Kim Kardashian has spent years publicly documenting her psoriasis, but she says accepting the chronic condition was more difficult than she sometimes let on. The 45-year-old entrepreneur admits that worsening flare-ups could dramatically affect how she felt about herself, particularly when patches began spreading toward her face.
In a new PEOPLE interview, Kardashian recalled one especially uncomfortable nighttime routine involving medicated ointment and plastic wrap. She would cover affected areas before bed to help lock the ointment in, joking that the resulting noise made her sleep like a “crunchy Tin-Man.”
Kardashian said she also tried steroid treatments but found that her symptoms returned after she stopped using them. At times she felt confident that she could simply live with psoriasis, but she said that confidence changed when the affected areas became larger and began appearing closer to her face.
She is now partnering with Broc Shot, a dietary supplement made with sulforaphane derived from broccoli seeds. Kardashian says a friend originally recommended the product when her psoriasis had become “unbearable,” and she began taking it before entering into a public partnership with the company.
Years of Trial and Error Came Before the New Routine
Kardashian’s experiences with psoriasis predate the new partnership by many years. She has previously discussed trying numerous approaches to manage flare-ups, including topical products, steroids, light-based treatments and sleeping with affected areas wrapped in plastic.
In her latest interview, Kardashian explained that she would apply ointment during the day and wrap the affected skin in Saran Wrap at night to help “really lock it in.” The method offered some relief, but it was far from comfortable. “I used to have Saran Wrap by the side of my bed,” Kardashian told PEOPLE. She joked that she would “sleep like crunchy Tin-Man,” with the plastic making noise whenever she moved.
Steroids presented a different problem for her. Kardashian said they did not provide the lasting results she wanted because “as soon as you stop them, it’s coming right back.” The recurring flare-ups also affected her emotionally. “My confidence level, and how I felt about my skin, went up and down based on how bad it would get,” she said.
Kardashian recalled periods when she felt strong enough to accept the condition, telling herself she could live with it. But that confidence became harder to maintain when the patches grew. “Then when the spots would get bigger and bigger and start going up to my face, then I started to get really insecure,” she said.
Broc Shot Is Now a Business Partnership as Well as Part of Her Routine
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Kardashian says she began using Broc Shot before becoming publicly involved with the company. WWD reported that she has joined the Los Angeles-based supplement brand as an advocate after incorporating the product into her own routine. Broc Shot contains sulforaphane derived from broccoli seeds and is sold in both powder and capsule forms. Kardashian favors the powder because she finds the individual packets convenient when traveling.
She told PEOPLE that a friend recommended the supplement after other approaches had failed to give her the results she wanted. “Broc Shot helped me get everything under control,” Kardashian said. She also described noticing a difference when she temporarily stopped taking it.
Kardashian said itching returned around her ear after she forgot to pack the supplement for a trip, then said the itching disappeared within several days of restarting it. On Broc Shot’s website, Kardashian similarly says that within a few weeks of beginning the supplement, she noticed that her skin appeared “calmer and clearer.”
The National Psoriasis Foundation Recognition Comes With an Important Caveat
Broc Shot appears in the National Psoriasis Foundation’s Seal of Recognition directory, where both its capsules and powdered products are listed. The foundation says its broader Seal of Recognition program highlights products created or intended to be non-irritating and safe for people living with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis or severely sensitive skin. Broc Shot describes itself as the first supplement to receive the recognition.
The National Psoriasis Foundation explicitly states that it does not endorse any specific treatment or medication for psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they reach the market in the way it approves medications. The FDA advises consumers to talk with a doctor, pharmacist or other health professional before deciding to use a dietary supplement.