I Cured My Keto Rash

Suddenly, you itch. Red bumps start forming, and you aren’t exactly sure why. You have never heard of the dreaded keto rash before so you have no idea why this is suddenly happening to you. You start to put two and two together. You Google “rash on keto” not even knowing if this is the cause, and there it is. Keto Rash.

Suddenly panic sets in, you scratch more. It gets worse as you start seeing the pictures of people suffering from this mysterious condition. I can remember the panic set in for me, after finding so much success on keto and thinking to myself “what if I have to quit keto forever?” Luckily for me, I haven’t had a recurrence in over a year. Read on to find out what worked for me.

What is keto rash and why does it happen?

Emily’s neck with keto rash

Keto may be gaining popularity compared to ten years ago but that does not mean that there is clinical research as to why keto rash happens or what causes it. Some theories state that keto rash can be caused by ketones excreted and sitting on the surface of the skin. Others claim it’s caused by supposed toxins leaving fat cells and causing a reaction.

The truth is if you go to a doctor and show them your rash they might not even know WHAT it is. During my deep dive of research trying to learn what this was and why it was happening to me, I read countless stories of people who went to the doctor only to find that they had no clue what they were looking at or why it happens. From these accounts, I learned that they will typically prescribe a topical steroid or cream that may help…or not.

Some people will NEVER experience keto rash and for others, it might be a common occurrence that happens from time to time. I have had Keto Rash two times since I started living ketogenically in January of 2019.

how do I cure keto rash?

If your case of keto rash is mild and tolerable, you may be more inclined to try some of the “treatments” you will find on the internet. I have tried some of them that I found while scrolling on Reddit, and while they did soothe my itching temporarily they did not cure it.

I have tried:

Dandelion Root Supplements. Some have found success using Dandelion Root Tea, I prefer the supplements because the tea can be very bitter.

Black Seed Oil : This oil is extracted by the Nigella Sativa plant. From my research I learned it is used to treat digestive issues and other health problems like asthma. I read about this oil on Reddit while searching for keto rash treatments and decided to try it. I took a cotton swab and dabbed the oil on my keto rash several times a day to soothe it. You can also drink it or buy it in capsule form, but be warned. it’s extremely strong tasting and has a very strong spice aroma.

Ox Bile Supplements: There have been posts on Reddit stating that these supplements cured their keto rash. I did not try Ox bile, but if my keto rash didn’t heal I was going to buy these next.

Other ways to help keto rash: Topical creams like hydrocortisone may help. Taking frequent showers and keeping the areas free of sweat, especially in hot weather or after you exercise has been found to a useful treatment, although I haven’t found that this cures keto rash fully. Showers and keeping the area sweat-free at all times might relieve some of your symptoms.

Then, of course, there’s the way I did it.

Do I have to Kick Myself Out OF Ketosis To Cure keto Rash?

I did. Twice. The first time I got keto rash I was adamant that I was going to stay in ketosis and wait it out, and honestly, I wish I hadn’t! It did not go away until I kicked myself out of ketosis for about 3 days.

Say you’ve tried the black seed oil, the dandelion root supplements, and even the ox bile supplement…and you see no improvement on your keto rash. Maybe it's time you consider eating carbs.

There are two ways to do this:

Slowly increase your carb intake until you see the symptoms subsiding. Or, go all out and order a pizza.

I chose option number two because I waited so long that the itching became unbearable and I couldn’t sleep. It was agonizing. The next day I woke up (after 5 sleepless nights) and I noticed the itching had gone down considerably. After day two the itching was gone, then the rash started to heal. It was not fully healed when I attempted to start keto again.

After about 4 days of eating carbs, I was once again ready to enter ketosis. I know this is the way I should be living, and it’s the only lifestyle that I’ve been able to regain control of my eating habits and my weight. I needed to go back.

I re-entered ketosis with no issue. I went back to my normal ketogenic lifestyle. Everything seemed fine. My keto rash continued to heal and after a week or so my skin was almost back to normal.

will my keto rash come back?

My keto rash did. I was sitting on the couch about 6 months later and started scratching my neck. It was slightly red. I didn’t make the connection. I must have forgotten the agony I was in before. As the day progressed it got incrementally worse.

When I went to bed that night and I couldn’t immediately fall asleep (like I usually do on keto) I started to have a sinking feeling in my stomach. What if my keto rash is back? I woke up the next day and it was worse. Suddenly panicking I raced downstairs into the kitchen to find anything I could eat to kick me out of ketosis while taking the Dandelion Root and blotting the sides of my neck with Black Seed Oil that I still had in a drawer just in case.

Ripping through the kitchen cabinets I found a bag of old cane sugar. I have been on keto for so long that I had nothing except this (probably expired sugar.) I took about 4 tablespoons of the sugar, dissolved it in a cup of water, and drank the whole thing. I did the same thing in the evening. I woke up the next day and the rash had stopped in its tracks. I was no longer itchy, and since the rash was pretty new, it didn’t need a long time to heal like the first time I developed keto rash.

I took one more day off, just to make sure. Then I started to eat to re-enter ketosis again. It hasn’t returned.

DO NOt Feel Guilty

In these situations, you should not allow yourself to feel guilty that you had to do what you had to do in order to alleviate your suffering. We do NOT condone cheat days on keto, except in this case. Cheating worked for me, twice. If my keto rash decides to return you better believe that I will be the first one on the phone ordering a pizza so that I can stop it in its tracks, and I will NOT feel bad about it!

Sarah and I always preach sustainability on this lifestyle, otherwise, how would anyone last for years?

Some people might feel that if they cheat it nullifies all the work they’ve done so far on this lifestyle. You may set yourself back a couple of days or a week, but if you don’t cure it and the keto rash is allowed to continue to get worse and spread, potentially causing scarring, what is the point? You might be so traumatized from the keto rash experience that you give up a low-carb lifestyle altogether!

If you would like to see the video I made right after my first round of keto rash you can watch it below. I was obviously traumatized by the experience but I still stand behind what I said in this video!

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