Kim Kardashian has been open about her battle with psoriasis – but she’s not the only member of her family battling a skin condition.
The 43-year-old revealed that one of her sons suffers from vitiligo, a disease that causes loss of skin color in patches because pigment-producing cells have stopped functioning, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Kim shares two sons, Saint, eight, and Psalm, five – as well as daughters North, 11, and Chicago, six – with her ex-husband, Kanye West.
While she didn’t specify which son had been diagnosed with vitiligo, she did say that his condition is “under control”.
“It came from my mom, went to me … and I passed it on in a different form to my son, who has vitiligo very mildly,” she said on the She MD podcast while discussing her journey with psoriasis.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” she admitted. “But having to learn about it and figuring out where it came from and that it’s hereditary and just learning more and being able to share that [has been a blessing].”
The Kardashians star also noted that her “kids have a little bit of eczema”.
Kim was diagnosed with psoriasis, which causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, and scalp, in 2011 and has been open about the physical distress the skin condition has caused her.
In 2019, she penned a heartfelt essay on her sister, Kourtney Kardashian’s Poosh website, revealing that although it went away during her pregnancies, it crept back all over her body and left her unable to use her hands.
“One night, I woke up to use the restroom and I physically couldn’t pick up my phone,” she said.
“I woke up that morning and I still couldn’t pick up my phone. I was freaking out – I couldn’t even pick up a toothbrush, my hands hurt so badly.”
The reality star has overhauled her lifestyle to try and help. “I live a healthy life and try to eat as plant-based as possible and drink sea moss smoothies,” she explained.
“With all the stress in life, I try to make sure I take time for myself so that I am centered and keep my stress to a minimum.”
As for the visual effect of the condition, Kim confessed that she still gets insecure but stressed that covering it up is just as okay as embracing it.
“I am fine with showing it off and other times I don’t want it to be a distraction, so I cover it up with body makeup,” she revealed.
“If you have psoriasis, you can’t let it ruin your life or get the best of you. You have to do what you can to make sure you are comfortable but not let it take over.”
Expanding on the remedies she has tried to help with her condition, Kim added to podcast host Dr. Thais Aliabadi: “I’ll do anything.
“I’ve tried … special herbs, the holistic way, a celery juice diet for six weeks, every topical cream, every soap from natural to unnatural.”
