Keratosis Pilaris Remedies

For Keratosis Pilaris I have discovered that washing with castile soaps with a loofa works wonderfully. I've been using this soap for a few months now and the bumps on my arms almost gone. I have also used soaps made with goat's milk and they work very well also, but for me the castile soaps seem to work a little better. Rinsing in a little bit of cooler temperature water also seems to help.

keratosis pilaris

I have had "chicken skin" since I was pre-adolescent and thought it would be a lifelong ailment. I started reading about the benefits of fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids and began incorporating omega-3 fish oil supplements into my diet for general health reasons. To my astonishment, my KP cleared up within 3 weeks! The redness and bumpiness were simply gone. I later quit taking the supplements (sheer forgetfulness) and noticed that my arms felt bumpy again, but it's still not red and inflamed and itchy like it used to be. It's a good reason/reminder to get me back taking the supplements, anyway. The softgels I used were 1000 mg cold water fish oil and I took one per day.

In Response to Dm from Princeton's comment about laundry detergent. Over the past ten years, I've heard during visits to 3 dermatologists that laundry detergents might be a culprit in the cause of KP. For 7 or so years, I've used only the "free and clear" versions of laundry detergents & fabric softener/dryer sheets without added dyes of frangrances and have seen no relief if my KP. If KP is caused by laundry detergent, then perhaps it's a more essential ingredient of detergent that causes it that still remains in the "skin friendly" laundry detergents.

I hate to say this but birth is very traumatic and yes, babies have stress. Source - I work in Mental Health.

My daughter has KP too... We've been to the derm so many times to be told she has to just live with this. I've done research and found these remedies on my own. African Black Soap to detoxify her skin. This is a "wonderful" product for any skin blemishes. It even is great for moms with crows feet!! I use it every time I shower!!! Then we use Neem Oil, which is stinky, so we only apply it once on the weekends for 30 minutes to her arms. We have seen a GREAT improvement after 2 years of seeing NOTHING help.

FYI... All skin conditions stem from the GUT. You could be allergic to something you are eating. Finding out "WHAT" and eliminating it is helpful. Then "HEALING" the stomach lining is important. BEETS and OKRA are healing to the lining.

Kay from Toronto: Your new rash sounds like yeast. Coconut oil has antifungal properties, as does the raw apple cider vinegar! You are most likely killing off yeast and experiencing "die-off". As frustrating as it is, continue on with the ACV and CO! Try rubbing the ACV on the new rash (dilute it or it might burn...I've used 1-2 tbsp ACV per 1 cup of water). It will help kill the yeast, as will the coconut oil. I've also heard taking biotin and Grapefruit seed extract helps minimize the die off reactions.

On a side note, I am so encouraged by all of your stories! I have battled KP my whole life. I feel so unattractive when my husband rubs my arms or back. He doesn't care but it is always something that makes me want to shy away. I am going to try it in the shower and in a mix. I will let you know how it turns out! Thanks!

I have used coconut oil on my skin for years. I have eczema and C.O. helps moisturize and prevents infection because of it's antibacterial/antifungal properties.

My best cure for eczema is to avoid allergy foods and take Evening Primrose Oil, 3000-6000mg a day. Plus, I expose the rash to 15-30 minutes of direct sunlight each day. The sunlight must be in the morning between 7:30-10:30 am. The healing rays are strongest at that time and the harmful UV rays are minimal. (tanning booths work too.) This may sound like an odd treatment, but the sunlight prescription was the best advise a natural doctor ever gave to me. The sunlight will heal my eczema in two days with the E.P.O.!

The sunlight will also help with yeast/fungus/tinitus rashes too, because yeast is a fungus that grows in the dark and hates sunlight. If the rash diminishes but still persists you are probably dealing with yeast. Start using Lotramin AF daily. If it starts to go away, you ARE dealing with yeast/fungus for sure. You must use the Lotramin AF consistantly without a break until the stubborn fungus is gone - it might take two weeks. (Be careful not to cross contaminate your other oils/creams after you touch a yeast infection. Wash your hands thouroughly.)

happy healing!

Dr Hulda Clarke in her books, notes that most skin afflications are parasite based. Im wondering if Black walnut tincture would help, it can be bought or made, if you would like Dr Clarkes amazing book I will email freely to anyone. Another good rememdy for skin afflictions is Ozonated Olive Oil. Best of Health and Luck to all who reside here!!!!!!!

