Why did Stacy London, fashion expert and host of TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” feel like a monster? My wife had told me that Stacy London suffered with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. So I figured that she must be talking about her psoriasis, and I was right. This is how Yahoo! omg! introduces a video interview with her: “After being diagnosed with psoriasis at the age of four, Stacy London tells Access’ Michelle Beadle why she felt like a ‘monster.’ Also, she talks about how her skin disease led her to fashion.” In this video Stacy shares how she had psoriasis at 4, which broke out when she was 11 when she had strep throat. That’s when she felt like a monster. I’ve watched the interview a few times now. Each time I’m drawn to her honesty, maturity, and ability to relate. I didn’t expect to relate to someone from the fashion world, but I did. I often find an inexplicable connection with others who have plumbs the depths with this disease, or other chronic conditions.
The more recent publicity in Stacy London and her psoriasis surrounds her new campaign called “Uncover Your Confidence.” I learned more about Stacy London and her campaign through a CNN Living article titled, “Battling summer skin shame with fashion” by Ann Hoevel:
She teamed up up with AbbVie to launch the “Uncover Your Confidence” campaign this week. The website aims to help those with psoriasis, a chronic immune system disease that affects the skin, to feel empowered through fashion advice, empathetic personal testimonies and help finding dermatologists.
The website sponsored by the pharmaceutical company AbbVie has Stacy’s guide to style, patient stories, an “Ask Stacy” page with videos from Stacy, and psoriasis resources such as a dermatologist finder and psoriasis advocacy program. They don’t explicitly try to market their drug Humira, though they do direct you to “Find a Dermatologist” which might offer it as an option I suppose.
I’m encouraged by more high profile people revealing their psoriasis condition such as London, who looks to “inspire people with psoriasis to uncover their confidence and confront their disease.” It’s a far cry from the days when I too felt like a monster and didn’t know that others felt just like I did.
Check out Stacy London’s story and let me know what you think.