Van Ness has been struggling with something personal of his own that has helped fuel his efforts to inspire everyone around them to feel as good as they possibly can, both inside and out. In March 2018, he opened up about having psoriasis in an un-retouched Instagram post. Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition that affects more than eight million people in the United States, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Van Ness, now 34, was 23 years old when he first noticed symptoms. “I was covered in little red dots and I didn’t know what it was. My skin was itchy and tight at times. It didn’t hurt that bad, but I knew it wasn’t normal,” Van Ness tells Parade.com. The journey to getting diagnosed was a long road. “It took me a long time to figure out what it was and how to manage it,” he explains.
On getting a diagnosis
At first, Van Ness’ doctor thought the flare-up was caused by an infection or allergies. “I got a little scratch and that triggered my flare-up. It threw everyone for a loop, because initially, it made my doctor think I had a bacterial infection or maybe I was allergic to something,” Van Ness says. Van Ness adds that getting a diagnosis can be difficult, as it often takes doctors a while to figure out what the skin condition is and put a name to it. Then, you have to find an individualized treatment plan that works for you, because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to treating psoriasis. “Since there are so many different ways to go about treating psoriasis, it can be frustrating,” says Van Ness. “You get your hopes up thinking maybe this doctor will discover what’s wrong—or at least that’s how it was for me." That’s why he’s come up with tools to mitigate that frustration. Yoga has always played a big part in Van Ness’ healing, and his favorite types are hatha and vinyasa flows. He also enjoys writing, gymnastics, and figure skating. “To me, self-care is anything that makes you feel well and brings joy into your life,” Van Ness explains. “Sometimes that’s taking it easy. Sometimes it’s gardening, gymnastics, or figure skating.”
Raising awareness to help others who have received a psoriasis diagnosis
Van Ness wants to share his story in an effort to help empower others who may be living with the same autoimmune disease. “It can feel isolating. I want people to know that they are not alone,” says Van Ness. “It’s something that millions of people have, and there’s nothing wrong with us because we have psoriasis. We’re still gorgeous and we’re still beautiful people.” That’s why he talked openly about his journey with Cyndi Lauper, who also has psoriasis, on PSO in the Know sponsored by Novartis. “Sharing your story is healing, not just for yourself but for others,” Van Ness explains. “It’s knowing that my story can help other folks going through the same thing.” Next, read about the 4 of the Best Essential Oils for Psoriasis
Sources
National Psoriasis Foundation