Brian

I have Keratosis Pilaris and I have read on how ACV can help this condition I have. I have tried oil pulling with sunflower oil for the last 3 months but I dont see much improvement with my keratosis condition. However, having tried applying ACV on my skin for only the last 3 days I can see improvements already! However, I need to know what is the RIGHT way of consuming ACV for health benefits, be it for skin conditions or even for weight loss. There seems to be too many methods of consuming ACV here, so Im kinda confused :( Thanks!

Very interesting!
Did you have the keratosis pilaris on just your face? Or was it on other parts of your body? And did you only apply the castor oil on your face?

What was the dosage of the lysine?

Thanks so much for sharing. I will give it a try for 2 weeks and post back with results. I've had KP since early childhood and it might be about 50% better now (mid thirties). I've learned how to "manage" it.... But still searching for a cure. Here's what I've found that work best for me:
- Exfoliation with korean italy towel after soaking in bath (mag chloride or epsom salt added). - Clean eating. Extra veggies. - Intestinal cleansing. - Moisturize: emu oil, vitamin E oil, Goldbond Rough and Bumpy lotion, Sesame oil. Varies day to day... - Just started taking Micellized vitamin A a few weeks ago. Skin does seem better, but not sure how much it's really helping. (Take with other fat soluable vitamins - A, D, E, K - to maintain balance). Also take a good vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure no deficiencies. - Salicylic acid (crushed aspirin works), alpha hyroxu acids, and borax used as a scrub help smooth bumps and unclog pores. I plan on doing a full cleansing protocol developed by Bill Thompson (see his book on this site for more detail) which includes turpentine. I also am currently taking zeolites to rid heavy metals ans other toxins. Lastly, I plan to test for all food intolerances. If I have improvement with KP after completing those things, I will post again to share my results. And I look forward to any updates from you and others as well!

Thank you for the info. I will try this on myself and my 2 yr old who has this terribly on his face and arms and a little on his legs! I feel terrible that this is hereditary and he has it much worse than me!

Hi I came across your post about your 2 yr old child having KP. Did any of the remedies work for you??

Hi everyone. I heard that L-lysine has worked wonders for people with rosacea but it has protein in it so can that make your Keratosis Pilaris worse?

I have both these skin conditions and I was wondering if anyone has tried L-lysine and found that it made their kp better or worse? I would really like to try it for my rosacea. Please help. Thank you in advance :)

Hi there. I have both rosacea and kp. I've heard a lot about vitamin c and l-lysine being a natural remedy for rosacea. I was wondering if it would work the same for keratosis pilaris or can it make it worse. I would like to try this remedy, but I'm scared it will make my kp worse. Please get back to me if you have an answer. Thank you in advance :)

Nicole, I don't see how L-Lysine and Vitamin C could make anything worse unless you overdo it!

I heard it could make it worse because it has keratin in it and too much keratin is what causes KP. I asked the pharmacist and she said l-lysine is only for cold sores and nothing else and since I don't have cold sores I might not try it. Thanks anyway :)

Hi there, I have keratosis pilaris all over my arms and legs. I was wondering if anyone tried vitamin K and got any good results. I was trying msm sulphur and I did notice my kp clearing up, however it was making me vomit so I've stopped it now. Coconut oil has worked great but I want to know if Vitamin K is worth a try. Thank you

Hi everyone, I have heard about msm sulphur being a treatment for rosacea so does anyone know if it can do that same for keratosis pilaris (kp)? If Ted or anyone could give me an answer that would be great because I have heard some people found there kp got better but some people have gotten worse and I have rosacea and would like to take this supplement to treat my rosacea but I'm worried it will make my kp worse. Thanks for all your help.

Hello..A few weeks ago I started "washing" my face with coconut oil and a few drops of lavender and amazingly enough my rosacea is clearing up, about 50 % better! I use this mix to remove my make up. I premix about 2 Tablespoon of Coconut oil with 5 drops of lavender. I leave this mixture in the bathroom and use a small amount on my face every night. I wash it off with a hot wash clothe. Then I add a bit more of the mix to the red patches.

