Cyndi Lauper's New Song 'Hope' Inspired By Battle With Psoriasis

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cyndi Lauper is a Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning artist. She's also struggled with a difficult health condition that she's finally conquered.

Lauper says she was touring with Cher when it started from what looked like a nasty rash on her skin. She tried all kinds of drug remedies and nothing worked.

She says she didn't give up hope, and finally there was a solution.

"Here I am able to wear my shoulders out, oh my God," said Lauper.

Lauper spent years covering up, fighting psoriasis -- a chronic inflammatory condition.

This is what her skin looked like covered with red patches of dead skin.

"There is 7.5 million Americans that have this illness and it's a really awful disease," Lauper added. "I was covered head to toe and I couldn't regulate my body temperature anymore."

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She suffered from the illness for five years. The voice behind iconic songs like "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," "Time After Time," and "True Colors" says she also spent a lot of time in bed.

"Let's face it, when you're sick you feel powerless. I laid there and it wasn't getting any better. And if it wasn't for Harvey Fierstein calling, saying, "Christina, where are my lyrics?" I think I would have just laid there," said Lauper.

She finished writing the songs for "Kinky Boots" and finally found relief with Cosentyx.

She does commercials for the drug and is touring the country pitching the "See Me" campaign, encouraging others with psoriasis to get help.

"You can manage this thing, don't let it manage you, you gotta win," said Lauper.

Lauper wrote a song called "Hope" inspired by her journey, and other psoriasis patients she's met.

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"I swore I wouldn't write a song called 'Hope.' What am I going to do write a song called 'Hope'? Soon as I started writing that's what came out. I thought to myself, you lug head, just do it," added Lauper.

Lauper says her psoriasis can also cause other problems like joint pain and stiffness.

It's totally under control now with the medication.

She's about to start a North American tour with Rod Stewart.