by: Heather M. Graham
Reviewed by: Kimberly Bazar, M.D., AAD

A world-famous country star with two Grammy awards and constant red-carpet kudos, LeAnn Rimes hid a secret for years—she has psoriasis. An immune disorder of the skin, psoriasis accelerates the life cycle of healthy skin cells, forcing them to the top layer of skin before older cells have the chance to dry out and slough off. As a result, thick, red, raised patches covered with silvery “scales” that itch and sometimes bleed, form on the skin.

Diagnosed at the age of two, LeAnn has been in remission for over four years, thanks to successful treatment. She is talking to the public about her experience with this chronic condition as part of the Stop Hiding from Psoriasis campaign, hoping to inspire others to look for the right treatment and start living with the disorder in the open.

Stop Hiding from Psoriasis is a joint program of the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation funded by Abbott.

NEXT: What does psoriasis look like? >>