Get rid of Keratosis Pilaris

I’ve dealt with Keratosis Pilaris – those annoying red bumps on my arms and legs – for as long as I can remember. Over the years I’ve tried so many different things and finally found a few things that help.

Here you will find everything that I tried that helped me through my journey.

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Underlying Conditions For Keratosis Pilaris

If you’re reading this then you’ve probably tried all the lotions and scrubs and haven’t seen any improvement. If just treating it topically isn’t helping then I’d recommend looking deeper into what your body is trying to tell you.

Gluten Allergy or Intolerance

I personally have discovered that my major underlying condition is celiac disease. Once I stopped eating gluten and adding in some supplements my arms started to clear up dramatically! It does take time, and I still have flare-ups but it’s so much better now. You can try taking a break from gluten to see if it gets better.

Dairy Allergy or Intolerance

If you don’t think you have a gluten sensitivity maybe consider a dairy intolerance or allergy. Dairy is very hard on our digestive symptoms and most people cannot tolerate it. Try taking a break from dairy for a few weeks and see if that helps.

Nightshade Sensitivity

I have a nightshade sensitivity (to things like tomatoes and peppers) because my celiac disease has destroyed my small intestine. This means a lot of food gets through my gut and into my bloodstream (that’s called leaky gut) and nightshades specifically bother me. I notice big improvements when I don’t eat nightshades.

Leaky Gut

As I mentioned, a leaky gut could be a larger underlying issue. Leaky gut can be caused by a variety of reasons but may be the root cause of your KP. If you suspect a leaky gut I recommend seeing a GI specialist.

Chronic Inflammation

Keratosis Pilaris can also be a result of chronic inflammation. You may have inflammation for a variety of reasons. I completed the AIP diet to help me reduce inflammation and identify trigger foods for me and that was really eye opening. I noticed my KP clear up as I reduced inflammation and found that some additional trigger foods like corn were leading to the fluctuations in my KP.

Candida Overgrowth

An overgrowth of bad bacteria in your gut can cause a variety of issues, including KP. If you also deal with intense sugar and carb cravings, headaches, fatigue, and a laundry list of random symptoms you might have a candida issue. You can read more about how to treat candida overgrowth here.

5 Supplements That Can Improve Your Keratosis Pilaris

Discloser: I am not a trained health professional. All articles are based on my own experience and opinions. Please consult with a health professional before making lifestyle changes.

Many of the underlying causes of KP also cause vitamin deficiencies, which may be why these bumps appear. When you’re having a gut issue sometimes your body struggles to absorb all the nutrients from your food. Supplements might be easier for your body to absorb. Here are a few supplements you can try adding to see if your body just needs a bit of a boost.

#1 – Take a Vitamin A Supplement

Many people with KP at vitamin A deficient. Vitamin A is an important nutrient to get that smooth, glowing complexion because it plays a major role in the healthy keratinization of skin cells. 

I take this daily multivitamin that helps with a bunch of my vitamin deficiencies. It’s a 2x a day, however I find that I personally only need 1 a day.

#2 – Take an Omega Supplement

Another thing most people with KP are deficient in Omega minerals. Adding this to your diet will help with skin inflammation and reduce the redness in your arms or legs. This is the supplement I use. It doesn’t have a fishy taste. I personally take one a day.

#3 – Probiotics

Malabsorption in your gut is the number 1 reason why your arms are turning red. And this happens when there is too much gunk in the system for it to work properly. Our gut builds up with toxins from processed food, stress, prescription meds, alcohol, and so much more. 

Here is my favorite probiotic that has helped me the most. I know it’s on the more expensive side but this one came recommended by my doctor and is the only one I’ve ever noticed a difference with. If you’re looking for a budget friendly approach you can try adding sauerkraut to your diet.

#4 – Collagen

Adding Collagen to your diet can also improve skin conditions. You can do this by adding more bone broth to your diet. You can drink straight bone broth, cook ramen in it, and my favorite way – use bone broth in place of water when you cook rice.

I also like this supplement, I mix it with coconut milk in the morning and it’s a little chocolate milk with more benefits!

#5 – L-Theanine

L-Theanine is great at helping restore your gut lining. I bought this as a powder and I mix it in with my collagen. You can also buy it as a capsule if you prefer. Here’s the one I use.

Topical Treatments for Keratosis Pilaris

There are some topical treatments that I have found helpful when combined with improving my gut health. You may find these helpful but again, I personally believe there is no magic fix product for KP and your diet has so much more to do with it!

First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser & Lotion

One product that I did think helped was using both the bump eraser body scrub and the body lotion. I used it consistently while on an anti inflammatory diet and I felt like it did make a visible difference. However, I felt like it was only temporary. It would look great right after my shower but be back the next day. I have read that some people use the scrub on dry skin before showering but I personally could never remember to do it before my shower. For me these scrubs didn’t make enough of a difference, but you might have better luck. Out of all the scrubs this is the one I’d recommend trying.

Exfoliation Glove

The thing I feel has made the biggest difference has been this exfoliating glove. I use it about once a week or as I remember. I wet my skin a bit and then use this glove to scrub. You kind of have to scrub back an forth in one spot for a while with a decent amount of pressure until these little dead skin “rolls” appear. It’s gross but satisfying! It makes my skin really soft and helps with some of the texture issue of KP. It doesn’t make the redness disappear but it minimizes it. I’ve had the same glove for so long and I love that it’s a more affordable and sustainable alternative to repeatedly buying scrubs.

As always, I’m here to help you with any questions – just drop a comment below! Just remember I am not a doctor and can only speak from my personal experience.