The renowned music artist, now 69, has announced that she has been battling psoriasis, an incurable chronic skin ailment, since 2010.
Psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes severe pain, itching, discomfort, and scaly areas. The skin condition affects an estimated 8 million individuals in the United States and 125 million individuals globally.
Lauper’s earliest symptoms were scalp irritation and general pain, which worsened over time.
She first blamed the itching scalp on her regular hair coloring, but the bouts persisted, bringing physical and emotional misery to the award-winning singer.
The vocalist of “Time After Time” is a busy mother, traveling popstar, and campaigner.
Lauper is a human rights advocate who draws inspiration from her lesbian sister, Ellen. She works relentlessly to help the LGBT community.
“Above the Clouds,” a song she wrote in 2005, was composed for Matthew Shepard, a homosexual 21-year-old student who was beaten to death in Wyoming. She also launched “True Colors,” a musical tour in 2007-2008 that benefits local and private LGBT organizations and nonprofits.
Lauper has an outstanding resume as a singer, composer, and actress, in addition to her activism. Lauper received multiple prizes over her four-decade career, including a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, an MTV Music Video Award, and an Emmy Award for her role in an episode of the TV comedy Mad About You in 1995.
She also holds a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was invited as a special guest to U.S. President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013 for her humanitarian work.
Lauper is a force to be reckoned with, notwithstanding her illness. To avoid psoriasis flare-ups, the True Colors singer is learning to handle stress, which may cause a flare-up.
When she was diagnosed with severe psoriasis, she wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway smash hit Kinky Boots, for which she received a Tony Award for Best Original Score. Lauper is the first woman to win a Tony Award in that category on her own. The production also received five additional Tony Awards, including Best New Musical.
Lauper spoke honestly with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) about her autoimmune skin problem, wanting to assist others.
She has never really been able to manage stress. She said that she has embraced a holistic approach to recovery and stress relief at home and on the road. She learned reiki, a Japanese practice for stress reduction and relaxation, and said that helped her.
Aside from reiki, Lauper makes an effort to stay grounded by meditating, practicing yoga, or going for a walk with her dog and/or husband, David Thornton, whom she married in 1991. The couple has one child, born in 1997.
It’s not a bad thing to take care of oneself, Lauper remarked, urging fans to always make a little time for themselves.
You may begin slowly. “How about five minutes for you?” she suggested.
Lauper adds that when psoriasis gets really bad, it’s really hard to get up again. She was unable to control her body temperature at times, resulting in a cold that may lead to hypothermia. Despite her rest, the problem worsened, and those who questioned the seriousness of the ailment, stating, “it’s just a rash,” exacerbated the suffering.
One does not have to suffer, stated Lauper. Treatments, whether topical, oral medicine, or injections, are available to alleviate the frequently excruciating symptoms of psoriasis. For Lauper, Novartis’ Cosentyx provided relief, and as its spokeswoman, she claims to be four years clear.
Lauper talked with HealthDay in 2017 about how she handles her psoriasis.
It’s funny—one starts wearing gloves or whatever, hoping that [psoriasis] will go away, but it doesn’t. ‘Woo-hoo, check this out!’ She wasn’t wearing it like that. Isn’t it true that everyone hides it? It’s amazing how numerous individuals have it and don’t speak about it. It’s one of those things that is almost imperceptible; therefore, it’s important to speak about it.
She discusses it on her podcast, PsO in the Know, which includes celebrities, activists, and average people who share their experiences with psoriasis.
The program, which is currently in its third season, can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, and Stitcher.
Lauper isn’t the only star who suffers from psoriasis. Kim Kardashian, 42, was diagnosed at the age of 30 and has been candid about her challenges. Kris Jenner, 67, had her first breakout in her late twenties and described it as life-changing. Other famous people who suffer from psoriasis include musician Art Garfunkel, 81, actor Jon Lovitz, 65, and “The Beaver,” or Jerry Mathers, 74.
We are very blessed to have role models like Cyndi Lauper, who uses her platform to assist others in overcoming adversity. She is a courageous lady, and we cannot imagine a world without her abilities and adventures!
