Kim Kardashian West Just Got Extra Candid About Her Psoriasis
Kim Kardashian West has been quite open about her battle with psoriasis since first sharing the experience of being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease 13 years ago on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
The chronic illness, which manifests itself in red, flaky, itchy patches on the skin, can be unpredictable, since there are a number of factors that can trigger flare-ups, including stress. However, psoriasis is treatable. Throughout the years, West has always been transparent about the current state of her psoriasis by sharing makeup-free photos of her flare-ups on social media, and revealing what skincare products and treatments she's used to try to get the condition under control. But West's latest update on her psoriasis is her most candid, personal one yet.
In an essay published on her sister Kourtney's lifestyle website Poosh, the star shared a detailed account of what it's like living with the autoimmune disease, along with never-before-seen photos of her flare-ups. She said that her flare-ups have been unpredictable for the past eight years, but they often show up on her right lower leg — the spot where she first noticed her psoriasis.
However, earlier this year, flare-ups weren't her only concern. In the essay, West shared that one night she woke up unable to move her hands, a symptom that continued into the morning. Afraid she might have rheumatoid arthritis, she went to the doctor immediately for tests.
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"I had my blood tested for all possibilities, and it came back positive for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. I immediately started to cry and felt so lost," West wrote. "You really can get in a crazy head space when you think you have something. My doctor said I could have a false positive, and he wanted me to come back." West's lupus scare was shown on a recent episode of KUWTK.
West's tests ended up being false positives for rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, but it was discovered that she has psoriatic arthritis. This is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis. It can come and go, but it's manageable with proper care. In the months before her arthritis scare, West reveals that she was trying a number of natural remedies to try to get her psoriasis under control, including switching to a plant-based diet.
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"Before the arthritis hit, I spent about four months doing everything natural—every ointment, cream, serum, and foam you can possibly imagine and everything from the dermatologist" she shared. "I even tried an herbal tea that tasted like tar. I tried celery juice for eight weeks. Then I’d do celery juice mixed with the tea. I would do that twice a day. I was just exhausted by everything. I changed my diet to plant-based (which I still follow)."
West's KKW Beauty body foundation was inspired by her struggle to cover up her psoriasis on the red carpet, but today, she's comfortable with having red patches on her body, specifically her leg. “I have learned to live with this spot without using any creams or medication—I just deal. Sometimes I cover it up and sometimes I don’t. It doesn’t really bother me."
Her overall advice for dealing with a chronic disease like psoriasis? "If you have psoriasis, you can’t let it ruin your life or get the best of you," she penned. "You have to do what you can to make sure you are comfortable but not let it take over."
