Actress and model Cara Delevingne, 33, continues to use her platform to normalize psoriasis, openly showing her flare‑ups and discussing how the chronic autoimmune condition affects both her skin and mental health.
Dermatology experts emphasize that psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease linked to comorbidities such as psoriatic arthritis, IBD, metabolic syndrome, anxiety, and depression—highlighting the need for comprehensive care.
While many people control psoriasis with topical therapies alone, others require systemic treatment, including injectable biologics like risankizumab (Skyrizi) or oral agents such as upadacitinib (Rinvoq).
Psoriasis presents in seven distinct subtypes, ranging from common plaque psoriasis to rare and potentially life‑threatening forms like pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis, as well as nail involvement and inverse psoriasis in skin‑fold areas.
See SurvivorNet’s guide to understanding psoriasis on our sister site, SN Psoriasis.
Cara Delevingne, 33, has become a visible advocate for the millions living with psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin condition characterized by red, scaly, and sometimes painful patches.
Her willingness to show her skin during flare‑ups has long been part of her public identity, and she’s back in the spotlight with the release of her new single, “Need It,” which she describes as a personal “journey.”
“Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune skin condition where you have red, scaly patches on the skin,” Dr. Saakshi Khattri, a dermatologist/rheumatologist at Mount Sinai Health System, explained to SurvivorNet, noting that symptoms naturally ebb and flow.
Dr. George Han, a Dermatologist at Northwell Health/Lenox Hill Hospital, adds that psoriasis is far more than a skin‑only disease, pointing to its well‑established links with psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, and psychiatric comorbidities.
Delevingne’s lyrics in “Need It” are bold and metaphorical. “Bite me then eat me, I expand to fill…Run me then ruin me, I’ll bend to your will,” and while she hasn’t fully unpacked their meaning, her long, public journey with psoriasis is woven through her creative expression.
TOPSHOT – British model Cara Delevingne arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. – The Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The Gala’s 2022 theme is “In America: An Anthology of Fashion”. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Psoriasis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy skin cells, driving inflammation throughout the body and accelerating skin cell turnover, which leads to plaque and scale formation.
Delevingne made headlines in 2022 after appearing on the red carpet at the Met Gala with visible plaques on her arms and legs.
“It’s all over my body. It happens at stressful times when I’m working a lot,” she toldAllure.
Despite the challenges, she’s spoken openly about learning to embrace her condition.
Cara Delevingne in Venice, Italy. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for E1)
“I used to hate my psoriasis, but that only made it worse,” she told Glamour. “I’m proud of it in the sense that it’s something that belongs to me.”
Mental health is also a critical part of the psoriasis picture. “Anxiety and depression are now well‑documented and highly prevalent comorbidities of psoriatic disease,” says Dr. Joseph Merola of Harvard Medical School.
For many patients, he notes, working with clinicians who understand both the physical and emotional dimensions of psoriasis can make a meaningful difference in coping and long‑term management.
There are seven subtypes of psoriasis with varying features and early symptoms. These include the following:
Plaque psoriasis. This is the most common of all psoriasis types that make up around 80-90% of all cases.
Guttate psoriasis. This type of psoriasis is characterized by spots and bumps on the skin that are red or purple and have a scaly texture. In the beginning stages of the disease, these spots generally appear on the torso, legs, and arms, but later, when the disease progresses, they spread to other areas of the body, like the face, scalp, and ears.
Inverse psoriasis. This type differs from other types of psoriasis by the smoothness, flatness, and raw-looking rashes it forms. They usually appear in areas where the skin folds continuously rub against each other, such as the armpits, under the breasts, and the genitals.
Pustular psoriasis. One of the rarest types of psoriasis can be very serious and fatal. In its early stages, pustular psoriasis can be mistaken for pustular acne lesions as they’re both characterized by pus-filled, inflamed, and painful bumps. They appear in various areas of the body, and when they dry out, they cause brown scaly spots.
Erythrodermic psoriasis. Similar to pustular psoriasis, erythrodermic psoriasis is rare, extremely life-threatening, and needs immediate medical intervention. It’s characterized by skin shedding and debilitating pain.
Nail psoriasis. This type is very common, occurring in more than 50% of people with other types of psoriasis.
Psoriatic arthritis can occur as a result of severe psoriasis. Therefore, pay extra attention if you start to experience joint pain associated with your psoriasis.
Treating and Managing Symptoms of Psoriasis
Many patients are able to manage their psoriasis with just ointments or topical treatments, but others need additional support. That may include using an injectable drug known as a biologic, such as risankizumab (brand name: Skyrizi), or one taken orally, such as upadacitinib (brand name: Rinvoq). Steroid creams or topicals are a common option to treat psoriasis. Topicals are often recommended for newly diagnosed psoriasis patients — these work by applying the cream to your affected skin to reduce inflammation. The creams used can also be non-steroidal.
Dr. George Han, a dermatologist at Northwell Health/Lenox Hill Hospital, told SurvivorNet in a previous chat that topical treatments are often a convenient option for patients.
“The majority of patients with psoriasis overall are managed with topicals only,” Dr. Han explained.
“And I would say part of this is from convenience, and you could certainly argue that for patients with milder forms of psoriasis, it’s justifiable to just treat topically.”
How It Impacts the Body
Psoriasis’s symptoms in its early stages can appear as:
Dry patches on the skin
Inflammation and itching of the skin
Silvery scales above the patches
Raised patches on the skin
Psoriasis’s inflammatory effects impact several areas in the body, which most commonly include the following:
Eyes
Joints
Elbows
Knees
Scalp
Lower back
Legs
Face
Hands
Feet
SurvivorNet experts say certain foods and drinks can trigger autoimmune conditions and cause inflammation. According to Harvard Health Publishing, some foods that cause inflammation include white bread and pastries, fried foods like French fries, sodas and other sugary drinks, red meat, processed meats, and margarine.
These foods can cause insulin (a hormone that controls our blood sugar) to spike in our bodies, contributing to inflammation.
Conversely, examples of anti-inflammatory foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and fish. Moisturizers can be very effective in treating dryness caused by the disease and promoting skin healing. SurvivorNet experts say the best moisturizer to buy will have the following characteristics:
Heavy textures like oils, ointments, or creams
No fragrance to avoid irritation
SurvivorNet’s My Health Questions: Helping Psoriasis Patients With Daily Questions
If you are living with psoriasis or helping a loved one manage it, please take advantage of SurvivorNet’s My Health Questions AI-powered tool.
It is designed to support patients with everyday questions and treatment options to manage flare-ups.
Kavontae Smalls is a writer and reporter for SurvivorNet. Read More
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