For Pam, who relished an active lifestyle, her favourite outdoor activities became unbearable. “I used to play tennis, but I found that when I went out to play, the sun was too much. Psoriasis spoiled the sunshine for me!” When Pam was outdoors in the daylight, she was overcome with itchy, dry skin. “My hair was just racing with itch and burning, and my body too.”
After visiting her doctor, she tried many traditional medications and lotions, but says the itching was still intolerable. For a few years Pam avoided going outside at all if she could. Through this difficult time, Pam says her husband was a wonderful support. “He protected me in the years when the itching was bad.”
One day, Pam was outside watching her grandson compete in a running race. She recalls this as one of the most challenging moments she faced with her psoriasis. “I was so itchy standing outside, I had to go to my car. I missed him coming in on the race... I cried my eyes out,” she says. This was a turning point for Pam, who’d had enough of itchy dry skin affecting her lifestyle.
Pam began experimenting with new ways to be kinder to her skin, such as soap-free alternatives to gently cleanse her dry skin and fragrance-free lotions to nourish it. When one of Pam’s friends suggested QV Skincare, she decided to give it a go. Now Pam regularly uses the QV Skin Lotion and the QV Gentle Wash. Pam also enjoys a bath with the QV Bath Oil.
These days, Pam tries to use only gentle, well formulated products on her sensitive skin that are fragrance- and soap-free. Her skin is much more comfortable — she’s only got one tiny itchy spot on her ankle — and Pam says she’s been blessed! “I was hesitant for a few years to go outdoors. Now we love to go to the beach!”