Psoriasis Awareness Week 2026 – National charity shines spotlight on ‘Psoriasis at every age’
Psoriasis UK’s annual awareness campaign continues this week, exploring the theme of ‘age’ and how the condition may impact a person throughout their life.
Throughout the campaign, which started last Thursday on World Psoriasis Day, the charity has dedicated each day to a different ‘life stage’, looking at the potential impact of psoriasis for various age brackets.
Today, (Monday 2 November), the charity will host an Instagram Live Q&A as part of its ‘teen’ theme day. The livestream will feature Prof. Tess McPherson, Associate Professor in Paediatric and Adolescent Dermatology.
This comes as Psoriasis UK launches a new position paper that aims to set out what ‘rapid access’ to psoriasis care should look like – including illustrative models it is urging local NHS services to follow. Psoriasis Awareness Week also features new resources, patient stories, and community events to raise awareness of the condition nationally.
Speaking on World Psoriasis Day, Psoriasis UK Chief Executive Helen McAteer said: “This year’s campaign is particularly exciting, as it follows the release of our recent paper, which sets out what a rapid access model should look like for psoriasis. We felt Psoriasis UK had an important role to play in setting out what people with the condition should expect from their care and providing a practical framework for local services to consider how they can deliver it.”
The campaign also features newly-released photos of people with psoriasis, that aim to show psoriasis as ‘just one part’ of someone’s story.
Safwaan Ali, who took part in the campaign, said: "It's been a difficult seven years with psoriasis, to be honest. At one point, my closest friends didn't even know I was struggling with the condition. I've tried so many treatments and lifestyle changes, but I'm thankfully now on a systemic treatment that's working really well. It's allowed me to get back to the gym and feel confident enough to tell my story."
24-year-old Rosie, who has lived with psoriasis from a young age and also stars in the campaign, added: “I think young people can definitely feel embarrassed about it, but it's important to remember that no one is looking at your skin the same way you are. Seeing people be confident in their own skin definitely makes you feel confident, and I'm trying to be that representation for other people."
The awareness week celebrations will conclude with a webinar, ‘Psoriasis Through Life: What Do We Know Now?’ hosted by Psoriasis UK and St Johns DermAcademy on Wednesday 4 November. This free online event will continue to explore the theme of ‘age’, and features talks from leading UK dermatology experts.