Kim Kardashian Diagnosed With Psoriasis

On last night's episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" Kim Kardashian is concerned when a rash develops on her legs just before she's set to shoot a commercial. After all, how is she supposed to walk down the aisle with blotchy, scaly skin?

So Kardashian heads to the dermatologist--after her sister Khloe tells her it's ringworm--where her doctor diagnoses her with psoriasis, a hereditary skin condition that her mother, Kris Jenner, has as well.

"I'd heard of it before because my mom has always had it, but she didn't have red flaky dots all over her," Kardashian, 30, told Life and Style Weekly, regarding the skin condition.

When her dermatologist tells her lifestyle, stress, travel and food are among the things that can exacerbate the problem, Kim worries about the impact it will have on her career. And not to mention, planning a wedding in less than three months can be pretty stressful.

"When I gain a pound, it's in the headlines, so imagine what the tabloids will do to me when they see all these spots," the magazine quoted her as saying.

But Kardashian isn't the only celeb with the flaky skin condition. LeAnn Rimes has been very public about her battle with psoriasis. "What Not to Wear" host Stacy London has also admitted to suffering from psoriasis, using humor to hide her discomfort. However, the biggest psoriasis success story is that of "America's Next Top Model Winner," CariDee English. During her worst outbreak, seventy percent of her body was covered in red plaques.

Luckily for Kardashian and the millions of Americans suffering from the condition, psoriasis can be treatable and manageable with treatments ranging from creams to pills to skin injections.

WATCH:

Comments

[Flee826]

10:15 AM on 08/08/2011

I've had Psoriasis since I was in elementary school. I was worse when I was younger, but slowly got better as I got older. I still have it...i.e....back, legs, arms, BUT not nearly as bad as the past. If anything I want to say to Kim is that it's OKAY! Yes it itches, and sometimes burns, BUT ya know what? Go put on some SPF 20-30 and lay out if the sun. Or for maybe 1/2 hour twice a week go and do a light box treatment. The UV Ray has been narrowed down enough to target Psoriasis SPECIFICALLY. You don't need SPF when you go in, just a little mineral oil and you'll be fine. It goes away, but you'll always have it. I know it might be devastating,if not down right embarrassing..believe me please...it's not fatal, and you can live with it.

[jeviga]

10:12 AM on 08/07/2011

She probably also has psoreassiess from the dozens of men she's bedded.

[Yosi B]

03:29 PM on 08/02/2011

feels like i'm swimming in the wrong direction, Psoriasis is a autoimmune disease, and there is cause and there is a natural diet treatment. creams are not a cure, and if not taken into seriousness Psoriasis can get worse and become Arthritis and more.

[tmmsat14]

05:53 PM on 08/01/2011

SORRY ABOUT CAPS. EYE PROBLEM.
FIRST WASH IT REALLY, REALLY GOD, DRY IT OFF REALLY REALLY GOOD.
THEN SCRATCH IT ALL DAY LONG. LOL

[jonesygal]

07:58 PM on 07/31/2011

To everyone mocking this disease and calling Kim (and by extension those of us who have psoriasis) a leper, do you make fun of people with asthma? Do you stand in front of someone having an asthma attack and laugh at their wheezing? Do you assume that asthma is an STD? How about cancer? Do you walk up to a chemo patient and make fun of their hair loss and the pain they are in? Do you joke that someone *deserved* to get cancer?

No? Well then why would you mock us?

What make you think psoriasis - a DEADLY, PAINFUL GENETIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE is something to make fun of? Because of small-minded, self-righteous bullies like you, those of us who have it, hide it in shame.

You have no idea how incredible it is for us to see someone who is know for her beauty to cop to having it. To see someone who is known for her beauty face the issues we face, from the pain of it to the fear of jerks like you making fun of it.

Please, people. Have a little bit of a heart about this. There are 14 million of us who would like to believe you are capable of kindness.

[dreday1]

11:38 PM on 08/15/2011

thanks for sharing, my first thought was "ok she has a rash what's the big deal who cares" but I didn't realize it was a serious and potentially deadly condition. Never made fun of her, but after reading your thoughts I understand a little better.

