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I’ve dealt with Keratosis Pilarsis – 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.
Full transparency – I tried things for years and it cleared up in my pictures when I stopped eating gluten and started taking a probiotic. Nearly 6 years after those pictures were taken I was diagnosed with celiac disease. During those 6 years, I went on and off gluten multiple times. It always came back after I had been eating gluten for a while. After being diagnosed it’s taken some time but it’s starting to clear up more than ever.
Does this mean you have celiac disease? Probably not, Well maybe. Celiac disease is often misdiagnosed or really hard to identify on your own. However, it affects about 1 in 100 Americans but in Italy, they test every citizen, and 1 in 5 Italians are celiac, so it might be much more common than people realize. My celiac symptoms changed throughout my life and looked different at different times. If you also have other concerns that may be linked to a gluten allergy I urge you to see a doctor and complete a blood test.
However, you’re likely experiencing some gut health issues and that’s why you can’t get rid of your KP. KP is your body’s way of altering you to a problem.
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, but in my experience, I’ve had to be very strict with gluten and pay attention to cross-contamination for 3-6 months before I saw major improvements. (worth it tho!)
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
This is one I’ve discovered as of late. 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.
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.
4 Supplements That Can Improve Your Keratosis Pilaris
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 so by taking supplements it’s in a form that 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 – Probitoics
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.
#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.
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.
Muy buena información, de verdad los dermatólogos solo mandan es a hidratar y a exfoliar…. Eso ayuda pero no lo cura