Ali Waring

‘I can't believe I've cleared up after 34 years’

Ali Waring, 56, a part-time teacher from Romsey, Hampshire.

I’ve had psoriasis on my knees and elbows since I was 22. I can’t believe I’ve just written that number. That means I’ve now had it for 34 years. I can’t believe that number either.

Over the years, I’ve tried Dead Sea salt baths, emollient creams, E45, baby creams, vitamin creams, steroid creams, butters, oils, gels, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, dietary changes etc but the psoriasis would change almost hourly and even cool water was dehydrating for it. It continued to produce constantly-changing dry, flaky scales. It has never itched but sometimes in a dry winter it has cracked or bled.

I learned to deflect the comments, the concern, the looks, and carried on applying the latest cream I’d bought. I had pedicures instead of manicures.

I consulted a nutritionist, then a well-respected homeopath, then another dietician. I’ve had acupuncture in my toes, vitamin drops, blood tests, stool tests. I’ve eaten lots of grapefruit and tomatoes. I’ve saved up for sunny holidays. I discovered Lush Dream Cream which was mild, soothing, silky and vaguely vanilla-smelling, but of course, no cure.

I started the menopause and noticed a few small pink blisters on the fingers of my left hand. To my dismay, my GP diagnosed psoriasis there too and prescribed Dovonex, a steroid cream.

I visited a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for weekly acupuncture sessions for 18 months. I changed my diet drastically - cut out alcohol, chocolate, dairy, whole grains, oranges, amongst many other things.  I wrote her many cheques. The psoriasis got very slightly better.

I decided to stop going to her and I continued with Lush Dream Cream only. Then I read an article in The Times about various skin problems including psoriasis, which included a reference to Soratinex. The article mentioned a trial which had had very good rates of success. I discovered more reviews. I ordered the three products from the website: gel, cream and oil. They were simple to incorporate into my daily routine and they smelled OK. I waited.

Then after a couple of weeks, I started to notice a difference. I hugged the thought to myself for a few days, not daring to want to believe the results I was beginning to see. My husband noticed the difference too. I carried on applying the creams. The flakiness subsided. The new skin on my fingers, elbows and knees was pink and healthy.

That was six months ago. My knees are now 99 per cent clear, my elbows and hands about 75 per cent, so I’m really pleased and now just use the Soratinex cream and oil when I need to.