“Do you suffer from the heartbreak of psoriasis?” An advertising campaign in the early 1970s used that question in TV commercials to advertise a commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) topical steroid. For those who know little about the disease, this may be their only point of reference. Since then, treatments have improved to mitigate this “heartbreak,” but the phrase has lived on to spawn numerous articles, commentaries, and even the name for a 1970s rock band.
The reference sometimes reemerges in newer marketing campaigns for psoriasis treatments. Heartbreak, while a dramatic term, does illustrate the inherent challenge of psoriasis. Psoriasis is almost never fatal but can be very upsetting to a person’s life and self-image. The “heartbreak” label is, of course, subjective. A disease such as psoriasis, which may be devastating at one point in time, can be treated and is compatible with a long and healthy life. Moreover, improvements in treatment over the past decades and increased understanding of the disease have helped many people since this slogan was first coined.