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.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Mina_mtl (Montreal) on 01/22/2017
★★★★★
I have found coconut oil very helpful for KP, which I've had for over 20 years. I use virgin, cold pressed, organic CO directly on the skin after showering. I also eat a spoonful a day, usually melted into my coffee. After doing this for about a year, plus a number of other dietary changes (please see my first, big post if you want details), my KP is 80-90% reduced. But I saw positive change almost right away, including reduction in redness, itchiness, and bumpiness. Dry brushing increased the positive effects for me. At first I had to dry brush every day (to help shed the dead skin) but now I only need to dry brush 2-3x/week. I still eat and apply coconut oil every day.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Amazed (Australia) on 02/11/2015
★★★★★
I just wanted to comment on the amazing results we have had using Coconut Oil for Keratosis Pilaris. My 10 year old daughter has had the bumps on her upper arms and just a small amount on her cheeks for as long as I can remember but as it was not too noticeable we have just always moisturised it but otherwise left it alone. Just recently seemingly overnight her whole face became covered with it. She was becoming quite anxious about it so we tried a few different things which only seemed to inflame it. After reading some other posts on this website I decided to give the Coconut Oil a try as we already had some that I use in cooking so I thought it couldn't do too much harm. I have to say this stuff is amazing for your skin. After just one application overnight there was over 50% improvement. We have been applying it twice a day now for just over a week and I would say about 95% of the bumps have gone. Her skin is glowing and smoother than it has ever been. Thanks to those who suggested it.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Nicole (Melbourne, Australia) on 01/17/2013
★★★★★
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.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Rachel (New York, Ny) on 05/16/2012
★★★★★
I don't know if it is the antibacterial or the moisturizing qualities of coconut oil but applying a small amount of it daily to my KP has made it completely disappear! In less than a week, even. I have also had the same success with Jojoba oil, which is why I think it may have to do with moisturizing. However, no lotion has ever given me one drop of relief.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Kay (Toronto, Canada) on 11/30/2007
★★★★☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hi everyone. I've been ingesting and using 100% pure organic coconut oil since October 2007. I have excema and keratosis pilaris. I've found that my keratosis has gotten better, practicaly non existent, but my excema has worsened. I find that it is drying on my skin and I would need to keep moisturizing constantly throughout the day which is no good. Not sure if that is just because of the cleansing properties of the coconut oil and the toxins are just making their way out of my system or not .. but my excema has definitely not improved. in fact, i've developed a whole new kind of rash. kind of a blistery raised looking rash. I had to switch back to using Aveeno on my skin and just ingesting the coconut oil. Has this happened to anyone else?? Should I be drinking more water? I only take a teaspoon of the oil a day and drink aloe vera juice as well, twice a day. should I just continue to' take the oil and put it on my skin?
Replied by Susan
(Stroudsburg, Pa)
01/26/2009
Replied by J.C.
(Champaign, IL.)
07/03/2009
Replied by Veronica
(Las Vegas, Nv)
09/21/2009
Replied by Brian
(Barrie, Ont Canada)
06/01/2011
Cod Liver Oil
Posted by Jenny (Gotenburg, Sweden) on 10/05/2012
★★★★★
I had the very same problem with my two toddlers as Mommy Of E (Three Rivers, Mi) 08/16/2012.
It went away when I started to give them cod liver oil.
Your daughter could have a vitamin A or K2 deficiency which becomes worsen when the vitamin D levels gets to high during summer. This since they're often used together. You could try giving her more egg yolks, fish and butter or feed her cod liver oil or other suplement. You can read more about the issue if you google Chris Cresser.
Good luck
D3 and Magnesium Malate
Posted by Paloma (Lakewood, Ca) on 12/18/2017 2 posts
★★★★★
For a while now I've been meaning to buy a better quality magnesium and ditch my crappy magnesium oxide. I had been taking magnesium and D3 for my psoriasis (that will be a different post altogether). Recently when I finally bought some Magnesium Malate and started taking it, I noticed that my keratosis improved.
