A woman has revealed how gloomy British weather caused her skin to burn, crack and bleed – so she upped and moved to Australia.
Rosie Daniels had tried multiple treatments, including steroid creams and herbal medicines, to put an end to the “agonising” pain.
Sadly, though, there was no luck – and the 25-year-old grew hopeless.
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It wasn’t until she uprooted her life in Manchester to seek pastures new in the Sunshine Coast, Australia, that she discovered the land down under could help.
“The cold, damp weather made my skin so bad – it was constantly dry, cracked and flaring,” the content creator told Need To Know.
“I was always covered up, trying to hide my skin.
“The grey, gloomy days added to that heaviness.
“It often felt like my skin – and the weather – was controlling every part of my life.”
Rosie was diagnosed with plaque psoriasis when she was just 10 years old.
It causes dry skin lesions, known as plaques, which are covered in scales.
She said: “On my worst days, it’s hard to even put into words what it feels like.
“Psoriasis isn’t just something on your skin – it’s something that seeps into your mind, your confidence, your emotions.
“I used to spiral when I had a flare.
“I’d cancel plans, cover up completely, and feel ashamed of my skin.
“Physically, it can be unbearable.
“Even something as simple as putting on clothes or lying in bed hurts.
“I struggle with finding clothing that doesn’t hurt me.
“Some days I can’t wear a bra or tight clothing as it just makes my skin really sting.”
Rosie and her fiancé, Harry Wilde, 28, ditched the UK for the sunny skies of Australia in January 2024.
And soon, she noticed a significant difference.
She said: “The sun helps, although I do have to limit exposure so I don’t burn my patches.
“The salt water is always so nice and really soothes my skin.
“The sunshine, ocean, and just being outside every day have changed so much for me.
“My skin still flares, but the warm and sunny climates have helped me manage it so much better.”
Rosie also attributes the “chilled out” way of life there to being a form of aid.
She said: “Moving here has come with a huge lifestyle change.
“It’s positively impacted my mental health in ways I can’t explain.
“The way I’m able to live life now means I have so much less stress – and therefore, it has a positive impact on my skin.
“Psoriasis is connected to stress; choosing an environment where I feel calmer, happier and more at peace has been life-changing.
“In the UK, I felt like I was surviving.
“Now, I have a sense of freedom to embrace each day.”
While Blighty holds a special place in their hearts, the pair have no plans to ever move back.
She’s currently using steroid creams again to manage her now minor case of psoriasis, though she says moving is the best treatment of all.
She added: “There are days when my skin hurts to touch.
“And when my confidence feels so low that I want to disappear.
“Harry has been a rock for me; he holds when I feel broken and washes my hair when my skin is too raw for me to do it myself.
“I can be at my most vulnerable with him and still be seen as beautiful.
“The move has taught me that even though I can’t change my symptoms, I can create an environment that supports me.
“And emotionally, as well as physically, I am better for it.
“I hope that one day living with psoriasis will get easier and the pain will become lighter.
“But for now, I want to remind everyone that you’re worthy and beautiful exactly as you are.
“Your skin doesn’t define you.”
