The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Kristie (Chattanooga, TN) on 11/06/2019
★★★★★
My husband has had GA for 12 plus years. He has tried eliminating certain things from his diet over periods of time.
His most recent elimination was peanuts and peanut oil (which means no eating out at his favorite chicken restaurant). His GA cleared up within 2 weeks. If you have this condition, then you can imagine how HAPPY he is!! He recently went to his dermatologist and told him about his apparent peanut connection. He just replied "Yes, it is an allergy of some kind but we never know what is causing it" Keep trying different things. I think it is more about something being eaten causing inflammation in the body. The problem is trying to figure out what it is for each person.
MSM
Posted by Grant (Fremantle) on 08/08/2016
★★★★★
Hi, my wife has had GA for about 25 years and it was getting worse, covering about 30% of her abdomen. About 6 months ago she started taking 1 teaspoon of MSM with lemon juice almost every day. It is now almost all disappeared. I hope this helps.
Low Dose Naltrexone
Posted by Nancy (Placerville, Ca) on 07/01/2015
★★★★★
I am a 71 year old female who contracted Granuloma Annulare in March of 2014. This diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy. I tried a number of different remedies, some suggested here and I found I felt much better taking raw apple cider vinegar with mother every day but there was little or no impact on the rash. It presented itself in all it delightful variations and generally looked like creeping crud with wine-port stain coloration. Very upsetting.
My Dermatologist started me on Hydroxyclor which had little or no impact on the GA but REALLY helped my arthritic fingers. Great, but still GA was a huge issue.
In Placerville we have Grandpa's Pharmacy, a compounding medication pharmacy which makes their own compounds right there on the premises. I called them after I read how they helped someone else with another issue totally unrelated to GA and asked if they had something for me. The pharmacist suggested I try Low-Dose Naltrexone and explained I would need a Dr's RX to get it. I composed an impressive release of liability for my Dr, which even extended to any claims my children may present if I died from this treatment, laced up my combat boots and asked my Dr. for the RX. She was reluctant, but saw I was serious (I asked her where she got her first clue) & she gave me the RX.
I have been taking Low-Dose Naltrexone as a capsule for 6 weeks now and the rash on the inside of my wrists is gone, the bumps on my knuckles are barely visible, the rash all over my back and the rest of my body is about 50% of the boldness that it was and I am not finding it in any new places. The Pharmacist said it may take up to 9 months, and I am seriously considering a maintenance dose once I have totally won.
Incidentally, it has been surmised that I am the lucky winner of GA thanks to the triangular shaped tick that bit me in February of 2014. I was elated to find that Low Dose Naltrexone seemed to be helping me and I waited until I was REALLY SURE before I risked offering any false hope to other members of this exclusive circle of creepy embarrassment. And good luck, I hope this works for everyone who needs this information. You would think there would be studies going on to learn how to eradicate this condition, but since that does not seem to be the case, we must help each other when we can. I hope this information helps you. Nancy
L-Lysine
Posted by Virginia (Ohio, US) on 03/20/2015
★★★★★
Please try lysine for Granuloma Annulare. I take 1 pill sometimes 2 pills a day. Went to doctor and they said there is no cure for Granuloma Annulare. Tried everything and this condition was spreading everywhere on joint areas and more. Decided to try lysine cause I get fever blisters so I have herpes virus and lysine is good for this, so I thought to try this for granuloma and it has made me feel not like a freak anymore. Hands are almost clear and am able to show them now and knees and ankles clearing up. This is like a God send to me. Also I eat a lot of sugars which I read absorbs the lysine or whatever in the body. This is truly working and believe me, I have tried everything. Don't know what dose you should take but I truly believe it is working and still take it today.
Gluten-Free
Posted by Nomore (Richmond, Va) on 11/15/2012
★★★★★
Hi all... I just had to pass on my success with getting rid of Granuloma Annulare. I had it for about 3 years. I can't say this will work for everyone, as many medical professionals think this could be related to Diabetes and Lupus as well.
Go Gluten-free. I tried everything prior to my discovery of my gluten-intolerance. I tried things such as blood tests for diabetes, lupus, celiac disease plus allergy prick tests. Nothing helped me until I got a stool test. This test showed a significant intolerance to wheat. Once I removed this completely from my diet (and you definitely have to read all food labels! ), it went away. It also seems I have an intolerance to almonds too. I think with all the almond products out there, my body doesn't quite like them either. The removal of these two things completely cleared my skin.
I hope this can help someone! Good luck!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by E (Arlington, Tx) on 04/09/2012
★★★★★
Our 5 year old daughter has GA and topically applying raw apple cider vinegar is the only thing that has worked to eliminate GAs. We did steroid shots the first two times GA popped up but that wasn't a long term solution! So thankful for ACV. I soak a cotton ball in ACV and use medical tape to fix it over the GA spot. We do that procedure for 3-4 nights and the GA is healed... Actually it looks like poison is drawn out and a scab forms. (A week later the scab is gone. ) Still, waaay better than steroids. We've checked into all known causes for GA over the past year (today we got back a clean bill of health from a CBC w/diff) and haven't uncovered anything.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Elyn From Milwaukee (Oklahoma City, Ok/usa) on 10/28/2011
★★★★★
I have had granuloma annulare for 9 years now. It began as a small patch on my left hand-- an ugly red rash, neither itchy nor painful. It has spread to the backs of both hands, up to my middle knuckles. The doc diagnosed it and said that it often is a precursor for diabetes, and that we'd keep an eye on it. Well, my favorite coworker in OKC introduced me to EarthClinic and I read about ACV. I drank it for a few months this past winter -- 1 Tbsp ORGANIC ACV with 1Tbsp honey, in warm water, morning and night. In spring, my coworker and my boss noticed that my GA had mostly disappeared! I hadn't even noticed! Oh, it's still there, but VERY much faded. I had to stop drinking the ACV because my teeth were beginning to hurt-- now I'm back on it but using a TINY pinch of baking soda in with the vinegar, let it fizz, then add warm water and the honey. I DEFINITELY recommend it. I don't know how long you will have to take it-- don't know how widespread or severe your GA is. Best of luck to you!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nizac (Mid Hudson Valley, Ny) on 03/30/2011
★★★★★
My wife developed severe Granuloma Annulare (GA) about 2 years ago on her arms, hands and chest. After visiting a dermatoligist she was prescribed prednesone which put it in remission. However when the Prednesone was stopped it started reapearing. This happened twice both times it reapeared. I read on a forum a dermatoligist had a patient who told her that ACV put his 35 year case of GA in remission 1 oz in the morning 1 oz at night. I know that's a lot of ACV but it worked. My wifes GA is vastly improved her arms and hands, chest are almost totally clean. It's been about a month since she started taking it but saw results in about 1 week. Good Luck