A young graduate has become a global ambassador for psoriasis sufferers after a nasty comment about her skin condition inspired her to write about it online.
Judith Duncan, from Gourock, was diagnosed with psoriasis almost three years ago after developing red patches across her forehead.
The 23-year-old says she was initially embarrassed and tried to hide her face, but when a stranger made a rude remark Judith decided it was time to stand up for herself.
She is now on a mission to promote confidence amongst psoriasis sufferers through her fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog ‘The Wee Blondie’.
She told the Greenock Telegraph: “I got it while I was doing my dissertation at uni.
“The doctors told me it was a stress thing and it would go away but it never did and got progressively worse.
“When I was finally diagnosed I had never heard of it and felt like the only person in the world with psoriasis.
“To make matters worse the first little bit of psoriasis was in the middle of my forehead. There was no way of hiding my biggest insecurity.”
But Judith, who lives in Sycamore Place, said the turning point came not along after she was diagnosed, while working in a clothing shop.
She said: “I was serving this lady and I was aware that she kept looking at my forehead.
“Eventually she pointed to my forehead and said ‘I thought you had to be pretty to work here?’
“I was gobsmacked.
“How could someone who I had known for a mere few minutes say something like that?
“In that moment I realised I had two choices, I could either let this destroy me and be really upset and insecure about my skin forever or I could say ‘yes, I do have psoriasis but it doesn’t affect me as a person, it doesn’t affect my beauty and it isn’t going to be my defining quality for anyone’.
“My psoriasis is part of me.”
Last year Judith decided to blog about her skin and says she’s been ‘overwhelmed’ by the response she has received.
She said: “My skin had progressively gotten worse and I decided to see what else was out there on social media for psoriasis. I was shocked to find a supportive and loving community.”
As well as her blog, Judith’s career is also burgeoning and since graduating from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, she has landed a position as a marketing executive with Entrepreneurial Scotland.
Through her job, Judith rubbed shoulders with a whole host of famous faces including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Chris Hoy, and Judy Murray, above right.
She also met fashion designer Paul Smith, pictured, through her blog.
Judith is now writing for a Danish skincare brand as well as a UK-based pharmaceutical company.
She added: “For so long I tried to hide my psoriasis so I have photos of me with half a face. But now I have accepted that this is how I look and that’s it.”
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