Here's some background on me.

I'm 17, currently on my second have of my Senior year. Freshman year, I got horrible acne breakouts on my chest and back as well as my face. These started turning to keloids and in a few months started regularly seeing a dermatologist.

I went on medications and topicals but they didn't seem to work that well, so we went to extremes and I went on a drug called accutane. It wiped out most of the acne, and as a result I have really none anymore. It didn't really deal with the keloids though and I'm still getting treatment to flatten them out and reduce the color. They're covering my upper back and chest, luckily not my face.

My overall condition looks much better than half a year ago, but it still looks horrible. In addition to this, several months ago I got a bad breakout of keratosis pilaris on my upper arms.

The creams I took didn't work, and I resorted to using apple cider vinegar. I've been taking it internally[3 times a day, 2 tblsp each time] for probably 2 weeks or so and have applied it to the skin. It has helped slightly. I'm pretty sure the bumps aren't as big, but the coloring is still a major issue. I'm going to keep up this process though, because I've been knowledgeable about 'natural cures' for awhile, and know how much toxins go in our body. Mind you, right now I'm also working at Burger King.

Tonight I read up on a method called Oil Pulling. I might try this out, and I was thinking of getting several colon cleanses. First I need the money though. I'll keep everyone updated though. This place sounds great.

Welcome aboard! Please keep us updated

Thanks, this is the only place I can share my condition other than with my family and the dermatologist.

Here's some pictures..I have the severe kind of both although you might not be able to tell in the pictures.

Hi Josh, I found these directions for an epsom salts bath which is another thing I think is a good inexpensive treatment - "magnesium sulfate can also be absorbed into the skin, reducing inflammation""Hot Epsom salts bath

A hot Epsom salts bath twice a week is beneficial in all cases of acne. This bath is prepared by adding 1 ½ kg of Epsom salts to 60 litres of water having a temperature of about 37.8° C. The patient should remain in the bath tub for 25-35 minutes till he sweats freely. After the bath, the patient should cool off gradually."

ltm - there's an "epsom salts council" - of course! here's a link to a good page there:

Epsom Salt Industry Council - Health - Why It Works

Thanks, I'll read up on it more and try it out sometime.

Well, a month later and nothing's really changed. I blame it on myself as well, however. I have alot of unwatched DVDs I bought, and I've been watching many on my time off. Sitting around doesn't seem to do good for my KP. Also, I haven't been eating well at all. I also noticed I have KP on my back, combined with the keloids. Today I started giving my arm KP sun exposure, only about 5 minutes but every bit counts.

I've noticed my keloids are doing better, however. That's actually my main concern, so it's all well. At least if I'm improving something. I'm going back to visiting the dermatologist every 2 weeks to get them injected, and most notably the ones on my chest are doing better. One spot was already fading, and now is still noticeable but barely. In two months time, it should be completely faded. Another spot has shrunken up in the past few days and is going into the fading process, and with the next injection 3 more look like they're going to do the same thing. These are much worse than the KP, so it's pretty exciting given that it's been years since I've been able to take my shirt off in front of people.

Thanks for sharing this with us.

Yes, Keloids are way more worse than KP!! I'm glad that you are decided to treat both:KP and Keloids

I hope everything goes perfect for you! Just remember not to quit your treatment!!!

Several more KP bumps appeared over the past few days. I can tell they're new because they're alot bigger, redder, and bumpier than the ones around them. The ACV is lessening them very slowly. I'm also going to attempt going in the sun for longer periods of time and I've bought some flax oil, so I hope this helps.

If anyone tries the sunlight method, I've heard that you should avoid the sun from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, but all of the other hours are fine.

3/11/08
I bought some flaxseed oil and have started taking 1 tbsp a day. Tomorrow and every day after, I'll start taking 2 tbsp daily. I also went in the sun for about 20 minutes at around 2:30. It was a nice warm day, a prelude to summer. Afterwards, I watched a movie and noticed my KP looked much better. I'll have to wait and see in a couple weeks how the combination of ACV, sunlight and Flax Oil works in combating my KP. I also have some KP patches on my back but due to the keloids that are there, I can't put sunlight on that area.


3/12/08
I decided I'll only take 1 tbsp of flax oil daily. Coming home from work at 10:00 pm tonight, my KP looks really good. In fact, so do my keloids. Even the KP on my back looked really good, I could hardly tell I had it on my back. Now that I think of it, I can hardly see the KP on my chest either. The KP on my arms is still very visible, but the color is alot lighter and overall just better. I'm unsure as of what the cause is, and if it'll be better tomorrow. It might just be temporary and coincidental, but yesterday I also started eating a carrot a day, which is rich in vitamin A. So this, combined with the flax oil and the sunlight treatment, just might be the formula for my KP cure.

3/25/08
It's already been 2 weeks since I've been using flaxseed oil. My KP looks better on the arms, but I'm not sure whether this is due to the flax oil or sunlight. Several days ago I went in the sun for 30 minutes. That day as I came home from work the KP looked worse, and there was a reddish patch on both arms on the area that was exposed most. I haven't gone in the sun after that, but my arms seem smoother and the KP overall looks better. It's still a long way from being cured, but it's getting better.

Josh,

If you don't sun regularly, 30 min. was probably too long to be in the sun. Next time, try just 5 minutes, and increase gradually in 5 minute increments. Really, you don't need 30 minutes a day. 10 minutes is plenty and will help your health in many ways, including getting enough Vit. D to be able to absorb calcium better. When you sun, don't use sunblock. It prevents the absorption of Vit. D.

kebod

4/3/08
You're probably right. Anyways, I've been eating carrots every day except the past few. I'm still using ACV and Flax Oil. Before I would say my KP[especially on the arms] was severe, an 8 or 9 out of 10. Now I'd say my KP is a 5 or 6. My skin is still sort of bumpy, but a lot better in texture and appearance.

Josh,

That sounds like you have made good progress. How long have you been following this regimen? You might want to add an omega 3 supplement to your diet. Did you try oil pulling?

kebod

4/5/08
My issue right now is money. I'll buy some omega 3 supplements and some oil for oil pulling in a few weeks, see how it goes.

I've been taking 2 tbsp of ACV 3 times daily since January, but I doubt that's the reason my KP is getting better. It's a good cleanser, however, and I'd reccomend it.

I stopped eating carrots days ago. I just hate the taste and the big chunks, but I'm going to buy a blender and drink carrot juice.

I've been going in the sun every couple of days for 30 minutes. I'm going to slowly up the increments to 45 minutes. I believe the main reason my KP is getting better is because of the sunlight, but that's just me.

I've also been taking 1 tbsp of flaxseed oil daily for probably a month now.

Keep in mind, I believe I had the severe kind of KP and I still think it's pretty bad, but it's alot better than before. It's actually standable.

Some more good news, my keloids and the scars are getting better. Like the KP, it's still bad but it looks alot better than 3 months ago.

Josh,

About the carrots. I read that the fiber of raw carrots is not easy for our systems to break down, so we don't get as much nutrution from raw carrots as we do from cooked carrots or carrot juice. Even grated carrots would give you more nutrition, provided you chewed it to a pulp. You could also take Vit. A or beta carotene capsules.

kebod

Please see my blog for the exact study but vitamin A is linked with an increase in morbidity rates - this is supplemental vitamin A not what we can get from fruits and veggies but it does seem to include beta-carotene supplements. I wonder how much of it is just because it may be hard on our livers to take artificial supplements for long periods of time? I have no idea though the study did seem to be done by a group of hepatologists (liver) but looks at data from many studies. Carrot juice is probably the way to go there as much as possible would be my inclination. - bd