Hi everyone, I've been doing a lot f research on the internet and found a few people saying they either switched their milk to coconut milk or used coconut milk soap and their Keratosis Pilaris (kp) has reduced by about 90% or completely gone. I've had kp for a long time and I've always had trouble drinking milk. I find it too heavy for my stomach but I am going to try coconut milk and I will let you know how I go. I apply coconut oil on my skin after I shower and that seems to help me a lot but there still is a lot of kp left and I want to find a way to get rid of it completely. I hope some of you will help me try this remedy and see if it works, wish me luck :)

I began making my own Lipospheric Vitamin C a few weeks ago. This is a special form that combines distilled water, non-gmo sunflower (<-- preferably) or soy lecithin (either liquid or powder/crystals), and Ascorbic Acid. Managing the temperature, a blender, and an ultrasonic machine results in a) lipospherically-encapsulated ascorbic acid, and b) <200nm sized spheres that the body will deliver directly to tissues for use as a phospholipid in nerve coverings and cell membranes (which puts the AA directly into the body tissues where the lipid is used).

My [note: free no-ads personal] blog has a few pages on how-to and details on Lipospheric-C here. [EC: please delete if desired, and if inappropriate to link I apologize.]

You can buy lipo-C, and it is much more 'efficiently' encapsulated in that case, though it usually contains 'stabilizers', but it's very expensive if you need to take it in quantity, and it doesn't have nearly as much lecithin, which may be the key player in this remedy. For a fraction the cost you can make it yourself and the health benefits are widespread.

I took about half a small batch a day for about two weeks. For detail, a whole small batch is about 1. 5 cups, or ~375g water + 15g AA and 45g lecithin. If made properly, this comes to around 11. 25g encapsulated AA, 3. 75 non-encapsulated AA, and the 45g of lecithin. So half a batch is half that.

For probably 20 years I've had the "massive red bumps" all over the back of my arms. So long I can't remember when I haven't. And I've had periods where my diet was very high in good fats (omega3 supplements, coconut oil, etc. ) but nothing ever touched them, although I admit I was never trying to do so. My teenager has often remarked on this because it's so extensive.

After 2 weeks (or less) of taking this stuff, my teenager was "agog" and raved about how the back of my arms suddenly had NO red bumps anymore at all. I had noticed my upper arms seemed much 'smoother' but thought I was imagining it, since my forearms were still dry and bumpy. I have a ~ two inch strip on the sort of top/outside of the arm that still has red dots but no bumps anymore, so I think that is still in healing process.

I had never considered this as a potential cure for KP (I always think of Lipo-C as being the C, but the lecithin is a huge part of it too). For more on lecithin (no research refs, just an overview), see Lecithin notes.

As an aside, the Lipo-C has made staggering changes in my sense of body-competence -- some effect that is not strength or energy yet sort of operates as both a little -- and my sense of well-being, elevation and stability of mood and patience, and more. My teen actually tried to give me her own money to buy a bigger machine to make and take more of the stuff, she says it so clearly affects my 'activity and happiness.' I can't say enough good things about the stuff. KP healing up is just one surprise benefit but probably the most trivial!

Hi Redcairo from Miami, Ok, USA - Thank you so much for the link to your blog and details of making Lipospheric Vitamin C. I've had sunflower lecithin for ages but hadn't bought an ultrasonic machine. I actually forgot about making it. Then, after reading your post on Earth Clinic, it prompted me to order one and start making my own Lipo-C. I look forward to positive things! Thanks again and best wishes for continued good health. Cheers, Bess

Yesterday I read about putting ACV on your arms for Keratosis Pilaris. So last night I mixed up some ACV and water, exfoliated my arms well and then put it on. It burned my arms, and just made them more red. I have a moderate/severe case of it, and I really want it to go away. Is the burning/initial redness normal? I know I've only done it once, but I'm wondering if it will eventually help. I'm also drinking an ACV/baking soda/water mix. I want to wear a dress in 2 days and I need my arms to look better. HELP! PLEASE!

My 7yr old son has KP, and my mom gave me a ___ [sonic face cleansing brush] for his skin. It really helps smooth down the bumps (I do this once a week). I follow this up with Amlactin every night, and this helps his face. But I constantly need to do this or else the KP will be very bad in a few days.

Hi Nadia, I too have kp and have had it since the age of 4 and I have found that organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil really helps with the redness and the bumbs. I apply it after I have a shower once a day but I think the more times a day you apply it the better.

