People with psoriasis sometimes have flare-ups that cause raised, itchy, and red spots on the face, body, arms, or legs. This can happen even if they follow their doctors’ advice to manage the condition.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. It causes skin cells to grow faster, which can lead to the formation of thick or scaly patches or plaques. When these fade, some people get skin discoloration in the form of dark spots, white spots, or scars where the spots appeared.
Various treatments, including prescription medications and light therapy, can help control relapses and gradually improve the appearance of the skin. But some people camouflage large affected areas when they don’t want others to be the first to notice their scars or discoloration.
“Before I got my biological treatment, which eliminated a large percentage of my psoriasis, my skin was 60 percent covered,” says Anna Karsten from Salt Lake City, who blogs about psoriasis. “Plaques are easier to cover with makeup because they were bigger spots in random places, but basically there were little red spots all over the place. [so] I’ve learned to live with some stains. “
These strategies work for real people with psoriasis.
Use makeup as a concealer
Mike Miller of Sheridan, Wyoming, is prone to psoriasis on the hairline and behind the ears. He often covers them with foundation, concealer, and primer.
“It wasn’t until I met my wife that I discovered the power of makeup,” says Miller. “I learned all about makeup primers. They sit on the skin instead of being absorbed, and they cover flaky skin well. “
The right tools will help Miller achieve the look he wants.
“One thing that has changed my stealth game absolutely is the so-called beauty blender,” says Miller. “It covers flakes and stains much better than your fingers or a brush. It is also much gentler on the skin, so there is less risk of irritating lesions. “
You can apply makeup to any part of the body, not just the face. Miller sometimes uses primer and foundation on his knees in the summer. Karsten uses Dermablend make-up on various parts of the body.
“I [heard about it] by a makeup artist who told me that this is the product that is often used to cover up actors’ tattoos on sets, ”says Karsten. “Once dry, it leaves no marks and lasts a full day, so it’s very handy.”
If you apply makeup to hide scars or dark spots, being too rough to remove it can damage your skin.
Moisturizing the skin
When using makeup to cover scars or dark areas, moisturize first for a smoother surface.
For extra moisture, Miller massages coconut oil into the hairline and neck at night.
“This helps soften and remove flaky skin,” says Miller. “In my case, they disappeared after about two to three days of scalp massage.”
Get manicure
Some people with psoriasis get ridges, pitting, or scaly patches on their fingernails or toenails. Karsten doesn’t like the look of her hands when her nails are affected.
“I often do acrylic nails,” says Karsten. “Since psoriasis affects the nails and this part is mostly untreatable, the only way to have beautiful nails is … to have acrylic nails.”
Be creative with clothes
Many psoriatic plaques that appear on the body are easily obscured by shirts and pants.
“It usually appears around my armpits and on my lower back and knees, so clothes can mostly hide it pretty well,” Miller says.
However, when it’s hot outside, you may not feel like wearing long sleeves and pants. Karsten has used various techniques to manage areas on her arms and legs.
“I often wore fishnet tights in summer when it was too hot to wear normal tights – [they were] a distraction from the red spots, ”says Karsten. “I replaced on sunny summer days [long sleeves] with long, fingerless gloves. I think a lot of people thought it was a style, but for me it was just a way to avoid asking. “
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