There’s something magical about Cyndi Lauper, the lively artist behind the 1983 hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” a song that quickly became a global anthem, encouraging women everywhere to embrace fun and freedom.
Lauper is the definition of cool. Her quirky, carefree personality, playful fashion, and colorful hair inspire people with her message to always be yourself.
However, behind the playful voice that spreads joy to her listeners, Lauper battles a severe skin condition called psoriasis. At one point, it was so intense that, as she described, “It looked like someone threw boiling water on me.”
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The legendary pop star, now 69, recently opened up about her ongoing battle with psoriasis—a chronic skin condition that has no cure—since she was first diagnosed in 2010.
Psoriasis can cause severe pain, itching, discomfort, and rough, scaly patches on the skin. About 8 million people in the U.S. and 125 million globally live with this condition.
Lauper’s symptoms started as scalp irritation and general discomfort, which worsened over time.
Initially, she thought her itchy scalp was from frequently coloring her hair, but the symptoms continued, causing both physical pain and emotional strain for the award-winning musician.
The “Time after Time” singer is a busy mother, touring pop star, and activist.
Inspired by her sister Ellen, who is a lesbian, Lauper has become a strong supporter of LGBT rights, working tirelessly to advocate for the community.
Her 2005 song “Above the Clouds” was written in honor of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student who was beaten to death in Wyoming. Lauper also started the “True Colors” concert tour in 2007-2008, which raises support for local and private LGBT charities and organizations.
Besides her advocacy, Lauper has an impressive career as a singer, songwriter, and actor. Over the past forty years, she has received many awards, including a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, an MTV Music Video Award, and an Emmy Award for her role in a 1995 episode of the TV show *Mad About You*.
She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2013, her humanitarian work earned her a special invitation to attend President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Despite her diagnosis, Lauper continues to stay strong. She is committed to not letting psoriasis hold her back and works on managing stress to avoid triggering flare-ups.
When she was first diagnosed and dealing with severe psoriasis, Lauper wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical *Kinky Boots*, which won her a Tony Award for Best Original Score. She became the first woman to win a Tony in that category on her own. The show also won five more Tony Awards, including Best New Musical.
In a conversation with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), Lauper openly shared her experience living with the autoimmune skin condition, hoping her story might help others.
“I’ve never been able to really manage stress,” she admitted, explaining that she now takes a holistic approach to healing and stress relief both at home and on the road. She learned reiki, a Japanese technique for relaxation, saying, “That helps me.”
Along with reiki, Lauper works to stay grounded by meditating, practicing yoga, or taking walks in the fresh air with her dog and her husband, David Thornton, whom she married in 1991. The couple has one son, born in 1997.
“It’s not a bad thing to take care of yourself,” Lauper said, urging people to always “make a little time for you.”
She encourages starting small. “How about five minutes for you?” she added.
Lauper speaks with resilience about her experience, explaining that “when psoriasis gets really bad, it’s really hard to get up again.” She shared that at times, she couldn’t regulate her body temperature, leading to chills that could result in hypothermia. Even when resting, her condition only worsened, and hearing people dismiss it as “just a rash” added to her struggles.
“You don’t have to suffer,” Lauper said. Treatments, such as topical and oral medication or injections, can help ease the often unbearable symptoms of psoriasis. For Lauper, she found relief with Novartis’ Cosentyx, and as a spokesperson for the medication, she happily shares that she’s been “four years clear.”
In 2017, Lauper spoke with HealthDay about managing her psoriasis.
“It’s funny—you start wearing gloves, or this and that, hoping [psoriasis] is invisible, but it’s not. I didn’t show it off, like, ‘Woo-hoo, check this out!’ Doesn’t everyone try to hide it? You’d be surprised how many people have it and don’t talk about it. It’s one of those invisible things, so it’s good to talk about it.”
She shares more about it on her podcast *PsO in the Know*, where she talks with celebrities, advocates, and everyday people who offer insights on living with psoriasis.
The show is now in its third season and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, and Stitcher.
Lauper isn’t the only celebrity with psoriasis. Kim Kardashian, now 42, was diagnosed at 30 and is open about her challenges. Her mom, Kris Jenner, 67, had her first outbreak in her late 20s and said it was “life-changing.” Other celebrities with psoriasis include musician Art Garfunkel, 81, actor Jon Lovitz, 65, and Jerry Mathers, 74, known as “The Beaver.”
Woman Demands to Cancel Son’s Wedding after Recognizing Bride’s Father – Story of the Day
Fred and Alice’s wedding was moments away when Fred’s mother, Valerie, recognized Alice’s father, Felix, as a past one-night stand. Shocked, Valerie stopped the wedding, revealing that Fred and Alice could be half-siblings. Fred was furious and devastated, unsure how to proceed.
Valerie explained that years ago, during a breakup with Fred’s father, Walter, she had a brief fling with Felix. She feared Fred wasn’t Walter’s biological son. When Alice overheard, she collapsed in shock and insisted on canceling the wedding.
A DNA test later confirmed that Fred was indeed Walter’s son. Relieved, Fred and Alice eloped in Las Vegas, leaving the drama behind.
After their intimate Vegas wedding, Fred and Alice returned home, relieved to have left the chaos behind. They began their married life with a sense of newfound peace, thankful the DNA test had cleared up any doubts about their relationship. The couple hosted a small celebration with close family and friends to mark their union, but it was a far cry from the grand wedding they had originally planned.
Fred’s mother, Valerie, apologized again for the confusion, but Fred and Alice reassured her that everything worked out for the best. They spent the next few months adjusting to married life, grateful for the close bond with both families and the fresh start they had been given.
The drama of their disrupted wedding faded into the background, and they focused on building a future together, cherishing the new chapter that began in Vegas.
After their Vegas wedding, life settled into a comfortable rhythm for Fred and Alice, but family drama wasn’t completely behind them. A few months later, tensions arose between Valerie and Alice’s parents, Felix and Melinda. Valerie couldn’t quite shake the awkwardness of her past connection with Felix, and occasional awkward comments at family gatherings sparked discomfort.
Meanwhile, Alice’s mother, Melinda, started feeling uneasy about Valerie’s past with Felix, even though it was years ago. This led to subtle jabs and passive-aggressive remarks during family events, making holiday gatherings tense. Fred and Alice often found themselves playing peacemakers, trying to smooth over the lingering awkwardness.
On top of that, Walter—Fred’s father—began to feel somewhat sidelined after the DNA drama. Even though he’d been a dedicated father, he sometimes sensed that Felix’s presence in Fred’s life cast a shadow over their father-son bond. This led to moments of tension between Walter and Fred, as Walter grappled with lingering insecurities.
Despite the occasional family drama, Fred and Alice remained united, working through each issue as it came. They focused on creating their own family traditions, establishing healthy boundaries, and ensuring that the past didn’t overshadow their future.
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