Amid a wildly successful interior design and television career, Nate Berkus has been dealing with a medical issue for nearly a decade and has now decided to disclose his diagnosis to the world.
Since rising to fame on The Oprah Winfrey Show two decades ago, Berkus has written several design books, launched a collection of home furnishings with Target, and hosted various TV programs including the HGTV series The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project with husband Jeremiah Brent.
But nine years ago, life took an unexpected turn.
Berkus was in the midst of filming a television project when he woke up to find a red rash all across his face. Although he initially thought it might have been a skin reaction to a new soap product, the interior decorator wasted no time in getting a professional opinion.
He was diagnosed with the chronic, incurable skin condition known as psoriasis and has been managing the physical and psychological effects of the disease ever since.
According to the Mayo Clinic, psoriasis causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches which can be painful and make it difficult to sleep or concentrate. Flare ups can occur in cycles, with the condition present for weeks or months, and then subsiding for periods of time. While treatment and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms, there is no cure.
In a new interview, the 51-year-old spoke frankly about his medical journey and why he was motivated to speak out now.
“It’s a bit of a bummer and it can be depressing. I do all these things in life, try to be a good husband, try to be a good dad, try to eat well, I go to my personal trainers. I like to look good, I like to feel good in my own skin. So, this is not something that’s really within my control,” Berkus told People.
“It’s one of those things that I have to live with and it can be really frustrating and the outbreaks come at the most inopportune times, almost always.”
Although his flare ups haven’t been physically painful, Berkus shared how the condition has made his job in front of the camera a lot more stressful.
“For me, there was also a psychological impact, As somebody that is in the public eye — truth is, we’re all sort of in the public eye now with social media — it’s been really challenging to not be able to count on my appearance or the quality, the condition of my skin,” he said. “I think people that have chronic skin issues know exactly what I’m talking about.”
It was while navigating his diagnosis that he realized how many people were dealing with similar skin conditions, but no one was talking about it.
“It’s frustrating. It can be isolating,” Berkus continued. “I was really surprised that some of my closest friends also have psoriasis or eczema and we had never discussed it — and we talked about everything.”
He added: “I think having a chronic skin condition is something that a lot of people just don’t talk about and don’t feel comfortable sharing. I think it’s great to just be open and ignite a conversation around it and get more people to develop better relationships with their own dermatologist.”
By sharing his story, Berkus hopes it will help others to feel less alone through their diagnosis.
Married since 2014, Berkus and Brent, 38, recently wrapped the second season of The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project. The couple share two children: daughter Poppy, 8, and son Oscar, age 5.
The handsome husbands previously hosted the TLC series Nate & Jeremiah By Design for three seasons.
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missvamp
i have psoriasis, along with 4 other autoimmune disorders. it evolved from rosacea. both are painful, ugly skin conditions & treatable. but it requires alot of treatment on my part- oral meds as well as topical & specific shampoo. it’s a balance. this horrible heatwave is killing my skin & scalp. i also color my hair- so that’s a delicate balance. since i’m a hairstylist- it’s easier to manage that stuff, but it was a learning curve. my brother has psoriatic arthritis & my mom has discoid lupus- so skin issues just run in our family.
Doug
Sorry you’re dealing with this. Wondering if you’ve also checked out ultraviolet light treatments? I have a co-worker who wasn’t getting much results from the medication they were prescribing, but the light treatments worked amazingly well for him.
Diplomat
I have found good luck with alternative medicine. Naturopath etc.
Jim
Nate: We’ll take you and your face in any condition (and Jeremiah, too!). Don’t worry, you’re totally gifted at any stage of your face.
abfab
I think he lost the love of his life in the tsunami in Thailand. He shared his grief (on Oprah?) and his whole entire demeanor changed. His face changed. It was seriously so sad, as you can imagine.
The 2004 Tsunami Wiped Away Towns With ‘Mind-Boggling’ Destruction
The tsunami was the deadliest in recorded history, taking 230,000 lives in a matter of hours.
history dot com
bachy
I’ve found that skin-related issues are linked to anxiety. I’m not saying they’re imaginary, but that anxiety impacts the nervous system in a manner that triggers or allows skin maladies to emerge.
I was plagued by skin problems until I realized that the real problem was not my skin but that I’d been living with terrible, unresolved anxiety for years. Once I put my psychological well-being before any other aspiration, the skin issues disappeared and never returned.
Brian
Yeah, it’s amazing how much can be influenced by hormones.
Diet, too. There are populations of tiny microorganisms in our gut that can swing up or down based on the foods we eat. One kind of microbe can outcompete others, too. When those populations shift, it can be reflected in our skin.
These are fairly recent discoveries. Biologists still have a lot more research to do before we can sufficiently explain what’s happening.
ShaverC
So brave to finally share his truth.
DarkZephyr
I still remember when he lost his previous partner, Fernando Bengoechea, and almost his own life in the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. This man’s been through a lot.
Tombear
My eczema, related to psoriasis cleared up with CBD oil. Worked for me.
winemaker
Is it me or some things like medical issues best kept private? Really this ias getting more like the escapades of the talentless irrelevant kardashian bimbos. On the other hand, this is good for a few laughs at best on the fools who seem to think the public needs to know their medical and other issues. NEWSFLASH; most people don’t care, they’ve got other things they’re dealing with than this nonsense
abfab
We get more insight into your medical issues everytime you post @winemaker
Nate is cool and Nate is a free man. He does as he pleases and helps along the way. You, on the other hand, do not. Shoo!