dancing programme, the 32-year-old hoped that by sharing his story, he may be able to help others too. "When I was about 18, I stopped dancing competitively and it was a huge change in my life," recalls Alja, who is married to fellow Strictly star Janette Manrara. "I'd had enough of the competition world - there was so much politics involved and my parents had been supporting me financially, and I just didn't think I should do it any more. "But I was unsure what I was going to do and this huge void made me stressed. "It was around that time I started getting odd patches on my knees, which then spread to my elbows. "READ MORE: Heart failure: The not-so-intuitive sign in your tummy that could mean heart failureAfter seeking the help of a dermatologist, who diagnosed psoriasis and prescribed steroid creams, things improved.
However, it was when Alja left home to work on a theatre show in Australia, the condition really took hold. "I was 20 and it was really difficult because I didn't really fully understand why all of a sudden my skin was changing so drastically," he says. "It's not really the most aesthetically pleasing thing to have. "I was getting frustrated because, for the world that I work in, appearances mean so much and it had gone everywhere - even my face.
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