D3 can be harmful without Magnesium and Vitamin K, so I take all three.
I try to make it my daily routine, but realistically, I remember to do this about 4 times a week:
- 2 capsules 1000 iu D3 (From Trader Joe's. Capsules, not tablets.)
- 1 tablet 425 mg Magnesium Malate (I switched from Magnesium Oxide.)
- 1 tablet Vitamin K (I take Vit K only in the occasion I don't get enough from food sources.)
After a few days of taking this, I noticed that my keratosis on the back of my upper arms went away. A few days after that, my chronic hives on my forearms went away too.
The keratosis on my upper arms didn't bother me. It was more the burning hives that were a concern, but it's an added bonus to have smooth upper arms again.
If I would forget to take my supplement trio, the keratosis would return only after a day or so.
Detoxification
Posted by Renee (Chicago, Il) on 08/20/2011
★★★★★
I'm of fair complexion with dry, sensitive skin so have suffered with keratoses pilaris, eczema, cracked skin on hands during winter and various rashes at different times in my life. I've found that when my diet is clean (free from foods and beverages high in fat, additives and preservatives) my skin tends to be clear also. I supplement my diet with a probiotic in capsule form daily, which also seems to help prevent colds and gastro-intestinal maladies by boosting the immune system through balance of the intestinal flora and keeping yeast (fungus) in check. I also use ginger, chili powder, cumin, turmeric, garlic and onion regularly in my cooking.
When I was in my twenties, I went for a series of 11 colonics over ten weeks. I was amazed that the keratosis pilaris on my buttocks had completely disappeared and my skin, as smooth as silk. It was clear that the detoxification of my system through the colonic regimen had created the desired effect. Hope this helps!
Dietary Changes
Posted by NC Dorothy (Snow Camp, NC) on 08/22/2024
★★★★★
It isNo Dairy for Kerotosis Pilaris
really that simple for me. No point in scrubbing, moisturizing, or any of the other remedies I see online. Too much dairy means breaking out in little bumps on my butt and the backs of my arms. I just cannot eat cheese and yogurt daily, as much as I'd like to. I am not sure whether that solution is unique to me, but it is worth trying.
Replied by
Ruralady (Illinois)
08/24/2024
39 posts
Dietary Changes
Posted by noel (merced, CA) on 02/10/2024
★★★★★
Dietary changes might be best in my opinion. I still have a spot on my scalp but it feels like its getting smaller even though I stray from the diet from times. After watching Dr. Berg video on follicular keratosis, he recommends: Vitamin A (important) vitamin E, D & K also. Have your doctor check your nutrient/vitamin levels. There are also urine tests you can buy on amazon to check urine bile levels. He also goes on about insulin resistance being another suspect. From personal experience in my own health journey, my nutrient deficiencies were caused by fatty liver or liver not functioning 100% which leads to malabsorbtion. Other things that lead to malabsorbtion are low stomach acid and low bile production from sluggish gallbladder which both can be caused by processed foods & low stomach acid. So try to cut all grains and seed/vegetable oils & packaged foods from your diet. Supplement with omega 3 as your ratio may be low. You need to be sure 3 things are functioning optimally: 1. stomach acid/digestion 2. Gallbladder/bile storage & regulation 3. Liver/bile production. if one of these three isnt working right, you will have all kinds of problems from malabsorbtion. In my case ALL THREE organs were drastically underperforming due to my soda pop and beer addictions that gave me fatty liver. I was in bad shape and all the doctors told me was I need to lose weight. I was already 140 pounds dripping wet. I had acid reflux and they gave me pills which just made my stomach acid even lower. One sign of low stomach acid is acid reflux. Most doctors will prescribe antacid for acid reflux and this is the opposite of what is needed for most people. Acid reflux is usually sign of LOW stomach acid. You can rectify this with 3-5 grams Betaine HCL taken ten minutes before mealtime but you really need to get to the core problem of what is causing low stomach acids. If you dont have Betaine HCL you can try drinking a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar prior to eating. if the acid reflux/bloating isn't present, your stomach acid may be fine, then you can look at the gallbladder or liver. If you eat a lot of sugar, carbs, high fructose corn syrup, you can almost guarantee your liver may have fat deposits so stay away from those sweets & carbs. Research foods that stimulate bile flow (beet flow) without causing liver fat. I know you just want to get rid of the acnitic keratosis, but the keratosis in my case was just the tip of the iceberg - a symptom of a more severe underlying health issue that needed to be addressed which cannot resolve if you keep a poor diet. Good luck.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Margaret (Lansdale, Pa) on 05/19/2013
★★★★★
To those who think kp is due to diet: it is!
