This Is What Living With Psoriasis Really Looks Like

Giorgia Lanuzza's body is covered in spots, and she refuses to hide them. Her psoriasis first appeared when she was 13 years old. "I was just a teenager and all I wanted was to be like other girls my age – wearing makeup, pretty clothes and talking about boys," she told SWNS.com. "Instead, giant patches of my skin were red and unsightly – I felt like a freak compared to other girls my age and did everything to cover up." Often people assume her condition is contagious and are afraid to touch her skin.

The red welts can get worse with sun exposure, cold weather, and stress. So at 24, Giorgia has decided to stop dreading the mirror and take a more positive attitude. "I put together a portfolio of photos of myself . . . to show I wasn't going to hide my psoriasis anymore," she said. "The wounds are red and scab-covered in the photos, but I won't hide them away or edit them. I'm proud of them now – they remind me that I'm strong."