Why I Hate Television Commercials About Psoriasis Until Now

When I was first diagnosed with psoriasis, I didn’t even know what psoriasis was. I had never heard of the word psoriasis, let alone the affects psoriasis would have on my mind and my body. It was all so overwhelming.

At the time I was diagnosed, there was no one else in my family that had psoriasis. It would take years before I found out that psoriasis is very prevalent on my dad’s side of the family. My dad, uncles, grandfather, and a cousin all have psoriasis as well. However, finding that out still did not stop me from feeling hopelessly alone. It did not take long for me to learn that psoriasis was a taboo word in the little community I lived in. No one wanted to talk about it. In fact, the only responses I ever got were negative.

Becoming a psoriasis advocate

Ten years into my psoriasis journey, I learned of the National Psoriasis Foundation. I became involved and started volunteering with the organization. I still remember the first time walking into a room filled with other psoriasis advocates. Everyone was so nice and could totally relate to what I was saying about living with psoriasis. It was so powerful and done so much for my mental state I cannot properly describe it to you. There have been many opportunities to help bring awareness to psoriasis in the ten years I have been volunteering with them. However, I still feel like there is so much more work to do to bring awareness to psoriasis and what we all live with daily.

Through my association with the National Psoriasis Foundation, it has come to my attention that there are celebrities that have psoriasis. Some of those famous people have helped to bring awareness of psoriasis none more so than Cindy Lauper in my opinion. There are other famous people that most of us turn our nose up to when we hear their names. I will not list them here, however.

Television commercials about psoriasis

The problem I have with television commercials for psoriasis treatment is that they never show what psoriasis really looks like. I get the notion that it might turn some people away from what they are trying to sell. After all we don’t like the way we look with psoriasis, but I have always felt like they need to show what psoriasis looks like. I can say with the “see me” commercials that at least they used real people living with psoriasis. This is a fact because I know one of the people in that commercial. The one draw back is they still don’t show what psoriasis really looks like.

Imagine my shock and surprise when I watched a new commercial on television yesterday that actually shows real psoriasis patches on the person in the commercial. Yes, I know it still is for selling a product, but I feel the only way stigmatism about psoriasis will change is if it starts being real to people. A real condition by a real person living with psoriasis. Have you seen this commercial? I would like to know your take on it. Furthermore, what do you think needs to happen to make psoriasis a more known condition? While I do believe we have come a long way I do believe we have further to go so that psoriasis is no longer a taboo word.