A member's post about an allergic reaction to kava and a few other posts about dermo have made me realise that many new users might be confusing these two distinct (albeit possibly somewhat remotely related as proposed by Lebot et al and our friend @KrunkMunster ). So just a quick list. Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.
Kava Dermopathy (more accurately described as "acquired ichthyosis", also known as kani kani in Fiji). Key characteristics:
-Affects most (if not all?) heavy and chronic users of kava (usually more than 250g of powder per week and daily consumption over several months or years).
-Starts with a bit of itchiness and dry skin
-Skin might be a bit reddish/irritated
-Slowly progresses, skin gets drier, flaky. Can be quite itchy (due to drying)
-Reduction or cessation of kava consumption gradually reduces the symptoms within 2-3 weeks.
-It can be mitigated with moisturises, diet rich in fish, coconut oil etc
-It can be avoided by moderation in kava consumption
-Generally not recognised as a big problem.
Kava Allergy - Generally similar to many other food or drug allergies, but (fortunately) there are no reports of anyone going into an anaphylactic shock because of it.
-Affects only a very small % of kava users. Anecdotally, it is more likely to affect women of European ancestry and/or men and women of English/Northern European ancestry than anyone else.
-It's not dose-dependent. Some people get an allergic reaction to a kava candy, others get it after consuming 1kg of strong kava
-Most people who get it, experience it out of a sudden following several weeks of kava consumption (usually within the first 3 months). Some people can get it after many years of consumption.
-Starts with a very itchy rash or "sun burn"-type, persistent and itchy red skin. These symptoms usually occur within a couple of hours of consumption (up to 6, but rarely within the first half an hour)
-Can progress to extremely itchy and/or painful hives, rapidly spreading rash
-in more extreme cases it causes "puffy"/"swollen" face, hands etc. The "puffy face" is probably the single biggest difference. Even the most extreme forms of kava dermo won't cause the "puffy face" (but may cause some reddish rash and/or itching)
-No reports of difficulty breathing, possibly due to relatively slow development and skin-centric nature of the allergy? (just pure speculation)
-According to some reports it is (in many cases) "reversible" - some users only get it once or twice and never again. Others manage to get desensitised, i.e. manage to "drink through it".
Note: Easy to confuse with an allergy to mould or other substances present in your kava.
Kava Dermopathy (more accurately described as "acquired ichthyosis", also known as kani kani in Fiji). Key characteristics:
-Affects most (if not all?) heavy and chronic users of kava (usually more than 250g of powder per week and daily consumption over several months or years).
-Starts with a bit of itchiness and dry skin
-Skin might be a bit reddish/irritated
-Slowly progresses, skin gets drier, flaky. Can be quite itchy (due to drying)
-Reduction or cessation of kava consumption gradually reduces the symptoms within 2-3 weeks.
-It can be mitigated with moisturises, diet rich in fish, coconut oil etc
-It can be avoided by moderation in kava consumption
-Generally not recognised as a big problem.
Kava Allergy - Generally similar to many other food or drug allergies, but (fortunately) there are no reports of anyone going into an anaphylactic shock because of it.
-Affects only a very small % of kava users. Anecdotally, it is more likely to affect women of European ancestry and/or men and women of English/Northern European ancestry than anyone else.
-It's not dose-dependent. Some people get an allergic reaction to a kava candy, others get it after consuming 1kg of strong kava
-Most people who get it, experience it out of a sudden following several weeks of kava consumption (usually within the first 3 months). Some people can get it after many years of consumption.
-Starts with a very itchy rash or "sun burn"-type, persistent and itchy red skin. These symptoms usually occur within a couple of hours of consumption (up to 6, but rarely within the first half an hour)
-Can progress to extremely itchy and/or painful hives, rapidly spreading rash
-in more extreme cases it causes "puffy"/"swollen" face, hands etc. The "puffy face" is probably the single biggest difference. Even the most extreme forms of kava dermo won't cause the "puffy face" (but may cause some reddish rash and/or itching)
-No reports of difficulty breathing, possibly due to relatively slow development and skin-centric nature of the allergy? (just pure speculation)
-According to some reports it is (in many cases) "reversible" - some users only get it once or twice and never again. Others manage to get desensitised, i.e. manage to "drink through it".
Note: Easy to confuse with an allergy to mould or other substances present in your kava.
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have you tried re-introducing kava using smaller amounts?