- Lianne Hunter, 29, has suffered from psoriasis since she was 5 years old
- Painful skin condition causes red patches to appear all over her body
- She endured cruel taunts and was once told to leave a swimming pool
- Is sharing candid photos of her skin to help tackle stigma around condition
A woman has bravely shared pictures of the red patches on her stomach in a bid to tackle the stigma surrounding psoriasis.
Lianne Hunter, 29 from Manchester, was diagnosed with the painful skin condition following a bout of chicken pox aged five.
It causes dry, flaky patches to form all over her body, leaving her in agony.
And she had to endure cruel taunts from strangers – including once being asked by a lifeguard to leave a swimming pool over concerns she was contagious.
Yet after suffering for 25 years she said she finally feels ‘comfortable and confident’ in her own body.
Now, she has embarked on a mission to educate the public about the condition, sharing candid shots of her skin during a flare-up.
Lianne Hunter, 29 from Manchester, has shared candid bikini photos of herself in a bid to tackle the stigma surrounding psoriasis
For 25 years, Miss Hunter has lived with the painful skin condition, in which flaky red patches appear on her skin
Miss Hunter, an account director at a PR agency, said: ‘I don’t really remember life without it.
‘I was brought up to have a real “so what?” attitude towards it and have been quite comfortable and confident with it.
‘As I got to teen years I could feel myself shying away from big crowds as I became worried that people might make fun of me.’
She said: ‘When I was 13 I took my younger sister swimming and while in the water a lifeguard asked me to come out of the pool as there was concern from fellow swimmers that I was contagious.
‘At the time I was very angry and upset, as I tried to explain that it was only psoriasis but it didn’t make any difference and I was asked to leave the pool.
‘This was one of the first occasions I remember feeling really self-conscious about my psoriasis.’
Once, Miss Hunter was asked to leave a swimming pool as the lifeguard said there were concerns she was ‘contagious’. Pictured, her patches during a flare up
Her condition is triggered by cold weather, sugary foods and stress – and so she tries to go to hot countries on holiday as often as possible. She is pictured with boyfriend Phil Bennett
After the humiliating incident, Miss Hunter bravely decided to take a direct approach to explaining her condition to insensitive strangers.
She said: ‘If I catch somebody’s eye, I just smile and say “it’s psoriasis, a condition where patches of my skin multiply faster than the normal rate.”
‘It’s not exactly correct, but it’s usually enough for people to understand it’s not contagious and either puts their mind at ease or prompts further questions.
‘I am a big believer of showing it off and helping people to understand what it is.’
Her condition is triggered by cold weather, sugary foods and stress.
But rather than taking harsh medication, Miss Hunter opts for natural treatments such as coconut oils, an alkaline diet and yoga to combat flare-ups.
Miss Hunter now wants to share images of her condition so other people better understand it
She also takes regular holidays and even jetted off to south east Asia for three months last winter with her partner Phil Bennett.
She said: ‘We took three months out to go travelling, partly to help my psoriasis.
‘Generally it was a lot better and a lot easier to manage – it didn’t clear but it was calm, the plaques were flat and way less inflamed.
‘I think it was a combination of the heat and sun exposure, I was able to wear looser, more breathable clothes and also the fact that I was totally relaxed and happy with what I was doing – no stress or life pressures.
‘I try to go on holiday to warm countries a few times a year and on the rare occasions that the sun makes an appearance here I’ll make my way to a park or sunny outdoor areas to try and get as much sun to my skin as possible.’
But once she returned to the UK, the cold climate causes Miss Hunter’s skin to become inflamed and painful.
She said: ‘I had a massive flare, which covered a lot of my tummy and nothing would calm it down.
‘It was really red and would really sting if I tried to put a T-shift on, so I had to spend a few days at home coating myself in lotions until it calmed down.
‘I’d love to live in a warmer climate one day but at the moment I am studying nutrition – this is something that became a real interest and passion when researching ways to manage and heal my psoriasis.
‘I’m hoping that through this I can find a career that allows me to continue to help fix both mine and others psoriasis through food. ‘
She has discovered sugary or processed foods make her skin much worse.
She added: ‘I have cut out meat and keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.
‘Stress is also another big trigger but I have spent time finding ways to manage stress through meditation.’
Her psoriasis developed when she was five years old after a bout of chicken pox. She is pictured (right) with her sister as a child
She began raising awareness on her Instagram page , Fix My Psoriasis to stop other sufferers from feeling alone.
Miss Hunter said: ‘I still do get the odd negative reaction to it – mainly when the psoriasis on my forehead or arms is flaring, as these are the areas that it is most noticeable and it can after be mistaken for dandruff.
‘The negativity is often down to lack of awareness and I have found that by explaining to people what it is they tend to change their reaction.
‘It’s important to remember that everybody has something that they are conscious of – whether they tell you or not – if it’s not psoriasis, it could be a different skin condition, or their weight, their hair, their teeth, so it’s just another thing to be aware of and learn how to live with.’
After 25 years Miss Hunter says she is finally confident and comfortable in her skin – adding psoriasis has not affected her relationship
And her condition has not affected her relationship – as she told her boyfriend Phil about her condition immediately.
She said: ‘Lianne told me she had psoriasis on our first date, it was one of the first things we spoke about – she was very relaxed about it and really comfortable in her own skin.
‘All I thought was if she was comfortable that’s all that mattered, I hardly noticed it then and I often forget she has it now.
‘It’s never bothered me, Lianne’s incredibly beautiful and the psoriasis is part of who she is.’