I felt the need to write this post about using tanning beds to improve KP. I have had KP for the last 17 years (I'm now 30). Anyway, after being covered up basically for so many years I decided that I would start using a tanning salon 4 years ago to see if it would help. It did. It didn't give me normal skin but it camoflagued and did clear up some small areas, in fact it seemed the only thing that helped. I knew the risks of skin cancer but ignored them. I figured KP had made my life hell for so many years it was worth the risk to now be able to wear summer clothes, etc because of the tan helping. I really ignored my gut that this could be dangerous and continued to tan at salons during the last 4 summers.

I stubbornly held on that "a few good years, was better than many miserable years." The good years being tanning and it's positive results with the risk of dying VS. the many miserable years of living with the KP minus the benefits tanning gave me in the summer. Anyway, my point is that I now regret this very much as I had a precancerous mole removed from my body that had cells that could have become melanoma. The mole appeared last year and every doctor said it looked normal. I pressed on and had them biopsy it this year. Sure enough it was abnormal. Now, in the back of my mind (especially after hearing of Susan Torres' story) I worry very much about where else on my body cells like that may be growing. KP sucks, it has made me cry for most my life but my eyes are open now to a different perspective. Now I'm asking God to forgive me for putting the life He gave me at such a dangerous risk with that stinking tanning bed. If tanning beds have helped any of you I'm not telling you this to make you lose hope with something that's helping. BUT if you look at the facts and studies done on tanning beds, it skyrockets your risk of malignant melanoma. If someone wrote this to me a few years ago I would have blown them off. But after such a health scare to me and scars from biopsying moles I just hope some of you will take into consideration my story. This KP (damn this KP), but this KP is NOT worth risking your life.

Now instead of thinking "I hate my skin, people can see how awful it is", I think "Oh my God, is cancer slowly growing in me? Will this nice walk I'm taking on this nice sunny day harm me further?" I still hate KP and all the negative effects it has on my life but the severity of those feelings have been buffered by this scare. I am now trying NOT to let this fear of dying of skin cancer take over my life like I've let this KP affect my life. Anyway, God is my help and I call on Him for help everyday. I hope I live a long, healthy life and I will find a way to treat (creams, etc.) and accept this KP in a healthy way. My heart goes out to everyone who has this and I hope a treatment comes along that will help KP without ANY risks to our health. We've been through enough with this skin condition, we don't deserve the dangerous threat to our health that tanning beds cause. Take care.

(((((((((((XCVB))))))))))

Thanks for posting about your experience. It helps to put KP in perspective. Best wishes for beating this.

ARR

He is an excerpt from a post in a different area of this forum that I contributed:

I am quite overwhelmed with everyone's version of treatment for KP. I am not dating, so I do absolutely nothing with my KP other than use a moisturizing bar soap and occasionally use lotion on my legs and arms. If I were dating and wanted that extra smoothness--when I was younger I tanned, used a loafa, and tons of moistrizer in any form I could get. HOWEVER, I also developed a MELANOMA (skin cancer) later in life that was caught early--so I no longer tan even though it made my skin look more presentable. Not to mention the routine to treat KP was daunting and often times expensive. I want to live simplistically and be kind to myself. )

Blessings all.

He is an excerpt from a post in a different area of this forum that I contributed:

I am quite overwhelmed with everyone's version of treatment for KP. I am not dating, so I do absolutely nothing with my KP other than use a moisturizing bar soap and occasionally use lotion on my legs and arms. If I were dating and wanted that extra smoothness--when I was younger I tanned, used a loafa, and tons of moistrizer in any form I could get. HOWEVER, I also developed a MELANOMA (skin cancer) later in life that was caught early--so I no longer tan even though it made my skin look more presentable. Not to mention the routine to treat KP was daunting and often times expensive. I want to live simplistically and be kind to myself. )

Blessings all.

i think all things in moderation can be ok,

i heard that sunbeds are bad because they give you an unnaturally high concentration of uv,

but i also heard that the recommended daily dosage of uv (from natural sunlight) is 15 minutes,

i think people can safely use the sun to treat kp but must practice moderation and keep it to just 15 mins per day natural light,

i have urticaria and mild kp i don't use sun beds but i believe in health benefits associated with moderate exposure to natural sunlight.

I beleive all things in moderation,

i heard sunbeds are dangerous because they giving you uv in unnaturally high concentration,

i also heard that the recommended daily dosage of sunlight is 15 minutes,

i think that sun bathing or incedental exposure to sunlight can be beneficial but should be practiced with strict moderation to avoid harmful effects of uv,

i have urticaria and mild kp and i have noticed my kp improves with a little sun,

yes i just want to clarify that I was NOT in any way advocating the use of tanning beds, or even natural tanning for that matter... i was more talking about small bursts of natural sun exposure while wearing sunscreen on the non-kp afflicted areas. It really does amount to a 15 minute walk once or twice a week in a tank top, and it 100% doesnt cover over the dots but makes the bumps go away... I use a bottled tanner to cover the dots. I'm definatly hyper-sensitive to the concept of cancer, and I'm very obsessive about wearing sunscreen on my face at all times (and other areas where I feel the skin is thin and more sensitive). I wear sunscreen on the rest of myself when I go outside, except on designated days when I want to get a bit of light on my arms. I'm going to try to continue this in the winter, too, maybe sitting by a window with my arms uncovered for 15 minutes... I really feel its the light and not any sort of tanning/burning reaction that gives the benefit. So once again, I was/am not advocating "tanning" or uV Beds (one of the worst inventions in history--ugh): just small, controlled times when you let your KP see the light of day! goodluck to everyone

yeah i don't tan either. My friends who don't have kp do and i think it makes your skin look a little better...but i kind of like being pale. (except for the fact that it makes my kp stand out horribly) hopefully i won't be getting skin cancer...for years now my dad has called me a "mushroom" because he says i spend all my time in the dark basement hehe. better to be a mushroom without skin cancer or a lobster red sunburn!

Hi all, I work for the American Cancer Society (and ironically, I have keratosis pilaris and so does one of my coworkers!)...anyway, tanning beds are extremely dangerous (as this thread has pointed out). Not that I promote any kind of tanning, but it's better to be outside with sunscreen on your body rather than damaging your skin in a tanning bed. It's not worth the risk.

Luckily, the dry air out here in northern Cali (and this dry dry crazy heat) is helping the bumps on my arm and seems to dry them out (although, I still moisturize or else my arms look terrible).

This is not a fun skin disorder but please don't risk your overall health for cosmetic reasons--it's not work getting skin cancer!

If anyone has any questions, just let me know...I'm new to the board!

Yogagirl in Cali

Please don't tan in tanning beds...I work for the American Cancer Society and it's not worth risking skin cancer (as pointed out in this thread)--it's better to be outside with your sunscreen slapped on your body than taking the risk of damaging your skin in a tanning bed.

I'm new to the board--this is a good site with lots of info!

Yogagirl

Thank you everyone for your input. My family has a history of cancer, so I am not willing to risk using tanning beds. For everyone that uses them, please consider Mystic tan or something from the bottle. Self tanning looks good and its completely safe... Alot of them these days dont turn you orange at all.

Would 3 to 5 minutes every two weeks be dangerous? I just want enough to keep me a tad darker as my skin is very light. This has nothing to do with my KP by the way.

Jeff