Table 3.

Summary of main finding indicating themes, categories, and sub-categories

Content area	Category	Theme
Disease development	Understanding the disease gradually Perceiving early skin lesions Considering other skin diseases	Fearing an agonizing disease
	Feeling disease’s mental impact Starting to worry about consequences Being physically and socially limited
Living with the disease	Sensing responsibility Regretting own acts Feeling angry Reacting with self-disgust Becoming sad	Taking on the blame
	Facing stigma Being rejected
	Feeling isolated Finding themselves excluded
	Preventing others’ reactions Hiding disease or self Avoiding close contact	Struggling to cope
	Internalizing reactions from others Understanding others reactions Tolerating others behavior Appreciating others’ support
Healthcare and community	Finding treatment difficult but acceptable Feeling the need for medical care Playing little role in treatment schemes Being satisfied with treatment results	Longing for being seen and heard
	Noting limited knowledge on CL Meeting unawareness in the community Experiencing ignorance within the healthcare system
	Urging for prevention High treatment costs Considering current preventive methods as unsatisfactory