Psoriasis Awareness With Singer Cyndi Lauper: MoreToPsoriasis.com
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Sources: YourHHRS News, Psoriasis.org
Cyndi Lauper was the anti-Madonna: Yes, she dressed and behaved outside the traditional female box, but never in way that substituted sex appeal for talent. That might explain why she outlasted the music video era to win Grammy, Emmy, Tony, and Songwriters Hall of Fame awards. But in 2010, her visual style took an ironic hit: she developed the skin condition psoriasis.
Cyndi has struggled with psoriasis physically and emotionally, and has had to go to great lengths to cover up her skin before performing. “Living with psoriasis can cause a lot of embarrassment and low self-esteem,” said Dr. Colby Evans, board of directors chair of the National Psoriasis Foundation. “Many with psoriasis limit dating and social interactions because of their condition.” Lauper agrees:
“I am usually a very vocal and open person, but I think sharing your psoriasis story is very personal and takes a lot of courage. It is very easy to feel isolated. Raising awareness and educating others is critical. ”
After learning more about psoriasis and talking to others, Cyndi decided to “come out” in hopes of helping those affected by psoriasis — as many as 7.5 million Americans. So she’s joined forces with Novartis Pharmaceuticals and the National Psoriasis Foundation to star in a video. We’re happy to report that though she’s not singing in the video, neither time nor psoriasis has diminished her voice. But we did experience flashbacks.
When she speaks of her scalp, we remembered that she pioneered buzz-cutting part of her hair. When she confesses to having scarred legs, we remembered how iconically she flashed them. And when Cyndi recalls spreading makeup on her back to conceal a breakout just before an appearance, we remembered the video in which she bared that same back. But Cyndi’s isn’t trying to generate pity or nostalgia, she’s trying to cultivate tolerance and empowerment. That’s why she decided to become part of the I’m PsO Ready psoriasis awareness initiative — and why we decided to make our memories real.
“Through I’m PsO Ready, I want people living with psoriasis to understand that we don’t have to be embarrassed, we don’t have to cover up and we don’t have to settle for life the way it is.”