From Lifelong Flares to Freedom: Kelly’s Psoriasis Healing Journey Through Stress, Gut Health & Iron

If you’ve ever googled “why won’t my psoriasis go away?” at 1 a.m. while bargaining with the universe, you’re in good company. And if you’ve ever been told your only options are steroids, stronger steroids, or “try eliminating tomatoes,” welcome home. Today’s blog is special — because it’s not a theory piece, or a protocol breakdown, or a gentle roast of the skincare industry (although… tempting). This is Kelly’s story — a raw, emotional, deeply human psoriasis healing journey that spans 32 years, several rock-bottom moments, and a whole lot of resilience. If you’ve ever felt like your body is broken, or that your psoriasis is “just something you live with,” this one’s for you.

⭐ Meet Kelly: A Lifelong Psoriasis Warrior

Kelly has had psoriasis for literally as long as she can remember. Childhood? Psoriasis. Adolescence? Psoriasis. Her 20s? Psoriasis plus the stress of being a high-achieving, busy, San Francisco girly living the “I can do it all” lifestyle. Over three decades, she tried: Phototherapy; Topical steroids (which eventually led to topical steroid withdrawal); DIY healing; Everything-free diets (gluten, dairy, soy, corn, red meat, nightshades… basically happiness); A full year with a functional medicine practitioner; All the Instagram products the algorithm shoved at her. And still — the flares came back. If you’ve ever felt like you’re trying EVERYTHING and nothing’s changing? Kelly gets it. And it wasn’t just physical. Psoriasis affected her relationships, her social life, her confidence, and how she felt in her body day to day. “I felt like my body was broken.” If you’ve ever thought that… keep reading. Because the next chapter is where everything shifted.

⭐ The Breaking Point (aka: The Moment Psoriasis Becomes a Life Decision)

Last year, Kelly hit a flare so intense she couldn’t imagine becoming pregnant while living in her body. She opened up to her friends, came home, and typed one thing into Google: “Root cause psoriasis healing.” That’s how she found Clear Skin Lab. Not protocols. Not restrictions. Not “remove five more foods.” Just science, systems, and a team who genuinely gets what psoriasis does to your emotional and physical wellbeing.

🔍 Phase 1: Understanding Kelly’s Root Causes

Psoriasis is not “a skin problem.” It’s a system problem with skin symptoms. Research supports this: Stress exacerbates psoriasis severity due to immune and neuroendocrine interactions (Kimball et al., JAMA Dermatology, 2012). Gut dysbiosis is strongly associated with psoriasis, particularly H. pylori and altered microbiota diversity (Ruggiero et al., Int J Mol Sci, 2021). Iron overload increases inflammatory and oxidative stress, which may impact chronic skin conditions (Tussing-Humphreys et al., Nutrients, 2020). So when we ran Kelly’s labs, three big patterns showed up:
1. Iron Overload
Kelly had elevated stored iron — something NO dermatologist had ever talked to her about. After a supervised blood donation and iron recycling support, her scalp psoriasis improved noticeably. The connection between iron overload and psoriasis isn’t widely discussed, but research is growing — and Kelly’s case reflects it clearly.
2. H. Pylori + More Gut Imbalances
Psoriasis and gut health go hand in hand in the research — and in real life. An eight-week gut protocol changed everything for Kelly. Her husband even noticed and told her her skin was clearing — a moment that meant a lot to her.
3. Severe Mineral Deficiencies
Stress is a HUGE psoriasis trigger — and minerals are your stress-buffering system. Low sodium, potassium, and magnesium can leave the immune system more reactive and inflammation harder to regulate. Supporting minerals led to: more stable energy; calmer immune response; fewer stress-triggered flares; daily bowel movements (a life-changer for someone with lifelong constipation)

💬 Phase 2: The Emotional Healing (aka: The Part No One Talks About Enough)

Psoriasis is not just “on your skin.” It’s in your self-image, your stress responses, your relationships, your comfort in your own body. Kelly shared moments that would break anyone: Being called a “cheetah” at age 7 by an adult; Hiding her flares from her family; Feeling insecure during close moments with her partner; Feeling shame, anxiety, and depression; Feeling like her body was failing her. And yet — she kept advocating for herself. Kept searching. Kept trying. That’s healing too.

🌱 Phase 3: Building Resilience (Not Just Clear Skin)

Psoriasis healing is not linear — and Kelly’s wasn’t either. During different phases of gut work, immune support, and mineral repletion, she had flare ups. But she also had tools that helped her navigate them with confidence: Targeted skin-barrier topicals; Mineral drinks; Digestive bitters; Magnesium; Nervous system practices like watercolor painting, pilates, meditation, breathwork; A supportive framework that reminded her she wasn’t failing — her body was adjusting and healing. Eventually, she stopped spiraling during flares and started responding with calm, clarity, and self-trust. That’s progress no steroid cream can give you.

⭐ Where Kelly Is Today

Her psoriasis is dramatically improved; Her digestion is improved; She knows how to support iron recycling; Her stress physiology is more resilient; She’s pooping daily (a milestone worth celebrating!); She feels empowered and more in control; She no longer spirals during flares; She knows her body can heal; She knows how to support it; And most importantly — she trusts herself again. She shared that the labs, the personalized plan, and feeling truly supported were what helped her experience this level of change.

One example of what’s possible when the body is supported in the right order. Kelly’s journey is unique, but the principles of root-cause healing apply to every client.

💛 If You’re Reading This and Struggling With Psoriasis…

You are not broken. You’re not dramatic. You’re not out of options. You don’t need to live on steroids. You don’t need to eliminate 40 foods. You don’t need to lose another decade to DIY burnout. Healing is possible. And your body wants to heal — it just needs the right support, in the right order, with the right guidance. Just like Kelly.

➡️ Ready to Start Your Own Psoriasis Healing Journey?

If you’re tired of guessing, exhausted by restrictive diets, and overwhelmed by flare ups that feel unpredictable and unfair — we’d love to help. Our approach is: ✨ Root cause ✨ Personalized ✨ Research-backed ✨ Nervous-system-informed ✨ Client-centered ✨ Built for real humans with real lives. You don’t have to do this alone anymore.