me to lie about already having plans, just so I can avoid being uncomfortable. In addition to that, chronic autoimmune conditions can cause extreme fatigue, which means the only thing I may be up for is taking a nap or watching Netflix.

It’s hard for people to understand chronic conditions, but having other plans is something universally understood, no follow-up questions or ulterior motives suspected. I work every day toward retiring these little lies, but I still pull them out in a pinch.

What lies have you told for your psoriasis?