Kim Kardashian opens up about her struggle with psoriasis and arthritis
Kim Kardashian West has opened up about her struggle with psoriasis, posting a make-up free selfie on her Instagram story showing the red patches on her skin which occur as a result of the condition.
Kim linked the selfie to an article on Kourtney Kardashian's lifestyle site, Poosh, titled 'Kim Kardashian West Shares Her Journey with Psoriasis'.
Psoriasis is "a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales", says the NHS, and is linked to problems with the immune system.
In the article, Kim shares what it's like living with psoriasis and how she's learned to deal with it. She also opens up about being diagnosed with another autoimmune condition, psoriatic arthritis, a type of arthritis which develops in people who already have psoriasis.
Kim writes: "Even though I always grew up with my mom having psoriasis and hearing her talk about her struggle, I really had no idea what my life would be like dealing with an autoimmune disease myself."
Kim reveals that she was 25 when she had her first psoriasis flare-up 13 years ago. She explains: "I got a common cold, and since psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, this triggered it. It was all over my stomach and legs."
Kim says that, after a cortisone shot from a dermatologist, her psoriasis "completely went away for about five years." However, it then came back a few years ago in her early thirties, which is when Kim says her "real psoriasis journey began."
Kim continues, saying: "For the past eight years, although the spots are unpredictable, I can always count on my main spot on my right lower leg, which consistently stays flared up.
"I have learned to live with this spot without using any creams or medication—I just deal. Sometimes I cover it up and sometimes I don’t. It doesn’t really bother me."
She adds: "When I got pregnant both times, it fully went away. That was amazing, but then it came back again. Earlier this year is when it got extremely bad—it covered my whole face and a majority of my entire body."
Kim then explains how she got diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, saying: "One night, I woke up to use the restroom and I physically couldn’t pick up my phone."
She describes the pain, revealing: "As the day went on, I got a bit more movement in my hands, but they really hurt from the inside—I felt it in my bones."
A post shared by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Jun 14, 2019 at 1:44pm PDT
Kim says that on a particularly bad day "I had to have someone dress me because the pain was so unbearable. With the boots I was wearing, my ankles started to feel it in those joints. That’s when I knew it wasn’t just an issue in my hands, it was a bone problem."
At the end of the piece, Kim reveals that now "I’ve become extremely comfortable with my psoriasis. No matter where it is on my body, sometimes I am fine with showing it off and other times I don’t want it to be a distraction, so I cover it up with body makeup."
Explaining how she manages her conditions, Kim writes: "I live a healthy life and try to eat as plant based as possible and drink sea moss smoothies. With all the stress in life, I try to make sure I take time for myself so that I am centered and keep my stress to a minimum."
She offers advice for other people struggling saying: "If you have psoriasis, you can’t let it ruin your life or get the best of you." She adds: "I hope my story can help anyone else with an autoimmune disease feel confident that there is light at the end of the tunnel."
Read Kim's full article on Poosh.
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