“Scandal” star Katie Lowes is opening up about her struggles with psoriasis, and it’s so important
On Scandal, Quinn Perkins is beautiful, outspoken, and fierce. Now, we know the actress who plays her, Katie Lowes, is exactly the same. Lowes spoke up about a skin condition she deals with called psoriasis, which causes red, scaly skin outbreaks.
The actress partnered with an initiative called Psoriasis: The Inside Story, which brings awareness to the condition.
“This is the untold story we can’t keep inside any longer. By watching our videos, reading our blog posts, and sharing stories of our own—we can learn how to face what’s holding us back, together,” reads the initiative’s mission.
Doctors diagnosed Lowes with psoriasis after she started Scandal. The stress of the show and being newly famous, as well as planning her wedding and just genetics jumpstarted her first flare.
"At first, it was irritated skin at the base of my neck. And then it started to get bad -- itchy and red. I tried every over-the-counter thing I could. Different shampoos and lotions. I refused to wear my hair up or wear dresses with low-cut backs... I felt like a lesser person," Lowes told the Los Angeles Times.
Now, Lowes has found a lifestyle and doctors that help her control outbreaks. She encourages people with psoriasis to take control of their treatment.
"I tell them that it's about being your own boss, and of not settling until they find whatever it is that works for them, and they have their life look the way they want it to," Lowes said to the Los Angeles Times.
Here are our favorite Scandal ladies looking happy and confident.
More than eight million Americans live with either psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, including many high-profile celebrities. Kim Kardashian has talked often about her struggle with the condition. In addition, singer LeAnn Rimes has also been honest about how psoriasis has affected her life.
Because people like Lowes are willing to be vulnerable about psoriasis, the condition loses much of its stigma. And people are more willing to open up about it. Also, maybe all this added awareness will get us that much closer to a cure.