I haven't tried this but maybe also use the coconut oil for all your cooking maybe if he ingests it as well it may help.

I also use goats milk soap instead of the supermarket soaps and if you get it organic I believe it will work much better, best of luck with everything.

Hi everyone, I have suffered from KP since the age of 4 that's as far as I can remember, I had it all over my legs and for the past year I got it on my arms. I have now been applying organic extra virgin coconut oil cold pressed on my arms and legs everyday for the past 3 months and I have noticed a big difference. The red dots have gone especially on my arms I would say about 90% gone but I still have the bumps both on my arms and legs, there is an improvement but maybe I need to keep using it or maybe even ingesting it might help me more but I thought I would put it out there and I will write back in a couple of months and let you know if it's gone completely or not. I also use goat's milk soap and apply the coconut oil after my shower before bed.

Thank you earth clinic for all your help and good luck to everyone.

I am going to try Apple Cider Vinegar and coconut oil on my daughters who both have bad cases of KP. We have been using a foot sander to gently exfoliate their arms and legs once a week. This very cheap method is the only thing I have found that actually gives them smooth skin. They cost about $2 at any drugstore. It does not take away the red spots. It does help them feel better about the texture of their skin. I highly recommend for those with a heavy case. I have used KP Duty and other creams from our dermatologist but gentle sanding is the only thing that has actually helped us.

Hydrogen Peroxide and Borax for KP

I have Vitiligo & have been trying his recipe for curing it using borax and hydrogen peroxide. Since I know KP (keratosis pilaris) is more often than not a parasitic condition, and I know the mentioned chemical combo is used on dogs and cats for demodex mite infestation, Ive applied the solution to the sides of my face and backs of my arms each night before bed. I dont rinse it off. So far it has been extremely effective! Not much has happened with the Vitiligo spot, but I will keep you posted on both!

P.S I also drink 500ml of hot water and ACV every morning upon rising.

I ran across a study that claims hydrogen peroxide precedes the immune response and that's what kills the melanocytes. I don't think I would try hydrogen peroxide. Look it up.

Probably could try omitting the HP, just using Borax.

Hello Ted,

I have had Keratosis Pilaris on my arms for the longest time and I've tried everything everyone recommends but none of it works (ACV, VCO). Do you have any ideas on what can possibly help to remove the bumps all over my arms?

Thanks and Happy Holidays,

Juan

Juan:

If I had a difficult to solve skin problems I always used a 50% DMSO with tannic acid. If a 50% dmso is prepared in a 100 cc then I would add 1/4 teaspoon of tannic acid, then apply on the skin between 5 to 10 times a day, unrinsed. It tends to deactivate a lot of proteins that caused the problem by denaturing them.

Ted

Hi Juan,
I've heard people say that when they clean up their diets, Keratosis Pilaris disappears. What do I mean by cleaning up your diet? Eating zero processed foods. No sodas. No fast food. No margarine/ corn oil/soybean oil. No pop-into-the-microwave meals. Make everything from scratch using the healthiest ingredients you can afford - organic fruit and vegetables, grass-fed meat, eggs from truly free range chickens, olive oil, good quality butter etc. These are dietary changes that are good for everyone, not some fad diet, so you really can't lose. If it doesn't fix your Keratosis Pilaris, it'll probably benefit in you in other ways. You can't lose. Good luck!

Ironically, I found the BEST remedy for this. UV light. I used to lifeguard in college, and my KP was never a problem, as long as I was sunning every day. That was about 10 years ago and I have not lifeguarded or really been in the sun much-even recreationally. I recently began going to the tanning bed (5-7 min. At a time, 3 times a week). Not to fix my KP, but to get a tan... and my KP has almost completely cleared up! It was markedly better after 2 weeks of UV exposure.

I haven't been able to shave my legs for over a year b/c the KP is so bad on my legs... Needless to say-hubby wants me to keep up the tanning sessions-if only to keep the bumps away!

This is not a treatment I have read about or anything-just something I've discovered after living a life with KP... Sun exposure or tanning bed exposure works wonders!

One of the biggest culprits in keratosis pilaris is actually retinol (vit. A) deficiency. Many people have defective bata carotene conversion (this is genetic) and don't convert beta carotene to retinol as a result.
Good food sources are egg yolks and liver or you can take cod liver oil or a natural vit. A supplement. Topical creams containing retinol or vitamin A are also effective.