My research has turned up that almost every skin condition is due to low essential fatty acids. Some people have trouble processing EFAs; for others, it is a dietary problem. I am treating my kp with high ALAs from plant sources in combination with an alpha hydrox scrub in the shower and topical treatment of apple cider vinegar afterward, and my kp is almost entirely gone.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Dale (Fairfield, Ct) on 02/04/2012
★★★★★
After several years of research, I have come into the agreement that keratosis pilaris is primarily the manifestation of chronic autoimmune inflammation or allergic reactions in response to various substances of certain foods. The particular set of causes can differ from person to person. I suggest doing an elimination diet that involves one or more of the following: dairy, soy, grains, wheat, protein. I recommend first reducing your total protein intake, avoiding animal proteins, and restricting the consumption of gluten grains for a good while. At the same time, eat softer foods that are easier to ingest. Do try to detoxify and cleanse a little more as well. If possible, you should definitely seek out doctors that can perform thorough testing for a multitude of sensitivities and intolerances. Finally, see what amount of local food you can obtain or grow yourself. I wish you success.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Pip (Los Angeles, Ca) on 04/30/2010
★★★★★
I dropped dairy and grains and tried soap without parabens, which helped somewhat, especially avoiding hard cheese. However, after dropping Soy Lecithin from my diet my Keratosis Pilaris has cleared up very well.
Dietary Changes
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 04/22/2010
★★★★★
I have seen keratosis pilaris completely eradicated in both my husband and daughter-in-law. It has been done through dietary changes. In the case of my husband, we have eliminated all dairy, eat mostly raw and take green juices every morning. But in the case of my daughter-in-law, I recommended she stop eating dairy. That was a big request for her since she was born and raised in Paris and absolutely loved cheese and yogurt. The main reason I suggested that was because she had a lot of stomach issues.
Well, it's been about 6 mo. since she's really done that and the other day she came to me to say she's noticed many changes in herself since she did that. Her stomach no longer bothers her which is a biggie and a tremendous relief to her. Interestingly, she was told that yogurt would help her stomach, so she would eat it when it hurt. The pain would stop temporarily but then it would return within about an hour.
The second thing she noticed was all the bumps on her upper arms disappeared. The reason she was coming to me was because they have recently returned but this time with white heads on them. She wanted to see if I had an explanation and what else she could do to facilitate her changes. I explained that often, detoxing will come in stages as the body cleanses deeper and deeper, detoxifying old stuff that our body has accumulated. She is only 20 so thankfully, there aren't too many years of accumulation! I also suggested to go gluten-free and drink green juices every morning. Well, she has embraced both of these and is seeing herself rejuvenated! I have to say her facial skin glows! She is a model so that is, most definitely, a benefit to her. She also said she feels lighter and is thinking clearer. She said she has no intention of returning to eating dairy after seeing these big changes especially the absence of constant stomach pain.
I hope this information can help someone else out there. There are answers...
Peace to all of you, Lisa
DMSO and Aspirin
Posted by Ana (Tamuning, Guam) on 01/27/2012
★★★★★
My Keratosis Pilaris (alba) is barely perceivable after only two applications of 70% DMSO mixed with aspirin (a beta-hydroxy acid. ) Fast results! I am so happy!
