Fillers triggered painful skin condition that left teenager looking ‘like an alien'
Charlie Michael Baker, 18, from Preston, Lancashire, began receiving dermal fillers in March 2024 to address insecurities about his chin.
However, as the fillers dissolved, he developed red spots that evolved into dry, flaky patches across his body.
Diagnosed with psoriasis, Baker described waking up in "a puddle of dry skin and with blood patches on the bed sheets."
He found himself moisturising up to 15 times daily to manage the discomfort.
Baker said his appearance took a toll on his mental health, with negative comments on social media comparing his skin to Parmesan cheese.
After trying 'thousands' of skincare products but finding none were successful, Charlie stumbled across a brand called Oregon Skincare in February this year that has worked wonders for his complexion, and his psoriasis is 'on the verge' of going into remission – although there is a chance it could flare up again at any point in the future.
'At one point, I looked like an alien, my face was completely red,' Charlie, who is also an author, told PA Real Life.
'I'm trying to advocate for those with psoriasis because people don't know what it is, it's not a disease, it's not contagious.
'Anyone with psoriasis is beautiful, you're not ugly, you're not Parmesan cheese for a pasta – and if anyone says anything like that, message me, I'm here to help.'
Charlie first received dermal fillers in March 2024, getting injections in his chin, cheeks and lips, as well as having Botox in his forehead and eyebrows.
'I originally went in for chin filler because I've got a bit of a bum chin and being in the public eye, it made me the most insecure person ever,' he said.
Around three months later, Charlie started to notice changes in his complexion as the filler began to dissolve.
'It looked like spots at first, like little red spots, and they were just very dry,' he said.
'Then it just started spreading and spreading and spreading.'
Charlie explained that as the fillers dissolved and passed through his stomach, it caused a chemical imbalance for him, which ultimately triggered a skin condition known as psoriasis – flaky patches of skin which form scales – that covered him from 'head to toe'.
'It burns, it's so itchy, it's all in my scalp – I would have to moisturise at least 15 times a day,' he said.
'When it was really bad, I would literally have to stand in the shower for 40 minutes.
'When I go to bed, I'll wake up in a puddle of dry skin and with blood patches on the bed sheets, we just throw them away.'
Charlie said his appearance weighed heavily on his mental health.
'My mental health took a massive knock from having this bright red face, having everyone turn their heads at me like I'm some sort of alien that's just climbed down from space,' he said.
'It was a long period of mental disrepair for me and my career went on a full standstill.
'Honestly, I wouldn't wish this on anyone.'
Charlie said he would also receive 'tens of thousands' of negative comments and messages on social media due to his complexion.
'I remember one comment on one of my TikToks when my skin was really dry, someone wrote 'how lovely, some Parmesan for the pasta',' he said.
'I couldn't believe someone would sit there and comment that.
'Now I don't read the comments anymore.'
Charlie was officially diagnosed with psoriasis by his GP in July 2024.
'There's no cure, so I've got this for the rest of my life, I have to suffer in pain until I die,' he said.
'It flares up when you're older as well – can you imagine that wrinkly skin with crusty psoriasis? It's going to be hell.'
Charlie said he now has to avoid certain products that come into contact with his skin, such as laundry detergent, fragrances and makeup.
He was initially prescribed immune suppressants and steroid creams to keep the pain and redness at bay, but found they did not work for him.
'I've tried thousands and thousands of skincare products but none of them worked,' he added.
After months of searching high and low, Charlie stumbled across a brand in February this year called Oregon Skincare, who focus on scaly skin and scalp care.
Charlie said he mostly uses the moisturiser and shampoo from their range, with the latter helping greatly with his dry and flaky scalp.
'Oregon Skincare has been the only one that has actually tackled not only the dryness, but also the redness,' he said.
'They are one of the best skincare products I've ever used on my skin, they sit very high on my dressing table.'
As a result, Charlie said his scalp is 'psoriasis-free', his skin is much better and he is 'on the verge' of going into psoriasis remission – although he could experience a flare-up at any point in the future.
'There are certain parts of my skin where it's almost like my natural skin colour,' he said.
'When psoriasis fully heals, which it can do and you can go into remission, you will still have little outlines of where the redness was which is kind of where it's at for me.
'It's the best it's ever been in a whole year and the psoriasis on my face is completely gone.'
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