Psoriasis is a condition of extremes. On the mild side, suffers may notice small patches of scaling skin or dandruff that doesn’t seem to go away. On the severe end, patients shed so much skin their houses have to be vacuumed several times a day, and eating a meal without skin contaminating everyone’s plate is almost impossible. As Sunnybrook’s head of dermatology Dr. Neil Shear puts it, the impact can be huge. And sometimes you don’t realize how huge until people get better.

Robert Bursey is one of those patients who says his life has changed dramatically after finding a treatment plan that worked for him. After navigating three decades with severe psoriasis (covering three quarters of his body), he says his personal relationships have improved along with his overall happiness. And it seems the improvement in his skin has had some other benefits.

Growing evidence suggests that severe psoriasis may plan a role in a number of other health problems, from joint issues to heart health. Dr. Shear says psoriasis is an inflammatory disease with a genetic link. In some people, these genes not only attack the skin, but other parts of the body, too.

Robert has had a number of other health issues over the years, including joint and heart problems. Finding the right treatment has improved his mobility and cardiac health. And he says feeling better just about improves everything in your life.

Of course, sometimes a rash is just a rash. If you are having issues with your skin, don’t panic and jump to bigger conclusions. Get it checked out and treated if necessary. Your health care provider can let you know if the problem is more than skin deep.