Leann Rimes: Quote on Psoriasis

Country music star Leann Rimes likes to keep a low profile, but she became a spokesperson for psoriasis when she revealed that the disease has gripped her since childhood. It once covered 80% of her body. In this psoriasis quote, Rimes gets the word out that something that looks like a rash could be something much worse.

Psoriasis is autoimmune skin disease that speeds up the growth cycle of skin cells which causes patches of thick red skin and silvery scales. The patches are typically found on the elbows, knees, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of feet, but they can affect other places, such as fingernails, toenails, and the mouth.

In an interview for Shape Magazine, Rimes said:  “I’ve actually been very quiet about having psoriasis. I’ve had it since I was two and it’s always been a huge burden and something that I’ve battled and still battle. I hid it my whole life. I pretty much got it under control by finding the right dermatologist and right treatment in the last five years. By finally getting control over it instead of it having control over me, I wanted to speak out and let people know that there is hope. There are 7 million Americans living with psoriasis and a lot of them are not getting treatment because they think it’s just a rash, when it’s really a chronic skin disease that’s been linked to medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression.”

Do you suffer from psoriasis or know someone who does? Join the discussion in our Psoriasis Pinterest Community.