Glasgow woman won't let bullies who 'giggle' at her psoriasis get her down

Jude Duncan battles psoriasis and admitted seeing people whisper and giggle about it “never gets easier”.

The 29-year-old, who lives in the Southside, has been left depressed and “struggling to walk” from the painful illness which she has dealt with for nine years.

Jude when she had a Psoriasis flare up

She is speaking out during Psoriasis Action Month to stop people living through an “Instagram filter” and stand up for those who “look different”.

The condition causes flaky patches of skin which form “scales”, according to the NHS, which can look pink, red, white or silvery.

The patches normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, but can appear anywhere on your body.

Now Jude is working on educating others to treat people with visible differences with kindness and understanding.

Jude Duncan pictured at home in Glasgow

She told the Glasgow Times: “People staring, whispering, or giggling never gets easier, no matter how confident you are.

“I couldn’t put on a foundation to cover it up so it was pretty visible and people would stare.

“If I went on dates I would need full blown conversations about it before it, and if I didn’t I would get some nasty comments.

“For a long time I was depressed and anxious because of it. I just hid away from the world because of it.

“I think we live in a world through an Instagram filter these days and we feel the need to be flawless which is very intimidating.

“On the flip side though I found this amazing online community who related to me and I made great friends. It helped me build up my resilience.

“Now I am working to raise awareness. Just because someone looks different from you doesn’t mean they are infectious or have something wrong with them.”

Jude is more confident now about her condition

Psoriasis affects around two in 100 people in the UK.

It can start at any age, but most often develops in adults between 20 and 30-years-old and between 50 and 60-years-old.

It affects men and women equally.

The severity of psoriasis varies greatly from person to person. For some it's just a minor irritation, but for others it can have a big impact on their quality of life.

Jude believes her condition may have been triggered by the stress of her fourth year at university and writing her dissertation.

She first noticed a small patch appear on her forehead before it took over around 40% of her face.

Jude is speaking out

Now she is on medication which has cleared her skin and reduced symptoms.

However since the condition doesn’t have a cure the medicine will eventually stop working, meaning she will have to work with doctors to find more medication to keep it at bay.

Jude is focusing on accepting her psoriasis in a bid to be “happy and comfortable” in her own skin.

Jude has lived with the condition for nine years

Jude explained: “The first couple years I was really insecure and ashamed of it. It became all-consuming because I worried about what people thought about my patches.

“It was also sore and irritating. I could wake up with blood on my pillow if I scratched it in my sleep.

“The more depressed I got about it the worse the condition got. It felt like a vicious cycle.

“It took me a long time to be comfortable and happy in my skin. It is something I am going to have to keep working on.

“My advice to anyone dealing with psoriasis would be to just be gentle with yourself. You're already going through a lot but the condition doesn’t define you.

“Try and say positive things - like if you did good self-care or find something you like about yourself.”

There's no cure for psoriasis, but a range of treatments can improve symptoms and the appearance of skin patches.

Speak to a GP or your healthcare team if you have psoriasis or have any concerns about your physical and mental wellbeing.

They can offer advice and further treatment if necessary.