Meet Veronica

I’m Veronica, and I’m a bilingual singer/songwriter/actress from Las Vegas. I am a mother of four. I have been married almost 20 years, and my hobbies—I love to sing, I love to write, and act.

Being diagnosed with psoriasis

When I was about seven I first noticed, like, dry skin behind my ears and behind my hair/on my hairline, and that’s when I noticed that something was definitely going on with my skin.

My mom just thought I had, like, bad dandruff or something. But, in my teen years I went to the doctor and got diagnosed with psoriasis, so I’ve had it for a long time.

How others see me

I think when people see my psoriasis, I think that they think it might be something contagious, or maybe I don’t take care of myself, or I don’t wash properly, maybe there’s a rash or something that… because they don’t understand it, you know, so, all these different things I think are crossing their mind. They don’t say anything but just by the stares, I think that they’re thinking all these different things.

Juggling psoriasis & motherhood

Having four teenagers is really, really tough, and, they don’t understand because it’s not on their skin. And, if mom’s not feeling good, she still has to take me to cheer practice, and she still has to take me to the grocery store… I have a project due… so, mom has to just, you know, just do it.

It’s difficult because your kids are not going to wait for you. They’re going to keep going. They’re going to want to get together with friends. They’re going to want to go out to the beach and do this and do that, and they don’t realize that you’re constantly thinking about it, making sure that you don’t embarrass them in a way that, you know, that… maybe other parents aren’t going to stare at you or ask you questions. So you’re always dressing appropriately and you’re always covering up, even if you’re running around with your kids.

How psoriasis affected me as a performer

When I go on stage I have to really think about movement if I’m singing a song that’s kind of fast paced. I’ve got to think about sleeves—making sure they’re covering up my arms—pants, jackets. What I decided to do was ask someone to start making my clothes that would cover up the areas where I had the psoriasis. It was just easier that way. And I did; I had a lady that would… we sat down and we designed some stuff that, that wouldn’t expose my arms or legs. But then again in the heat, that’s really hard because 110 degree weather and you’re wearing these long jackets. I mean, they’re sparkly and everything, but they’re really hot. So, it does have a lot to do with what you wear.

Psoriasis is with me every day

Psoriasis has affected me emotionally, in a very deep way, because, it hasn’t allowed me to experience things that a lot of other people have been able to experience. Having psoriasis makes me feel like I have something that I have to hide, and this is difficult. This is very difficult. Being a performer and being a mother and being a wife, being close to people, having people not look at your skin all the time and… it’s just something that’s with you every single day. You just have it there.

What clearer skin means to me

Allowing me to wear things that I couldn’t wear before. Allowing me not to have the pressure of being worried if other people are going to stare at me in public places. It has allowed me to show… show off who I am inside, and, have my outsides match.

I’m able to just have a lot more freedom, and not think about it so much. I’m not constantly worried about people staring anymore, so, I’m just able to get out. I’m able to do things with the kids, and I’m able to just jump on stage and not focus on, is my clothes going to move? No, I’m like, let’s just do this performance, let’s go, you know, let’s sing—let’s do it. So, I have a lot more freedom.