Explain This to Me: Brian Lehrschall on Self-Advocacy, From a Doctor's Office to Capitol Hill

Brian Lehrschall was thirteen when psoriasis arrived, and it moved fast — from a single scalypatch on his arm to more than ninety percent of his body in six months. Psoriatic arthritisfollowed soon after. What he did next set the pattern for the next thirty years. He asked hisdoctor at Duke to expl…

"I Didn't Know How to Be a Partner in My Own Care": Joel Nelson on Learning Self-Advocacy Late

Joel Nelson spent his childhood being discussed in his doctors’ appointments, rather than conversed with. He was ten when the joint pain started, and for the next eight years the conversations about his body happened over his head, behind a curtain, between the adults in the room. He was poked and …

Ask A Doctor: Dermatologist Dr. Anna Chacon on Maximizing Your Appointments and the Research Gap

Most of us have left a doctor's appointment with the thing we actually needed to say still stuck in our throat. Dr. Anna Chacon — board-certified dermatologist, psoriasis patient, and one of the few dermatologists working in rural New Mexico and Alaska — has spent her career thinking about exactly …

Ink, Skin, and Self: Hannah Williams on Psoriasis, Tattoos, and the Long Road to Loving What You See

Hannah Williams was twelve years old when what everyone assumed was dandruff turned out to be psoriasis — and by sixteen, it had covered nearly 95% of her body. For years, she wore long sleeves in summer and avoided mirrors. Then, slowly, in small steps, something shifted: a kids' camp in America, …

The Disability Tax: Future Doctor Dayna Pham on Psoriasis Stigma and Grief

When Dayna Pham was diagnosed with severe psoriasis at 21, the hardest part wasn't the plaques. It was the staring, the dating she stopped doing, and the version of herself she had to grieve. A few years later, on her first day of medical school, psoriatic arthritis arrived too. Now a University of…

Plants, Pageants, and Policy: Alisha Bridges on Psoriasis, Advocacy, and Building a Tribe

Alisha Bridges was seven years old when a bout of chicken pox triggered psoriasis across 90% of her body — and she spent the next decade hiding it, until a beauty pageant, a department-store makeup counter, and a grandmother who refused to let her quit changed everything. In this episode, Alisha ta…

Our Skin: A Personal Discovery Podcast... Season 3!

If you've ever felt like no one in the room really gets what you're going through — this season is for you. Holly Frey of Stuff You Missed in History Class returns with Season 3 of Our Skin, expanding the conversation to include psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), and the full, complicated re…

Drive, Defy, and Define: Ivy Smith on Psoriasis, Stunt Work, and Self-Acceptance

Model, actress, and stunt driver Ivy Smith first noticed psoriasis after the birth of her second child, but it took years, another pregnancy, and mounting pain before she finally got a diagnosis. In this episode, she opens up about battling stigma on set, the slow journey to show her skin with prid…

Clap Backs and Thick Skin: Victoria Voos on Psoriasis, Self-Advocacy, and Science

Victoria Voos was in college when her psoriasis “went full rampage,” setting off a cascade of diagnoses—from psoriatic arthritis to insulin resistance—that could have been overwhelming. Instead, she built online communities, mastered the art of the clap back, and became a fierce advocate for hersel…

Brave Skin: Lianne Hunter on Psoriasis, Parenting, and Finding Her Voice

Diagnosed with psoriasis at age five, Lianne Hunter grew up learning to explain, defend, and sometimes hide her skin. Today, she’s built an online community, FixMyPsoriasis, and co-leads the Get Your Skin Out campaign, turning personal vulnerability into collective strength. Lianne opens up about r…