Keto rash

knackeredat34

Any one else got this?
I'm on week 5, loving this way of eating, lost loads of weight, fabulous health benefits, then I start to get a itchy rash. It's on my back and the back of my neck. I don't normally suffer for rashes and the only thing changed is my diet. So I have googled and keto rash is a thing. I'm going to try a few things, colloidal silver and apple cider vinegar. I may even bump my carbs up a little (hopefully still staying keto) as that seems to be the cure.
I just wondered if anyone else has had this and managed to deal with it.

Azuriaz

Odd. I get that when I eat loads of carby junk. Had it for almost two years when I was obese.

Do you eat dairy, and if so, did you greatly increase it? I notice my skin is clearer when I don't eat dairy. I never had any skin issues when it was all fresh meat and organic veggies (no preservative filled bacon or lunchmeat).

I'd be careful of colloidal silver, that stuff made my kidneys hurt every time I took the recommended amount.

Some poor person on reddit has had it 7 years every time she cuts carbs. Ouch! She asks for advice and gets some in the thread, you might find it an interesting read:

https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/1ypeny/who_needs_keto_sticks_when_youve_got_the_rash/

knackeredat34

Thanks, I'll take a look at that link. Since I wrote the initial post I've been to an exercise class, come back and it's spread across my chest and down my legs. I shall look at cutting out dairy :-(

Azuriaz

Oh goodness, a doctor visit just in case can't hurt, there are other causes for rashes and that sounds like no fun at all!

Foamroller

I had itch red rash on chest and neck during transition to FA. I never figured out what exactly caused it. It went away when fully in FA. So try wait it out, use creams or cold packs meanwhile?

From my friend with a new baby, babies get rashes all the time, possibly because of the high sugar content in breastmilk.

Some advise to take antibiotics vs the keto rash, I strongly advise to NOT do that unless a critical medical condition. Nuking the microbiome unnecessary can have a hefty price later down the road.

But you decide over your body, lol.

knackeredat34

Antibiotics would be a very last resort. I am just going to up my carbs to 40 net rather than the 5-10 I've been having, maybe it was a bit low as I've upped my exercise in the past week, going to take it slow and be kind on my body.

Foamroller

I think it's more about a transition thing than carb count. I weened carbs down, but still had a lot...like 70-80-100g or so. Because was taking instructor exam and couldn't lower exercise regime. My best guess is that going in and out of NK is irritating for the poor mitochondria...or it's connected to the enzymes upregulating.

KnitOrMiss

I had this, and super dry weird random patchy skin. Upping carbs "worked" temporarily for me, but it always caused it to resurge. For me, keeping the carbs low; upping my water, sodium, and electrolytes; and pushing through to FA were all that helped long term. Upping the carbs temporarily helped intermittently, but caused it always to return with a vengeance. I'd rather suffer a few weeks then not have it than have it off and on forever... Of course, you still can obviously FA at the higher level, but it takes far longer.

knackeredat34

I've upped my carbs and stopped IF to halt ketosis for a while, it was climbing up the back of my head in a itchy, blistering red mess. I'm going to keep carbs at 50net for a week or so and see if it gets better (already feels a bit better today) and then ease back down and see if it comes back. How long to properly fat adapt, six months? I don't think i could bare this rash for that long. It defiantly felt like my skin was reacting to the ketones in my sweat which was made worse by really low carbs and lots of exercise, i think i need a balance. I feel fine at 50g and i shall see how it effects weight loss.

Fvaisey

I had that for a while when I first started. I didn't realize that it was from keto until now. Mine was fairly mild and disappeared after 4 weeks or so.

nicintime

When I began LCHF I would have random weird zits (not a lot) pop out on my body. (I'm 59) It went away quickly.

I figured it was a detoxification of sorts - stuff getting 'pushed' out of my 45% body fat. Sigh...

The rashes are weird to me....

Perhaps a similar detox thing is part of the cause?

As has been mentioned, I'd be aggressive with hydration and salt/magnesium /electrolytes.

If that didn't work I'd back off as well on carbs (as much as it pains me to write that) carefully measure and ease myself into ketosis rather than 'parachute' in which I see as normally the best approach.

Some of those rash descriptions sound crazy....

nicintime

Also - not trying to be insulting - be extra careful showering and personal hygiene. If something is detoxing thru your skin you want to get it off quickly.

Experiment. Does the rash go away immediately on increasing carbs? If not, then perhaps it was something else.

Then ease back in and monitor yourself.

Pay attention to your body and try different things.

Good luck!

knackeredat34

Haha yes, i am making sure i shower straight away after exercise. I do think its because i pushed myself a little harder than previous weeks, less than 10net carbs and lots of cardio - i lost 4lbs in 3 days and like magic a rash appeared. Its not grown since i upped the carbs a bit so i am hopeful i can get it under control. I would wait it out if it wasn't spreading or on my neck but it was hideous, i thought i may only be able to leave the house with a scarf and its not winter yet.

DietPrada

I had keto rash pretty bad for the first 3 months or so. It eventually died down. I read ages ago it's a histamine reaction to the fat being secreted through our pores. I used to get itchy everywhere but mainly around my neck. I took hayfever tablets when it was bad and they seemed to help but it's pretty much gone now. Just takes time.

KnitOrMiss

That's interesting, but it makes sense! I read about all the different ways we burn fat and release it (as CO2 in our breath as we sleep, of all things, sometimes!), which is part of how we can wake up weighing less after having only peed, etc. LOL