What is Keratosis Pilaris (KP)?

Hi!

Welcome to the KP Community

Keratosis Pilaris is a very common genetic follicular disorder manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin. Primarily, it appears on the back and outer sides of the upper arms, but can also occur on thighs and buttocks or any body part except palms or soles.

An excess of the protein known as Keratin, accumulates within the hair follicles forming numerous tiny rough bumps on the skin. Sometimes, these bumps can become irritated causing the follicles to redden excessively.



KP is often misdiagnosed and treated as acne. Most types are evident during teen years. It can also appear at any stage of life.



Several different types of keratosis pilaris, includes:

• Keratosis Pilaris Rubra (KPR): red, inflamed bumps.

• Keratosis Pilaris Alba (KPA): rough, bumpy skin with no irritation.

• Keratosis Pilaris Rubra Faceii (KPRF): reddish rash on the cheeks. Some sufferers experience a flushing and blushing sensation.

• Ulerythema Ophryogenes (UO): Is a related skin disorder which includes scars, atrophy, and alopecia in the eyebrow area.

• Keratosis pilaris Atrophicans Faciei (KPAF): Small scar-like depressions in the face. Sometimes accompanied with redness.

No picture available in our forums, yet.

• Keratosis Follicularis Spinulosa Decalvans: KFSD is very rare and affects the skin and the eyes. It can cause thickening of the skin of the neck, ears, arms and legs, especially the palms and soles. KFSD sufferers also experience loss of eyebrows, eyelashes and beard, baldness thickening of the eyelids and corneal degeneration. The term comes from the Greek for snake. Decalvans refers to the loss of hair.

No picture available in our forums, yet.


Treatment:

There is currently no known cure for Keratosis Pilaris (KP); however, there are effective treatments available in our forums. Some of our members have different theories on which factors activate the symptoms.



Some of the most popular treatments discussed in our forums are:

• Oil Pulling (OP)
• Food Sensitivity Diet and Supplements
• Exfoliations (Scrubs, microdermabrasion crystals, AHA's, BHA's among others)
• Seabuckthorn treatments-Demodex Parasite
• Urea
• Moderate Sun Tanning
• Anti-Candida Diet

Browse our forums and discover what people around the world are doing to treat their KP.

Please, feel free to join our friendly community. Here you can post and share with us your experience.

-KeratosisPilaris.org: The biggest KP Community on the internet!

KP Research

Click on the link above to learn more about KP research being done.

Oh, my goodness. I have finally firgured out what this bumpy area on the backs of my legs arms, and now upper back are!! I do believe it is KP... I have been reading all over the web and I am sure that this is what I have. Funny thing is, I don't recall having it before I had my son, then it started, and after I stopped breast feeding him, it got worse. Weird! But I have been reading and am going to try a few things- like no longer loofah-ing the heck out of it! I might try a milk bath or two, maybe some coconut oil (Mom left some last time she visited and went baking-crazy!!Thanks, Mom!), and Eucerin Plus has been highly recommended. So, wish me luck, and if any one else has suggestions, that would be great!! Thanks! C.

Hi Chaton:

Welcome to the community!

Some people manifest KP after pregnancy. It is also believed that some hormonal changes activate disease. There are some threads about KP after pregnancy.
for those who've been pregnant
KP ONLY after pregnancy???
KP and pregnancy


I'm also experiencing some kind of bumps (no redness at all) in my arms after I had my baby 3 months ago. I have been scrubbing them with a nice scrub that I found at Walmart and they are disappearing.

hello all i am very glad to find this site. My son 16mts old has this on his cheeks, and it has been a struggle to find out what was going on with my son. lots of great info. keep it commin guys. thanks again.

i have a very mild form, but it is still annoying. i have small bumps spread across my upper arms, but they arent very noticeable

I found this forum when I try to search an article about my skin disease. My dermatology told me that my skin disease call atopic dermatitis en it can't be cure. I felt very depressed when I heard it, so I search many article about it. As I read more, I almost convinced that it's not what I have. Coz atopic dermatitis is itchy and scally, but mine is not that itchy. So I search more for the picture, en it's definetely unlike mine.
As I look for more picture, I found this site. And when I saw the picture above I'm convinced that it's exactly look like mine. En more convinced when I saw Keratosis Pilaris Kubra. That is exactly like mine, the area is exactly the same too, on my upper arms. I also have it at my buttock and a bit at my thigh.

I'm so glad that I find this forum coz now I able to discuss about my disease to other people who have it. It's so nice to meet you all.

Hi Apithea,

It's nice to meet you, too! I hope you find lots of good ideas here that our forum members have shared with us -- products and methods that have helped. Let us know what you try and what helps you.

kebod

Thank you so much.

Well, I'd like t ask some question, my dermatology gave me a lotion that contain salicylic acid because he thought it's Atopic dermatitis. What upset me is he judge my disease without take a look closer at my skin, he only saw it a little without further question, even after I told him that it doesn't itchy.

I red in some article that KP shouldn't be treat by salicylic acid. So should I keep using the lotion or not?

I also heard that we shouldn't continuously use corticosteroid? Is it true?

And I also red that it will just disappear after we get 30. Is it really like that?

And should I still consult it with the dermatology to get some medicine or should I treat it by myself?

Thank you for your answer, I really appreciate it.

Apithea,

I can answer some of your questions, but not all.

No, a cortisone med should not be used continuously, as it makes the skin thinner, and this can lead to more problems.

No, most people do not see the KP lessen after the age of 30.

Most doctors don't know how to treat KP, as there is no cure. Please read the two threads, "Thread Devoted to What Works for You" and "Commercial Products that Have Worked" to get some ideas on what to try for yourself. We can't tell you if you should go to a doctor or not, but you can read a lot of posts on this forum and make your own decision.

I hope this helps.

kebod

Keratosis Forum Rules:
http://www.keratosispilaris.org/gene...s-updated.html

I admit it I am a horrible picker! I have had KP since I was little, I just in the last couple of years have started wearing "shorter" sleeves I use to only buy 3/4 sleeved or long sleeved shirts. I was always soooo jealous of my friends that could wear tank tops. I have also recently found a product made by Avon that has made a BIG difference in my KP I bought it thinking it would be a waste of money like many of my other KP-ridding lotions/creams but I have been VERY pleased with it and have actually bought 3 more tubes (just in case they quit selling it). Anyway I only have the KP on my arms so I can't really say if it would work elsewhere the name of the product is skin bump minimizer from the Moisture Therapy line. Give it a try! The price is right, I just bought mine on sale for $3.99/tube. Good Luck