DADADEL
Nurse Ashling Armstrong initially thought she had a mild sore throat and acne, but when she noticed tiny red spots spreading across her chest, arms, legs, back, and torso, she knew her skin was experiencing something different.
After receiving a prognosis from physicians, Ashling spiraled into an emotional abyss.
The nurse’s diagnosis from the doctors’ was Guttate Psoriasis, a skin disease common in children and young adults, which often erupts after an infection like strep throat.
It isn’t a chronic condition and usually goes away on its own after a few weeks. Expectedly, the diagnosis got Ashling down, and she was even told the sore throat caused the sudden rash.
Her condition, which was expected to last a few weeks, persisted for almost six months.
“It started on my chest in mid-January. It was very mild at this point. When I was younger I used to have really bad acne so I didn’t think anything of it. My mom came up to Belfast the following week and asked to see my back and I hadn’t seen it myself and she said ‘Ashling, your back is completely covered,” she told Kennedy News.
Ashling updated her 400K TikTok followers that her blotches were starting to fade following five sessions of light treatment.
The recovery follows a period of unbearable embarrassment.
She said: “At the beginning, it made me very angry and a wee bit insecure. I was covering myself constantly. I was wearing a North Face coat when the sun was shining outside and was just really embarrassed by the whole thing. I just didn’t want anyone to know about it so I was constantly wearing jeans, jumpers and just anything to cover it. It came onto my face and that’s when I was like ‘I can’t hide this anymore.”
This April, she fearlessly shared a video of herself in a halter crop top that failed to conceal the reddish patches on her skin.
@_asharmstrong_ Happy Happy Easter 🐣 #fyp #normalizenormalbodies #psoriasisawareness ♬ Ludacris x Kylie – kate murphy
She said: “I posted it and it’s literally the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. I feel so amazing about it. My confidence has skyrocketed, I can’t even describe it, and it’s amazing. I feel really powerful. [The blotches are] everywhere, my ears, face, the bridge of my feet, legs, hips, bum cheeks, everywhere. I get people staring every day. I honestly don’t care anymore, I’m so past the point of caring.”
Ashling received messages saying the red blotches resemble art, and psoriasis patients thanked her for raising awareness about the condition.
“Posting on TikTok genuinely just makes me feel good about myself and when people comment and say I’m beautiful, I feel good. Especially with this on my skin, being called beautiful makes me feel a lot better because you do feel that you’re ugly with that type of thing. It’s one of those things, at the end of the day, we need to normalize it. Everyone’s beautiful in their own way, shape or form,” was the nurse’s words in the video.
Her self-esteem helps her cope with onlookers staring at her leopard-printed skin, and Ashling responds with grace to sudden insecurity.
Have you ever suffered from any skin condition? How was your first reaction? Let us know in the comments how did you cope with it.
Ashley you are Beautiful as well as amazing person keep your chin up and your head held high keep your faith and don’t let anyone knock it down, God controls the storm walk with your head held high, Don’t let anyone still your joy 🥰
Well I know what she is going through, I had Shingles and was in so much pain that I thought I was dying. I did get some pain medicine but I still felt the pain. I had to stay away from people. I did have some sin conditions with it! Time passed and so did the shingles. It is difficult to explain to someone what your are through in any skin problem that you are dealing with. but people should aware that it could happen to them. Vaccination is available to anyone worried about shingles, Jules
Had something that looked quite similar, doctors said it was Tinea Versicolor.
A fungal skin condition interacting with yeast, some ketoconazole (believe there was a shampoo, and tablet to take) it started clearing up, they told me to change toothbrushes after a couple weeks
I have the same thing, it’s a fungal infection I get rid of it every year and it comes backs the same next year more agressive till you use canisten and it goes in days 🙂 if I leave it my whole chest down to my legs looks the same, two days of canisten. If not the same Hope they can work out their issue
This is nowhere near as intense, but I found it a few years back that I am mildly allergic to the sun, and that’s why I get this weird, blistery rash on my arm every year right around the end of spring/beginning of summer. It pops up, make me itchy and sore and miserable for a few days to a week, then I rub on some steroid and sunscreen and I’m fine for the rest of summer.
