Building self-confidence despite a skin condition

Know your skin-condition. Make your skin condition your BFF; understand the ins and outs, and what makes it tick. Know so much about it that, when somebody asks you, she'll feel like she just Googled it. Being super-informed will build your confidence in your skin condition because you will own it and understand it.

Don't be ashamed. Your skin condition chose you; you didn't choose it. One of the benefits of knowing about your condition is knowing where it came from. If it came from Mom, joke that of all of the wonderful things you inherited, you were lucky to receive this condition as well -- and see that your skin condition connects you to the person who made you.

Lean on friends & family. Feeling blue? Call your sister if she always puts a smile on your face. Find someone on whom you can call or rely when you are feeling a little underconfident. You might even get a boost from your drooly baby's kiss or from the loving gesture of your all-too-honest toddler.

Be a gossip girl. Celebrity gossip magazines and websites can do more than fill us in on the dirt; they can build our confidence. Look at celebrities who share the same condition as you, and see how they make it through every day in the spotlight. For example, Kim Kardashian has psoriasis, and she is a glam icon.

Who's that pretty girl? Look in the mirror. Who is that looking back? You are an individual; you are the only you in this world. Embrace your differences, including your skin condition, and take on the world with every perfection and flaw that you have.

More about psoriasis

Makeup tricks for covering psoriasis
Common psoriasis triggers
Tips for dealing with the stress of psoriasis