Kim Kardashian gives close-up look at ‘painful’ psoriasis rash on her leg and says she’s ‘tried everything’ to treat it – after defending her tanning bed use

Kim Kardashian is giving fans an honest look at her over decade-long battle with psoriasis after defending her use of tanning beds to treat the chronic skin condition.

On Tuesday, the reality TV star, 43 — who was diagnosed in 2011 — uploaded a video of her latest ‘painful’ psoriasis flareup on her right calf.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder that causes skin cells to multiply too rapidly, resulting in a body rash that’s often scaly, itchy and inflamed.

Kim told her 364million followers that she can’t determine the cause of her latest flareup and that it is migrating up and down her leg.

‘How crazy is my psoriasis right now guys,’ narrated Kim as she zoomed in on the sizable rash.

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Kim Kardashian is giving fans an honest look at her over decade-long battle with psoriasis after defending her use of tanning beds to treat the chronic skin condition

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On Tuesday, the reality TV star, 43 — who was diagnosed in 2011 — uploaded a video of her latest ‘painful’ psoriasis flareup on her right calf

‘It’s like all up my leg and I don’t know what’s happening but I got to figure this out… this is crazy.’

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Kim told her 364million followers that she can’t determine the cause of her latest flareup and that it is migrating up and down her leg

She emphasized just how ‘painful’ the rash is and insisted that she’s ‘tried everything’ to treat it.

According to the NHS, doctors most commonly prescribe topical corticosteroids to reduce inflammation but those who suffer from severe psoriasis may seek out phototherapy, immunosuppressants or homeopathic remedies for relief.

‘Not gonna lie this is painful,’ Kim wrote. ‘Not sure what my triggers are. I haven’t changed my diet. I’ve tried everything! Psoriasis sucks.’

In a follow-up clip, the mother-of-four explained that her psoriasis ‘usually’ occurs in the same spot on her calf but that this time it’s moving ‘up my thigh.’

‘So I just know it’s time to figure this out,’ said an emotionally exhausted Kim.

To wrap up, the SKKN by Kim founder stood in front of her bathroom mirror and pointed out that her rash is sort of heart-shaped – just in time for Valentine’s Day.

‘Lucky me, I have a heart-shaped psoriasis.’

Kim said that she posted the close-up videos because she ‘wanted to share my journey with you guys.’ She included the hashtag #psoriasissucks.

Later in the day, Kim returned to Instagram to show herself getting her makeup done.

Her latest posts come nearly two weeks after she defended using tanning beds for her psoriasis after fans criticized her for promoting the dangerous beauty practice.

Kim Kardashian opens up about her struggles with psoriasis

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‘How crazy is my psoriasis right now guys,’ narrated Kim as she zoomed in on the sizable rash. ‘It’s like all up my leg and I don’t know what’s happening but I got to figure this out… this is crazy’

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She emphasized just how ‘painful’ the rash is and insisted that she’s ‘tried everything’ to treat it

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View gallery

To wrap up, the SKKN by Kim founder stood in front of her bathroom mirror and pointed out that her rash is sort of heart-shaped – just in time for Valentine’s Day

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View gallery

Later in the day, Kim returned to Instagram to show herself getting her makeup done

She did so to promote her brand SKKN by Kim’s new line of lip liners

Kim Kardashian samples some of her new skkn lip products

Days earlier, she had made a TikTok video showing off the new offices for her relaunched beauty brand SKKN by Kim – complete with tanning bed.

‘I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have a tanning bed and a red light bed in my office,’ she says in the video, which has since racked up over 14 million views.

The backlash started almost immediately with people calling her out for a practice that can cause skin cancer, which her sister Khloé Kardashian, 39, has had twice.

‘I have psoriasis and it really helps when it’s bad. But I don’t use it too often, she wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter in reply to an Allure magazine article that criticized her for trying to normalize tanning.

WHAT IS PSORIASIS?

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that affects the skin and sometimes the joints.

Around two per cent of people in the US and UK suffer from the condition.

Psoriasis occurs when a person’s skin replacement process takes place within days rather than the usual 21-to-28 days.

The accumulation of skin cells builds up to form raised plaques, which can be flaky, scaly and itchy.

Psoriasis arthritis can occur in the joints near affected skin, causing them to become tender, swollen and stiff.

Anyone can suffer, but psoriasis is more common in people in their late teens-to-early 30s or those between the ages of 50 and 60.

Psoriasis’ cause is unclear. Flare-ups can be triggered by stress, skin injury, hormonal changes and certain medications.

It is not contagious and there is no cure.

Treatment focuses on managing symptoms via topical creams, gels and medication.

The tanning controversy started when the beauty guru jumped on the recent ‘I’m ____, of course’  trend by sharing a video tour of her Skkn by Kim office on Thursday.

In the video, Kim strolls through her offices wearing a cozy looking robe and says things like I’m Kim Kardashian, of course I have all my magazine covers covering my walls.’

Soon after the video was posted, Allure wrote an opinion piece titled ‘Please, Kim Kardashian, Don’t Try to Normalize Tanning Beds,’ which cited the high risk of skin cancer associated with indoor tanning.

The magazine pointed out, ‘contrary to popular belief, UV exposure can be more harmful than helpful in the treatment of psoriasis.’

Kim reposted the article and wrote: ‘I have psoriasis and it really helps when it’s bad. But I don’t use it too often.’

One asked in the comments of the TikTok video: ‘So can I go back into the tanning beds if Kim Kardashian does ?’

One Twitter user commented: ‘Still don’t try to normalize it, or at least state why you’re using it.. Your followers would be using it without knowing why… And IT COULD CAUSE complications.’

Kim has been candid about her psoriasis in the past, showing photos of her skin when it is red and inflamed.

In 2019, the mom of four wrote an essay about her autoimmune disorder for Kourtney Kardashian‘s Poosh site.

‘If you have psoriasis, you can’t let it ruin your life or get the best of you, ‘ she began.

‘You have to do what you can to make sure you are comfortable but not let it take over,’ she wrote.

‘I hope my story can help anyone else with an autoimmune disease feel confident that there is light at the end of the tunnel.’