This is EM … Eurathsma Multiforme. My daughter suffered from the same thing after her DTAP vaccination. It lasted for 8 months. Her body is reacting to an infection or combination of meds
I have never had eczema or psoriasis myself, but a buddy of mine owns an all natural CBD product company and he has this scent free skin cream which I have sold many bottles of for him, because it works!!! This stuff is amazing and has helped so many people regain their confidence as it gets rid of many skin conditions… not saying it’s a miracle drug or cure, but I personally have seen it work on a couple dozen people that have tried everything including experimental treatments and the highest strength steroid creams they were prescribed by doctors. If you would like to try it out, drop me a line or check out his website. (www.hempandbodyco.ca) Hope you all are doing fine! Cheers.
If etiologi is really strepto, one of posible solutions cans be Moldamine. It antibiotic is prodused in Romania.
Ive had it since i was young, i am 30 now, i Use lavender oil to calm the flare ups, i also exfoliate weekly and try to live stress free, hope this helps, learn to live with it ✨️
Had the same thing back in early 80s went to Doctor had a skin test and was told I have a Lyzen difference. Took lyzen for couple months and have never been back.
I have a large birthmark on the left side of my neck. All during school I was teased now they call it harassment. It has gotten bigger with age but it’s mine. My mama always told me when she was n labor with me my daddy blew on her neck and it came out on me!!. Don’t b embarrassed about it, it’s there for a reason. Ur blessed.
Ashly you could be a run way model! I’m sure someone will ask you to do so.
baby girl you are the most beautiful lady I’ve ever seen and sexy do you taste as good as you look
Your beautiful. And it just makes you a rare form of beauty! I think its hot!
I had the same issue, black seed oil helped me overcome this skin condition. Used it almost 7months straight. 3x 1 teaspoon, pure or mixed with juice, morning, midday, evening. Also to apply on the skin for faster results. In the beginning it will raise your metabolism activity due the start of detoxing the body. The raised activity could last for 10-14days but after you’ll experience a positive change in your overall health.
I wish people wouldn’t stare have a look and then go about your business, Staring is mean and nasty
You are a beautiful lady. Don’t let something like this ruin your life.
I have a similar problem psoriasis and hydes i bn like it since 2014 mines more like itchy acne all over can’t stop scratching so all scabby all over, mine too was caused by a tattoo that bleed out for 8 weeks
I have had plaque psoriasis since 1975 but last summer was the first time I had guttate psoriasis, it looked just like hers. It was everywhere and took about 5 months to get it under control. I didn’t see her mention that hers was painful, I have always had itching and temporary burning but guttate was non stop pain. Mine started after I had permanent makeup laser removal, according to the doctor my immune system didn’t know what to do with the ink that it was supposed to flush out so it instead attacked my skin.
I know what your going through Ashley, I’m currently going through the same thing as you, but I’m suffering with plaque psoriasis, it started off on my scalp now it’s been spreading all over my body and I mean everywhere, it itches as well and the scales on my scalp pull tight it really sucks, hope we beat this skin problem.. Good luck Ashley your not alone… 👌
Why would Dr’s tell you that it isn’t chronic? I started getting it at 14 and I was told it’s lifelong. I’m 100% clear right now, but I take monthly injections of Taltz, I have been on biologic injections since I was 17
Psoriasis is chronic it is an auto immune disease and they never fully go away. Guttate psoriasis clears but often turns to plaque psoriasis. The form she has now will clear and come back.
Cute girl…
This is not psoriasis.
It’s from a infection.
Close to leprosy.
That is not true! I have had this it is definitely psoriasis. Please stop
I had a rash that looked a lot like this. The Dermatologist was treating it as Psoriasis. It kept spreading, so they did biopsies and discovered it was a form of Lupus that affects the skin.
I have also had this! Exactly as described, after strep throat! Doctors couldn’t figure out what it was for a while, and it was a nightmare, but eventually I realized that light helped and laying in the sun made it go away forever.
Delete your comment please, this is NOT leprosy it’s guttate psoriasis. Look it up x