Granuloma Annulare: A natural treatment update

After 12 weeks of treatment on my granuloma annulare (GA), I’m pleasantly surprised by the progress. My skin looks much less “angry”. The raised bumps and ridges have smoothed out and the skin feels less fibrous.

The redness has been stubborn, but it’s s l o w l y starting to fade. Skin discolouration, otherwise known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation always takes a long time to heal. Melanocytes (the skin cells that cause pigmentation) are like a naughty teenager – once they’ve gone rouge they become very hard to control.

I also have much less joint pain. Pain isn’t always typical of GA, but it’s been reported in a number of cases. Some people get pain, some people get itching, while others just have the skin lesions themselves. All of these symptoms are clues about which type of inflammatory process is going on (Th1, Th2, Th9, Th17 etc).

Why am I surprised?

The main reason I’m pleasantly surprised about my progress is because I’m limited by what supplements I can take while breastfeeding. I would have been much more aggressive with my protocol if I didn’t have to feed our baby.

I also haven’t had control over my living situation to promote the optimal healing environment. When you’re traveling it’s hard to control your exposure to toxins. I’ve been exposed to excessive traffic pollution, I’ve used chemical laden laundry products, I’ve cooked with teflon coated pans, I’ve drunk tap water and been exposed to mold in an air-conditioning unit. Toxins are a BIG deal when it comes to skin conditions and autoimmune disease.

All-in-all it’s about being better, not perfect, but I can’t help but wonder if this would have been quicker if i had done everything “right”. Despite my limitations, I’ve definitely made progress with my skin and I’m happy to be moving forwards, not backwards.

Now let’s address a very important question (and the reason why you’re probably still reading this!)

What helped my Granuloma Annulare?

I did 5 key things. Before I go into them, please remember what worked for me is unlikely to be the recipe that will work for you. I’m not gatekeeping, I’m just being honest & above all SAFE. Some supplements can make you worse (depending on your immune type, what order you take them in, what form you take them in etc), so it’s important to know what you’re doing.

We all carry our skin with us, wherever we go. Your skin has been with you & experienced everything you’ve done in your entire life. From the different environments you’ve been in, to the chemicals that you put on it, to the different foods that you eat.

Your skin has lived a completely different life compared to mine, which means your solution will also be different (despite having the same diagnosis of GA).

5 things that helped my Granuloma Annulare:

1. I stopped focusing on the skin and started listening to the rest of my body. What else was going on? I had right rib pain. Liver & gall bladder signs. Constipation. Diarrhoea. Upper abdominal bloating & tenderness in the morning. Bumps on my arms (keratosis pilaris). Lymphatic congestion (puffiness & cellulite). Sugar cravings. All of this had happened since giving birth to our baby & was easy enough to ignore while being a busy mum.
2. I moved away from some toxic people that had entered my life.
3. I returned to what lights me up & makes me happy. Listening to podcasts, learning new things, carving out a little bit of time to express myself creatively. I also reconnected with some old friends.
4. I took supplements to address stealth infections first, then I worked on the gut, gallbladder & liver. I suspect I had a parasite from traveling & I also have a history of Clostridium difficile & mold mycotoxins which were present on an Organic Acid Test (OAT).
5. I avoided HIIT exercise (which is also a stress). I stuck to walking only.

Key questions to ask yourself if you have Granuloma Annulare:

• What other symptoms are going on in your body? What have you been casually dismissing, making excuses for or ignoring? Please tune in to this. There’s big clues here – and yes, it’s connected to your skin.

• Stress & unresolved emotions tend to come out through your skin. What are you having trouble processing? If you’re getting gut symptoms, what’s been difficult for you to “digest” emotionally? Do you have stored anger or resentment? Get clear on the people you currently have in your life – how do you feel after interacting with them? Energised or drained?

• Autoimmune disease is a loss of self-identity. Your immune system literally starts to attack yourself. Many women go through a huge identity shift after they’ve had a baby, which is often why autoimmune disease will show up in the postpartum period. Do you feel you lost your sense of self? What did you love to do as a child, or was there a time in your life when you were happy & felt “in flow”? Do more of that.

• What illnesses have you had in the past, prior to your GA diagnosis? Sometimes it’s best to treat a history of infections with the guidance of a health practitioner. Infections come to the surface under stress.

Want our help?

If you’re interested in getting some professional guidance for your skin, register your name below to get on the waitlist. We have an exciting program specifically for Granuloma Annulare that will launch in 2024!