Nicole, 24, from Staffordshire is an NHS claims administrator for an opticians

Nicole says:

“I got the first signs of psoriasis when I was about 16 years old. Both sides of my family have a history of psoriasis, so I am guessing I inherited it but usually your first psoriasis outbreak is triggered by something.

It began as a small patch along my hairline at the back of my head and at the time I thought nothing of it, until I knocked the head off the scab and then it was downhill from there.

I was in denial for a while about the spread of my psoriasis. I tried to brush it off as just some stubborn scabs. However, when it started to spread across my scalp, and creep down my neck other people began to notice and eventually my mum thought it best to take a trip to the doctors, even though I was still insisting it was nothing to worry about.

After seeing the doctor numerous times, I was eventually referred to a dermatologist at the hospital who diagnosed me with psoriasis.

With me being so young, the dermatologist wanted to try creams and ointments first before trying me on more invasive treatments or oral steroids. I tried many different types, but none seemed to work, and many just caused me more pain.

When oral steroids were suggested, my mum and I were not too sure about them, due to the possible dangerous side effects. So, the dermatologist prescribed a steroid ointment instead, which did work, to a point. My psoriasis would clear up, but soon return not long after.

Over time my psoriasis just got worse and more frequent. What started just on my head and neck, soon spread to more parts of my body.

My worse flare up was probably the beginning of this year. It covered my stomach, my back, my neck, my forehead, my legs and my ears. It was honestly torture, I couldn’t move freely without my skin pulling or splitting.

The damage to my skin from my psoriasis has triggered another skin condition called vitiligo, which causes patches of damaged skin to become permanently lighter than the rest. I’ll have this patchy skin damage forever.

For the past few years, I had basically given up on psoriasis treatments as nothing was really working or if it did it was only for a very short period. I just focused on trying to get as much sunlight on my skin as I could and moisturising it 24/7.

Both my confidence and mental health have of course been affected by my psoriasis, more so when I was younger. I would feel self-conscious because every time I moved, I would be dropping flakes of skin everywhere. I had to hoover my room and my bed every day. I just felt gross.

People are so insensitive when it comes to psoriasis. I’ve had people ask about it, and when I explained, I would get responses like “you poor thing”. Like I’m not even a person, I’m a thing? Once a work colleague walked up to me after serving another customer with psoriasis and asked me if it was contagious with a scared look and pointedly washed their hands in front of me despite me telling them it wasn’t. Things like that are so hurtful.

I’m sure like many people with psoriasis, I’m always researching it online and like to read about any new treatments or read accounts from other psoriasis sufferers who have maybe found something I haven’t already heard of that helped them. My family does the same, we always take an interest in anything to do with psoriasis.

That was how I first read about Oregon Skincare earlier this year. It was actually my sister who read about it first. The company who makes it, who are in the UK,  were asking people with psoriasis if they wanted to take part in a consumer trial on the products so after some more research to check if there were any steroids in the products, which there weren’t, and reading some fairly convincing reviews, I thought there was no harm in trying it, the samples were free after all.

It was honestly one of the best decisions I’ve made. I saw a difference in my psoriasis in a week, I was honestly shocked at how quickly I felt the change. I could move and stretch without pain as the tights dry skin plaques became softer and more flexible. It was amazing. None of the creams I had tried before had achieved this.

The Oregon Maintenance Cream seemed to work on a much deeper level than other creams I had tried. It was the first product to actually target the inflammation, and redness in my skin.

The improvements with the Oregon cream would start in the middle of the affected area, and work its way outwards, like a ripple in water. It was honestly fascinating to watch the way it worked and how I could actually feel and see the progress of my regular skin returning.

My entire outlook about my skin has changed dramatically since the effects of these products has progressed. I used to wear a lot of black, and hoodies to cover up my skin and kind of not be noticed too much, now I’ve actually started wearing lighter colours, and shorter sleeves and I feel much less self-conscious about people seeing me

In a period of about two months most of my psoriasis is gone, only a few patches remain, and they’re clearing up quickly. The patches that are left are lighter in colour, softer and more flexible. This is what happened to the other patches that finally disappeared so I am confident that the few patches I have left will continued down the same progress route as the others that have now completely gone.

Alongside the Oregon body cream and Oregon rescue serum, I have also been using the Oregon Anti-Plaque Shampoo and Conditioner for my scalp psoriasis. It feels like it’s doing miracles. My hair has never felt this soft and smooth and my scalp is more or less clear of plaques now. The products are lovely to use and smell nice. Before I was using prescription coal tar shampoos which were thick and smelt horrible like old tar and were largely ineffective. I still find it incredible that something that feels so nice c be so effective.

When you have psoriasis, you get into position when you kind of accept that anything that may potentially work for your skin will sting and stink. Its like you have to suffer to get results. Oregon product have proved to me that this is not the case and its bee such an overwhelming relief to discover that.”