It's easy to assume that all beauty queens have perfect skin, but Miss California is here to tell you that's not the case.


Mabelynn Capeluj, Miss California USA 2013, spoke out on CBS about having been diagnosed with psoriasis when she was 16 and how she had to overcome the low self-esteem that came along with it.


Psoriasis is reportedly the most prevalent autoimmune illness in the US, and the National Psoriasis Foundation is putting on a "Walk to Cure Psoriasis" on Saturday, May 4, at the Santa Monica Pier.


"They see me as a beauty queen, and they think, 'Oh my gosh, her life must be so perfect. It must be so easy,'" Capeluj said. "And it's not really like that. I've struggled with it. I've struggled with my self confidence. And I really want to reach out to other people who are struggling with it that, 'Look, if I can overcome it, you can too.'"


Dr. Gene Rubinstein encouraged people with psoriasis to seek the currently available treatments that are effective -- even though there's not a cure.


Most people with psoriasis have thick, red skin with flaky, silver-white patches called scales; it most commonly begins between ages 15 and 35, according to the US National Library of Medicine. You cannot catch psoriasis or spread it to others.


Earlier on HuffPost:






  • Salt


    Ever wake up feeling a little puffy around the eyes? Too much salt can cause some of us to retain water, which can lead to swelling, Schultz says. Because the skin around the eyes is so thin, he explains, the area swells easily -- and leaves you cursing last night's popcorn when you catch your reflection the next morning. "These effects of salt are definitely age related," he says, and become more common in middle age.




  • Shellfish


    Shrimp, crab, lobster -- and also certain leafy greens like seaweed and spinach -- are naturally <a href="http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/">high in iodine</a>, and a diet with too much of this element can lead to acne, says Schultz. However, "these breakouts are based on an accumulated amount of iodine over time, so there's no relationship between eating high iodine foods one day and breaking out the next," he says. Instead, he advises that people who are particularly acne-prone consume these foods a couple of times a month rather than a couple of times a week.




  • Milk


    Although its effects are probably still pretty small, according to Buka, some <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acne/DS00169/DSECTION=causes">dairy products may contribute to skin problems</a>. A 2005 study linked <a href="http://www.aad.org/dermatology-world/monthly-archives/2012/acne/diet-and-acne">higher milk consumption to presence of acne</a>. While the study had certain flaws, including the fact that participants were asked simply to <em>recall</em> how much milk they drank rather than record it in real time, more recent research, including a 2012 study in Italy, found a connection specifically between <a href="http://www.aad.org/dermatology-world/monthly-archives/2012/acne/diet-and-acne">skim milk and acne</a>. This is likely because of "a higher amount of bioavailable hormones in skim milk, since they cannot be absorbed in surrounding fat," explains Buka, which can then overstimulate the group of glands that produce our skin's natural oily secretions, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. In some people with rosacea, dairy products can also trigger the condition's tell-tale redness, Schultz says.




  • High Glycemic Foods


    Starchy picks like white breads, pastas and cakes, and even corn syrup, Buka says, are best avoided for dewy skin (and maybe even for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/low-glycemic-foods-diet_n_1630893.html">maintaining weight loss</a>). Foods that are considered high glycemic can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. A small Australian study from 2007 found that eating a <a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/86/1/107.full">low-glycemic diet reduced acne</a> in young men. But Schultz says there will need to be more research before we truly understand the relationship. However, if <a href="http://www.youbeauty.com/skin/food-acne">glycemic index</a> does prove to be related to skin problems, and you find yourself breaking out after eating something like French fries, it may be due to the starchy insides rather than that greasy, golden exterior, according to YouBeauty.com.




  • Sugar


    If starchy foods that break down quickly into sugar are an issue, it's no surprise that straight sugar can be problematic for the skin in much the same way. High blood sugar can <a href="http://www.dailyglow.com/photo-gallery/the-10-worst-skin-habits#/slide-7">weaken the skin by affecting tissues like collagen</a>, according to Daily Glow, and leave you more vulnerable to lines and wrinkles. Which is why it's likely not anything particular to <em>chocolate</em>, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/05/does-chocolate-cause-acne_n_1566076.html">rumored breakout culprit</a>, that's giving you trouble, but the high sugar content of that sweet treat. If you're worried about breakouts, but dying for a nibble, stick with the dark stuff -- it packs the most <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/chocolate-health-benefits_n_1383372.html">health benefits</a>, anyway.




  • Alcohol


    Alcohol is a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/alcohol-effects-body-infographic_n_2333328.html">natural diuretic</a>, which means the more you drink, the more dehydrated you become. It saps the natural moisture from your skin as well, which can make those <a href="http://www.womansday.com/style-beauty/beauty-tips-products/foods-good-for-skin#slide-3">wrinkles and fine lines seem like bigger deals</a>, according to Woman's Day. It can also trigger rosacea outbreaks, Schultz says.