On World Psoriasis Day, advocates Nitika Chopra and Ayesha Patrick share how dermatologists can better support women of color living with visible psoriasis.
For World Psoriasis Day on October 29, HCPLive spoke with patient advocates Nitika Chopra and Ayesha Patrick about living with visible
Both speakers are working with AbbVie on World Psoriasis Day awareness efforts. They shared lessons for dermatologists on cultural competency, shared decision-making and the full burden of the disease.
Patrick has had psoriasis for most of her life. At age 40, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, she had her worst flare. Her dermatologist dismissed her concerns at the visit, and because her daughter was in the room, she resolved to insist on being heard. That decision eventually led her to advocacy.
Chopra developed psoriasis at a young age. What began as a single spot on her arm spread to cover her body from scalp to feet, shaking her self-confidence and leaving her feeling isolated. Learning that millions of people share the diagnosis motivated her to help other patients who feel alone.
Patrick said the same clinician prescribed a daily medicated hair wash without recognizing that many Black women don’t wash their hair every day. She later found a physician assistant who made a deliberate effort to understand the needs of women of color. Chopra is a first-generation American whose parents are from India. She said her family struggled to navigate US health care, and she didn’t find a clinician who treated her as a whole person until her mid-20s.
Patrick urged dermatologists to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and practice real shared decision-making. For patients with scalp psoriasis, she recommended asking about hair texture, wash-day routines and styling tools, since hair care practices vary across groups and can shape how much scalp disease affects quality of life.¹ Daily-wash regimens may not suit patients who shampoo weekly, and leave-on foams or oil-based formulations offer alternatives.² Losing hair during her own flare was devastating, she said. Chopra encouraged clinicians to stay open to patients’ cultural and family perspectives, even when those differ from their own.
Both advocates said misconceptions are still common. People assume psoriasis is contagious, mistake it for ringworm, or dismiss it as dry skin or dandruff that home remedies can fix. Chopra said the disease is often treated as cosmetic, though she lived with fatigue, emotional strain and trouble concentrating in school.
For patients, both recommended writing down questions ahead of visits, bringing a support person and finding a new clinician when their needs aren’t met. Chopra also described keeping friends up to date through a group chat before appointments and treatment changes.
Editor’s note: This summary was edited for the purposes of grammar and clarity using AI tools. Neither speaker highlighted any relevant financial disclosures of note other than their work with AbbVie.
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