Woman becomes a sunbed addict as she says topping up her tan helps her with agonising condition that makes her shed her skin like a SNAKE
The student that insists sunbeds are the only way to aid her painful skin disease
A woman has become a sunbed addict after an agonising condition caused her skin to shed like a snake.
At age 13, Chloe Muir, 20, from Wolverhampton, West Midlands, developed psoriasis.
The condition, which leaves Chloe with extremely itchy and irritable skin, has forced her to turn to using sunbeds in the hope of relieving her pain.
Chloe said: "I've been living in constant pain for seven years, at some points it's been unbearable.
"The red itchy patches of skin are all over my body, it's horrible."
It sounds bizarre, but the graphic communications student insists that sunbeds are the only thing that come close to curing the disease after all other treatment has failed.
As a child, Chloe was on holiday in Cyprus when she was scratched by a cat which triggered her body to become covered in painful snakelike scales.
"My skin literally sheds like a snake, it's constantly flaking off meaning I have to hoover my bedroom most days as it's absolutely covered."
She now uses sunbeds for up to an hour a week and has visibly clearer skin. Miraculously, she no longer has to hoover her skin off her bedroom floor every day.
"I've tried so many different forms of treatment over the years, steroids, injections, creams, but nothing's really worked.
"The only thing that helped was intense UV light treatment at hospital, but unfortunately it caused my skin to burn really badly so I had to stop.
"That's when I started using regular sunbeds, as the UV lights in them aren't so intense and I couldn't believe the results.
"I use the sunbeds for 12 minutes up to four times a week sometimes now.
"My skin instantly feels better afterwards, I itch less, the redness goes down and the pain is tolerable."
Chloe, who suffers from three forms of psoriasis - gutate, plaque and scalp - visits her dermatologist regularly, due to the huge risk of using sunbeds.
She certainly understands the dangers associated with regular sun bed use and exposure to UV-rays.
Unfortunately, the Plymouth University student is in a catch-22 though as without UV light her skin is permanently irritable, painful and sore.
Chloe said: "I know how bad sunbeds are for your skin, so it's ironic that it's the only thing that helps me.
"I wish I didn't have to use them, but it's horrible living in discomfort every day."
For Chloe, using sunbeds was a last resort. She tries to avoid them in winter and instead uses clothes to cover up her skin.
In summer, it is a lot harder to cover up.
“It's hard in the summer when it's so hot and I want to wear dresses or shorts,” she explained.
"My advice to other Psoriasis suffers is to exhaust all other avenues."
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Chloe is finally feeling more confident in her own skin this summer after enduring years of strangers staring at her.
Chloe said: "When my skin flares up people constantly stare at me like I'm contagious or something.
"I remember accepting an award at college before and someone asking me if I had chickenpox.
"I've even had to dye my hair blonde before as people think I have bad dandruff but it's my skin.
"It's not very nice, but people just don't always understand psoriasis I guess."
Who knew sunbed use could have such a positive impact?
A milestone for Chloe, she even wore a dress to a wedding a few weeks ago.
"I finally feel like I can walk around with confidence.”
Professor Chris Griffiths from the University of Manchester & British Skin Foundation spokesperson said: "Psoriasis tends to come and go unpredictably and can appear at any age.
"Most cases (75%) occur before the age of 35 with average age of onset around 20, slightly earlier in females.
"Psoriasis doesn't scar the skin and appears as pink or red coloured areas on the skin with silvery-white scales, known as plaques.
"Plaques of psoriasis usually appear on the knees, elbows, trunk and scalp but are not exclusive to these areas.
While the condition can flare up due to genetic susceptibility, environmental triggers such as streptococcal tonsillitis, pharyngitis, stress, alcohol and some medicines are also known causes.
"Treatment depends on the extent of the disease and varies from topical creams and ointments through to light (UVB) therapy, systemic medicines such as methotrexate to the new biologic injectable drugs, which are highly effective for severe cases."
For Chloe, however, UV light is the only treatment that makes any difference and she plans to continue to use sunbeds to treat the painful condition.