Can It Take A Long Time To Get Your Psoriasis 'Under Control'?

If you’re like me and you’ve lived with psoriasis for most of your life, you may be wondering when the patches may go away. Will they recede on their own or will you need treatment?

Well, in my experience, it can actually be a combination. You see, psoriasis is a strange, what I would call, beast. It presents itself on your skin. It causes a nuisance, makes you depressed, leads to worries over your appearance and can stop you enjoying day-to-day activities. It’s also itchy, bleeds and generally looks rather unsightly.

You will have ups and downs

The patches can be big or small, can merge to form all over your body. Some parts of your body may be unaffected while others may be under siege. You may then wonder, can I get it under control?

I suppose it depends on what you count as ‘under control’. Is it having total clearance, partial clearance? Is it about feeling happy in yourself? Is it lessening the itching, redness and bleeding? Or is it just a case of being on a treatment which you feel at peace with?

In my life, and I’m not even in my thirties yet, I have tried lots of treatments. Most products over the counter, most recommended by my doctor and some of the more newer options like biologics. It took me about 10 years to find the treatment which has so far helped clear most of my psoriasis.

But you will have have ups and downs. You will have treatments work and then don’t work. You will have treatments which will clear some parts of your body and not others. You will have treatments which will cause other problems, like infections. You will have treatments which you may have to stop for the goodness of your health. You have to be prepared for this.

It can take a long time

It therefore can take a very long time to get your psoriasis ‘under control’. The truth with mine is that most of my psoriasis is ‘under control’, for what I would count as being ‘under control’, but to say it fully is, I wouldn’t go as far as. But it is much better, doesn’t cause me too many problems and means I am in a much better place.

Some lucky folks probably have their psoriasis go away by itself, and they truly are one of the fortunate ones. But for the rest, there is this constant and ongoing battle between the patches and how you feel about them. It’s like David and Goliath. It can feel like a feud or like you’re at war with yourself.

I would say getting your psoriasis under control should be an aim but perhaps not the primary aim. Feeling happier in yourself, at peace with a lifelong skin condition, that could be a much better primary aim.

Psoriasis is in your genes. There’s very little you can do to totally eradicate it. The beast can be contained, but you must remain resolute. Learn to be at peace with it. And you will feel much better about what you are going through.