[bigitalstallian]

01:12 PM on 07/29/2011

Its true what many of you say about her being annoying and its all about her beauty and so forth, I am not a big fan of her or her family and the reasons they are famous, But lets not all be hypocrites here either, If you had a chance to make easy money so you could live the better life you would do it too, How many of you would turn down the opportunities she and her family have been given, ? I doubt one single person would, After all, they are not criminals, We should all understand that any medical condition is very upsetting to both her and her family and pray that she recover, I would do that for any other person in this world, If you want love and understanding from the Lord above, you should be able to give it to, and to any person who needs it, And at this moment , Kim Kardashian needs it, I will be praying to our Lord that he help and send a cure to Miss Kardashian, It is the right thing to do, I have seen comments here that are really bad, and almost happy that this poor girl has this terrible condition, If you believe in God, you should not act that way, GOD BLESS ALL OF US , INCLUDING THE KARDASHIAN FAMILY ( and this is coming from someone that on this day, doesnt have enough food to feed my family )

[Sharee2]

07:26 PM on 07/28/2011

no you idiot! its an auto-immune diease

[jonesygal]

07:29 PM on 07/31/2011

You ought to be ashamed for saying this. I have psoriasis and I have been called a leper by small-minded punks like you my whole life. I've had moms pull their kids out of a pool because I got into it.

YOU are what's wrong with the world today that you would even dream of saying such a thing.

I have an autoimmune disease where my healthy skin cells attack other healthy skin cells resulting in a very PAINFUL, ITCHY skin condition. I am not a leper. I am a normal human being with an autoimmune disease.

Are you so freaking unhappy with your own life and looks that you have to put other people down?

Do you mock people with diabetes? Do you mock people with asthma? Grow up you horrible horrible man.

[Ed Baggett]

08:42 AM on 07/28/2011

Is that a STD ?

[Sharee2]

07:26 PM on 07/28/2011

educate yourself! its not and STD visit www.psoriasis.org

[Kakke]

02:11 PM on 07/29/2011

Sharee2,

the website says that psoriasis is an STD. Is it also a lymphomic?

[IsabelRingin]

08:29 AM on 07/28/2011

"When I gain a pound its in the headlines" - That's because you do a press conference for every pound you gain and then it probably becomes an episode on your show. Same deal with the psoriasis.

[Sarah Guyer]

08:24 AM on 07/28/2011

She's lucky she can afford to see a dermatologist, I have psoriasis (and its getting worse and worse every year) and I just cannot afford to see anyone about it. She should stop complaining and spend her thousands of dollars she's received from doing NOTHING and get the best, most expensive treatments out there.

~Also love how she says she is so stressed. Honey, you have no idea what REAL stress is!

[jonesygal]

06:57 PM on 07/31/2011

I have it too. Immunosuppressants actually do work. I give myself enbrel injections twice weekly. But, if you have no insurance, you will never be able to get the medicine because it's very expensive.

So, here is a FREE alternative: sunlight. I spent an entire decade in my 20s covering up my skin and hiding from the sun because I was so embarrassed. But, the lack of sunlight only made it worse. Even just a half hour of directly sunlight daily (don't BURN! because that will injure the skin kicking your immune system into overdrive, which is the whole issue in the first place) but if you don't burn and just get a good half hour of sunlight on it every day, it will clear, I promise.

[djnc]

07:49 AM on 07/28/2011

she'll find a way to make money off of it

[bealebkk]

04:52 AM on 07/28/2011

And all along I thought it was for a sever case of the stupids...

[Bados]

05:33 AM on 07/28/2011

Let me guess. Your not to fond of black folks right?

[AllowMeToObserve]

02:58 AM on 07/28/2011

Psoriasis, eh. I always figured her to be flakey! (BA DUM tssshhh)

[stape45]

01:42 AM on 07/28/2011

Well, she's not getting any less press because of it. Guess that's good, for starters. She's also done some video work. So life goes on, and that's good.