Mitigating the Kava Rash

[KrunkMunster]

I wanted to start a thread that pulls together information that I've found in this forum and a few other sources related to the Kava Rash. The Kava Rash is a rash that some have likened this to a food allergy while others have described it as a kind of demopahty. I believe it's probably somewhere in the middle, having characteristics of both.

The symptoms of the Kava Rash, which differ from demopahty, are:

• Bloodshot eyes;
• Hives or body rash that is very itchy. The rash typically starts on the flanks and moves to the chest, neck, arms, and face. I found that the rash can jump around a fair bit.
• Hot feeling skin, the feeling of a sunburn.

One user on another forum described the rash quite well with this post: "I believe I am experiencing this (Kava Rash), but I don't believe it is likely allergic, but some other sort of negative reaction. Since I began taking kava occasionally, a couple weeks in I began to develop a strange rash. The rash was characterized by many small, red spots that were not raised and only much later on began to itch. Beginning on the hands amd slowly up my arms, to my face where then my nose and ears swelled painfully and my forehead became covered in itchy, raised, red bump"

Some sources indicate that between 1-2% of those who consume Kava are allergic and will develop a classic food allergy shortly after consuming Kava. This isn't surprising, as there will always be someone allergic to just about any food/drink we might consume. However, I believe the Kava Rash is different from a typical food allergy. The Kava Rash appears to be related to an allergic reaction, but not quite an allergy. The reason I'm coming to this conclusion, as have others, is that this rash seems to hit some after months or years of consumption and then disappear after a period of time only to return again later. I had been drinking Kava for over a month pretty consistently, when I was hit with classic Kava Rash symptoms the day after I'd consumed Kava. This rash had some of the characteristics of an allergy, but seemed to be more similar to a reaction to poison oak than a food allergy. I also want to point out that some of the Kava Vendors and Bar owners have indicated that this condition is quite rare. I am not convinced that this is true. I believe it is much more common than the 1-2% they report. Most of the reports I found related to the Kava Rash has the user reporting symptoms at least a day after consumption. Therefore, the user would have been long gone from the Kava Bar when the rash hit. This is supported by this excerpt about Fijian Kava drinkers: "Kava drinkers are thus sometimes recognizable by their bloodshot eyes and ulcerous skin" (Lebot, Merlin, & Linddr. 1997. Kava: The Pacific Elixir: The Definitive Guide to Its Ethnobotany, History, and Chemistry). Reports by Kava Bar owners would seem to be related only to those individuals who have a classic food allergy to Kava.

Following are two forum threads that really helped me:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-dermopathy.25/
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/allergy-—-itchy-rash.1734/page-2#post-17349

Note the referenced post in the second link. This contributor seems to capture the Kava Rash really well. Following this contributors advice and those provided by Infraredz in the first link, I've been able to continue to consume Kava with minimal occurrences of the Kava Rash.

Following are things that really helped me:

• Try a different brand of Kava. I had the worst reaction from a specific brand of Kava (a noble). I do get a slight rash from other Kavas, but it is very manageable
• Take 50-mg of Benadryl. This mostly eliminates the rash and the itching. I don't always need to do this, but I do this if I start feeling especially itchy or I develop a rash on my face or arms that would be embarrassing in public. Note: Type-2 antihistamines such as Claritin were not effective for me.
• Keep well hydrated.
• Use a Vitamin E lotion on areas of skin that seem very dry. I have noticed that I have felt itchy from dry skin and there is no rash. It goes without saying that Kava drys out your skin and so perhaps I'm more sensitive to dry skin

These things have really helped me to mitigate any rash and itching I might get from consuming Kava. Now if you just don't want to deal with a rash, then you can avoid all of this by just stopping consumption. However, I believe the benefits of Kava for me are worth the side effects of dealing with a slight rash and itching on occasion.

Here are some general posts about Kava Rash:
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/kava-rash.9206
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/sudden-severe-itching.9214
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/allergy-itchy-rash.8425
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads...ing-giving-up-kava-for-good-here-is-why.6584/
http://kavaforums.com/forum/threads/instant-itchiness-after-drinking-kava.9051/

 

[Deleted User01]

Wow! Good post. You got yourself a PHD in Kava Rash now.

 

[Kavashua]

Potential sources for the rash other than the kava itself. After I developed the rash I replaced my strainer, my thoughts were small amounts of kava was getting stuck in the stitching of the bag and maybe mold might be developing. After a week of drinking micro while waiting for a new strainer to arrive the rash cleared up.

 

[Deleted User01]

You know, if we change the Thread to "Mitigating the Kava Rush", we would have so many new member in here it would make your head spin. Hmmmmmm .....