Keto rash, orprurigo pigmentosa, is a rare inflammatory skin problem.

Also calledNagashimadisease, the keto rash causes an itchy rash withvesicles(fluid-filled blisters).

It often appears on your neck and trunk.

A healthcare provider puts on gloves for an exam

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The blisters change and crust into darker-pigmented spots that form a netlike pattern.

The keto rash is often linked to theketogenic (keto) dietor health conditions that produceketosis.

In this state, your body uses stored fat rather than glucose for energy.

Jamie Johnson, RDN

The ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan.

It is most often recommended to treat people withepilepsythat is hard to control.

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What Does the Keto Rash Look Like?

The appearance of a keto rash can vary based on your skin tone and texture.

A keto rash typically occurs 31 days after starting a keto diet.

For most people, the rash subsides about 18 days after ending the keto diet.

What Causes a Keto Rash?

The exact cause of a keto rash is not known.

The rash is named as a result of its link to the ketogenic diet.

A ketogenic diet involves limitingproteinand carbohydrates, so most of your energy is produced from fat.

Ketosis can also be triggered byfasting, insulin-dependent diabetes, orbariatric surgery.

How to Treat the Keto Rash

The best way to treat a keto rash varies by individual.

Contact a healthcare provider regarding the onset of a keto rash or any rash that persists and worsens.

Some of the following strategies may provide relief or even resolve symptoms.

This may help you maintain the benefits of a keto diet without the side effect of a keto rash.

There is evidence that maintaining these defined carbohydrate levels can reduce the keto rash without sacrificing ketogenesis.

Correct Nutrient Deficiencies

Removing entire food groups from your diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies.

Research indicates that certain nutrient deficiencies manifest as skin disorders.

It is important to have the allergy diagnosed and then avoid the specific food allergen.

Ketosis is the state in which your body uses fat rather than glucose for fuel.

The keto diet is mainly used to treat drug-resistant epilepsy.

However, it has also been used for weight loss and diabetes management.

While it may have healthful uses, the keto diet is a very strict eating plan.

It is best started with the oversight of a healthcare provider.

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