Even Celebrities Like Kim Kardashian Suffer From Psoriasis

Print this entry | Print this pageDespite everything we’re told to the contrary, we tend to think of celebrities as images of air-brushed perfection; even when these celebrities make their name on “reality” TV shows. Kim Kardashian, star of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” recently brought reality (and not the scripted kind) back to the small screen when she revealed an odd rash to her dermatologist as cameras rolled. That rash turned out to be psoriasis, which is often marked by red patches of skin covered by silvery “scales,” dry, cracked skin that may bleed, and stiff and swollen joints (among other symptoms). According the National Psoriasis Foundation, this puts her in good company: 7.5 million Americans (approximately 2.2 percent of the population) are believed to have psoriasis. Every August, the National Psoriasis Foundation sponsors National Psoriasis Awareness Month, which is dedicated to educating the public and dispelling stereotypes. Though the cause ...