I itch! Help

#1

The past week or two I have been itchy at the small of my back (usually on one side only), on my arms, my legs! I dont really see a rash forming (and I hope it doesnt) but it still itches!!! It seemed to fare up after I started intermittent fasting frequently but I have since stopped.

Ive been pouring over info about the Keto Rash and all the information I can find makes me feel awful; increase carb intake, stop exercising, stop fasting.

Im just starting my 5th week on keto (Ive been solid for a month now!) and Im only just experiencing this itchiness. Does anyone else have some experience with this? Will it pass? Ive been enjoying my time on keto and I dont want to have to stop in order to prevent a huge rash breakout.

:frowning:

(Edith) #2

Did you start eating something new that maybe you didn’t eat before such as a type of nut, or dairy? Did you try using a different skin care product or laundry detergent? It sounds like a reaction to something.

#3

I did start new foods when I started on keto but that was a month ago. The itching started after I started intermittent fasting for 4 days last week.

(Edith) #4

We don’t become allergic to something the first time we try it, the body learns to be allergic. The intermittent fast could just be coincidental. You may want to remove the new food and see what happens.

(Chris W) #5

I have had it since about week 6 and it seemed to come about when I exercise more, I am not quite 6 months in in was particularly bad until fat adaption. It does not really match the description that many others have called keto rash at least for me.

It appeared on legs were my socks started on my to my ankles, on the back of my arms from my elbows up to about midway to my shoulder and on my forearms down some. I have also had it on my chest below my neck line. It seems to be for me at least places were I have little fat tissues, were I have worked the most, and that clothing touches for extended periods of time. It has died down now and I only get a flare up now and again, I have not really tracked when.

My fix was to use a goat milk based cream, it works wonderful and last longer than any typical body cream. I treat my self once I shower after workout and rarely do I get a flare up.

Personal theory is that it is acetone leaving the body, I used to work with acetone a lot and it made my skin act in similar fashion. I don’t believe that intake of carbs would be beneficial as you are just stopping the process, I noticed no difference with IF, exercise may change it but for me it never spread and the fix kept in check. I am starting an EF today so I will make a note if I feel it flare up.

#6

Im trying to think of things I didnt eat before Keto, and the main things would simply be artificial sweetners. (Erythritol and Stevia) and hemp seeds.

Otherwise the main things that comprise my diet are things i have eaten tons before (maybe not in the same quantities) but they are all things I was exposed to on a regular basis.

I made “keto oatmeal” out of the hemp seeds and Ive consumed 3 tbsp of those 5 days a week basically since I started. The funny thing is that when I decided to intermittent fast, I completely cut out the hemp seed breakfast for a whole week and thats when the symptoms of itching were triggered.

(Betsy) #7

Your adrenals might not be up to the stress of fasting, but I don’t know how that would affect nerve endings.

#8

Is 4 weeks too early to start fasting? Im probably not fat adapted yet but Im not sure how to know that I am

(Skully) #9

I never believed this before, but get a dry brush. It saved me.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #10

Hot air from a hair dryer will scratch the itch without damaging the skin (as long as you don’t burn yourself!). A colloidal oatmeal bath, or benadryl applied topically or taken internally might also help. As a last resort, try cortisone ointment.

Also try switching to a free and clear laundry detergent, don’t use enzyme stain remover, and try going without fabric softener.

#11

I did not have ‘rash’ but I did definitely have a couple days or so of intense itchies. I chalked it up to ‘body shock’ and it took about a week or so to stop. Sorry, I know that’s not good news. I did try a ‘anti-itch’ lotion or two and ended up with something called ‘egyptian magic’ which helped me. I did cut my fingernails -all- the way down though. The itchy has been gone for awhile now, and has not returned.
Hope you feel better soon:wink:

(Joe) #12

This is why i love this forum. Ive never heard of this until just now. My legs have been itchy since keto and IF too, right along the inside of my knees. I chalked it up to winter weather but it was a little raise and red almost like early stages of poison ivy. I would love to know what causes this and maybe its an indication of something good happening!

(Chris W) #13

Nobody really knows for sure, lots of conjecture, there also seems to be several different versions, some effecting large areas. The goat milk lotion works very well for me, I am not a goat milk lotion kind of guy either, I use it because I guy I work with helps his wife make it he brought some samples in and I tried it.

#14

It seems to have been dying down now; it may have also been a lot of anxiety.
But i bought some Ox Bile pills and some tee tree oil body wash to help make the itching go down.

#15

Probably a wee bit of detoxing going on which you will see when you IF, or just your body’s way of adjusting to keto, so nothing to worry about too much. Check your electrolytes though x

(Petra) #16

@MissSimon I had a rash on the sides of my hips that was very itchy about 6 weeks after starting Keto. None of the natural remedies helped and it started to spread. I succumbed and finally used cortisone cream which took care of it. I have been on Keto for over a year now and it hasn’t come back.

(Deborah Blau) #17

I have been dealing with a rash on my chest. I had it pre-keto, but it did seem to get worse after drinking a lovely Bai drink. Wondering if erythritol and I cannot be friends. Anybody have that sort of experience? Sensitive skin for years.

(Martina ) #18

Erithrtol is known to kill the bacteria that causes acne. It may be that. However people do get rashes and hives from it so I’m not suggesting you keep consuming it, but wonder if small amounts of it long term are actually beneficial…something to work on with a doc who really cares to help you find out. Usually a naturopath or someone like Dr Steve Gundry who will test you repeatedly after eliminations and additions. I’m here because I’ve recently made muffins with erithytol and my face and forehead became very dry and itchy. It’s definitely from the muffins. I’m very strict in an elimination diet at the moment and have reproduced this effect a few times only when making these muffins. I however could be sensitive to blanched almonds. Haven’t ruled that out. I know that have a bad reaction to almond butter due to the lectins in the skins. Try isolating and reproducing the effect if you want by having the sweetner alone. I don’t see anything on the bai label that is as suspicious as the eritytol. It is also known to make some people have coughing fits.

(Joey) #19

@Martina - welcome to the forum!

Being new you might not have noticed that the thread to which you just responded is almost 5 years old. Your experience and suggestions are valuable, perhaps for someone else experiencing similar situations, but don;t be surprised if the folks higher up in this particular chain of posts don’t read or respond after so much time has passed.

Best wishes in your keto journey. Hope this forum becomes a useful source of info for you!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #20

Following on from Joey’s comment, let me just mention that the founder of this site, Richard Morris, actually prefers people to reply to old threads, rather than starting new ones. (Most sites, of course, have the exact opposite policy.) Richard’s thought is that this helps keep all the relevant information in one place. So we’re only mentioning this is an old thread so you won’t be disappointed by any lack of response.