Teenager whose painful skin condition left her covered in SCALES, bleeding and in agony is cured by a cancer drug

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A teenager who was left covered in scales from a skin condition has been 'cured' by a drug used to treat cancer.

Elizabeth Wigmore, 18, has suffered from psoriasis - which caused her intense pain and bleeding - for four years.

To help soothe her discomfort, she often had three baths a day, but even then she still had trouble sleeping.

However, after being prescribed a chemotherapy drug, she has found her skin doesn't suffer from as many flare-ups.

She now takes 12.5mg of the 'life-saving' methotrexate each week to keep her painful symptoms at bay.

Elizabeth Wigmore, 18, has suffered from psoriasis - which caused her intense pain and bleeding - for four years

The trainee counselor, from Aberdare, South Wales, said: 'The psoriasis was all over my body, it was severe.

'It felt awful. I was in excruciating pain, I could barely walk. I couldn't sleep because lying down hurt.'

Little patches of rough skin first started appearing on her elbows when she was just 14 years old.

As the condition spread, the teenager was diagnosed with psoriasis, a recurring skin disease that causes red, flaky patches on the skin.

After various lotions for the condition proved ineffective, she was prescribed UV light treatment, which helps slow the spread of the disease.

But this treatment also failed, and in December 2014, a major psoriasis attack saw the scales spreading like wildfire across her body.

The patches spread across her legs, arms and torso, and would catch on wool clothes, like jumpers, and bleed.

Even walking was difficult, as the sores would react to the climate and ooze, forcing her to wear several layers to keep her body insulated.

However, after being prescribed a chemotherapy drug, she has found her skin doesn't suffer from as many flare-ups (pictured in December last year)

She said: 'I'd just bleed without me touching it – it was just awful. I never want to go through it again.

'It took my independence away, because I couldn't do anything.

'I was in so much pain and it lowered my confidence a lot. I went through it by myself.' 

Terrifyingly, the psoriasis spread to Miss Wigmore's face and left it red, flaky and raw. 

She was also prevented from wearing dark-coloured clothes because her skin would shed.  

She struggled to conceal the patches with make-up and her battle severely knocked her confidence. 

While curious classmates would frequently ask about her peeling skin.

To help soothe her discomfort, she often had three baths a day, but even then she still had trouble sleeping as a result of the painful condition. She said: 'I was in excruciating pain, I could barely walk. I couldn't sleep because lying down hurt'

Miss Wigmore began to post pictures of her psoriasis on Instagram, also explaining her condition.

Through this, she has connected with other psoriasis sufferers around the world and swapped tips and tricks to keep the condition under control.

She said: 'I was never bullied for it, but I could see people wondering. I thought if they knew what it was, they'd stop looking at it.

'It did help, massively. At college, people didn't ask any questions, because I had already answered them. 

'My page helped me, because being able to help other people boosted my confidence.' 

After seven months battling psoriasis, it began to clear up, thanks to a dose of 7.5mg of methotrexate, a drug used to treat cancer, and UV light treatment.

When curious classmates began to ask about her condition, Miss Wigmore started to post pictures of her psoriasis on Instagram, explaining what it was

And while Miss Wigmore still has flare-ups, she has learnt how to deal with them.

She said: 'I know how to reduce the pain, so when I had my flare-ups I'd bathe in E45 bath oil three times a day, so my skin wouldn't rip and bleed.'

And in December she met her current boyfriend, quantity surveyor Scott Pritchard, 19, who has helped to boost her confidence.

She said: 'I didn't date when I had my flare-ups. I lacked the confidence and I didn't want people to touch me.

'I get so frightened the psoriasis will come back as severely as before.

'It's so nice knowing that Scott's there for me, though, and that he'll support me through it.'

PSORIASIS - THE INCURABLE SKIN CONDITION THAT CAN WRECK CONFIDENCE

Psoriasis (file picture) develops when the body's immune system attacks skin cells

Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, flaky, crusty patches of skin covered with silvery scales.

The patches normally appear on your elbows, knees, scalp and lower back but can appear anywhere on the body.

It can start at any age.

For most, psoriasis develops before the age of 35 and the condition affects men and women equally. 

The severity of the condition varies from person to person, for some causing a minor irritation, while for others it has a major impact on their quality of life. 

Psoriasis is a long-lasting, or chronic, condition that involves periods when a sufferer will have no symptoms or mild symptoms, followed by more severe outbreaks.

The condition occurs when the process by which the body produces skin cells is accelerated.

Normally the cells are replaced by the body every three to four months, but in psoriasis the process only lasts about three to seven days.

The resulting build-up of skin cells creates the patches associated with psoriasis.

While the condition is not fully understood, it is thought the increased production of skin cells is related to a problem with a person's immune system.

For those suffering with the condition, their immune system attacks healthy skin cells by mistake.

Psoriasis can run in families and there is thought to be a genetic element to the condition.

Many sufferers will experience symptoms following a certain event, a trigger. A trigger can include injury to a person's skin, throat infections and using certain medications.

The condition is not contagious, so cannot be spread from person to person.

While there is no cure, a range of treatments can be used to improve symptoms and the appearance of the affected skin patches.

In most cases, a sufferer will be prescribed creams and ointments to ease the symptoms.

If these prove ineffective, doctors may opt for phototherapy treatment. It involves exposing the skin to certain types of ultraviolet light.

In the most severe cases, treatments such as oral or injected medicines that work throughout the body are used. 

Source: NHS Choices