I think i have "the" worst case of KP. I have it everywhere. and it's the realy bumpy and acne kind with those damn red dots. Nothing works and im so sick of using creams and begging my mom out of her money for derm. prescriptions and products that are promising. I have this KP all over my butt, my love handles hips, arms (really bad), legs, face, back...i mean everywhere!!!..and it's so depressing. Is there anyone who has it as bad as what i have? I'd feel a lil bit better knowing im not the only soul with very severe dry ski n and KP.

I have it as bad as you except my face. Thats the only part of my body that doesnt have it, oh & my upper back.
See my post under this is working for me.
Try it, it couldnt hurt and give it at least a full 3 weeks before giving up.
God luck.

You definately aren't alone. I wonder too sometimes if people have k.p. as bad as they say. I haven't seen a case as bad as myself on my arms. My skin is so sensitive sometimes too. Although it hasn't been fast, I think that Suave Skin Relief which is real cheap is calming my red acne like arms. I'm hoping that this calming and trying not to pick will eventually heal my arms and get them to look normal again. I think that moisture is important...also not too harsh ingred. This lotion doesn't seem dramatic but my skin is healing slowly. I'm not sure if my skin can ever look purely normal but I finally have some hope. Good luck.

I guess I'm the only african american person to log onto this sight and leave a message. I have had KP all of my life. As a kid, I ignored it (so did my mother). I participated in gymnastics and track and field. No one ever said anything, but equated it to hair bumps.

Not until my interest in boys did I really take a turn for the worst. It was never a problem for anyone except myself. I am 41 now, and still do not wear shorts or anything that might expose my legs. I have been married for 15 years and have noticed that my husband treats me so much better during the winter months. We've gone to Bali and PhuKet in Thailand, and they all have been embarrasing for me. He wasn't comfortable with it either. He would make me walk to the beaches alone or he would walk ahead of me.

Unlike caucasians, the tanning booth is out of the question. My legs aren't excessively bumpy, but I do have dark spots instead of the red ones that are experienced by fairer complexions. I am afraid that fade creams will make my surrounding skin lighter and the dark spots will stand out even more. Does anyone have any suggestions for an african american woman who's husband is ashamed of her?

Free2bme01

Free2bme01,

Hello! Yes, I have a few suggestions for any woman who's husband is ashamed of her for such a superficial reason:

1) smack the **** out of your husband and tell him to start being a real man
2) ask him when he became perfect
3) most important one here - don't let his immature and insensitive behaviour towards you and your condition get you down.

Trust me, I know this is easier said than done. I've had a severe case of KP my whole life and I am now 32 and I know how it can wreak havoc on your self esteem. I am white and I am not familiar with any special products that could help black skin but I would assume that some of the products that are really helping the others on the board would work for you as well. Have you tried any of the following: scrubbing with Sulphur soap; Neutrogena Bump Minimizing Lotion (if you live in the States); Sole Owner Cream by Philosophy, and so on. I think that at least one of these would help you see a difference in your skin. The sulphur soap has helped me a great deal and I'm about to start using the Sole Owner as well.

And I'm sorry if my comments about your husband sound harsh and I hope you don't take too much offense, but I just find it unbelievable that the person who is supposed to love you the most is probably the one who is making you feel the most uncomfortable. Making you walk to the beach by yourself?! That is completely awful! I myself am not married but I have read plenty of posts here from women who have KP in varying degrees and they all say how wonderful their spouses have been regarding this condition. Do you have female friends or any sisters that have an opinion on this? They are always great for emotional support I find.

So, I wish you all the best in your fight against KP. I really hope you find a product that works for you. Trust me, if I can find something, anyone can. I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

Hopeful,

Thank you for your words of encouragement. I'll give sulfur soap a try and keep everyone posted.

It's unfortunate for me that my husband is so insensitive. He will never say anything, but actions speak much much louder as we all know. Should this KP thing ever go away, which I doubt, I'd put on the prettiest skirt, or sexiest bathing suit and refuse to walk the beach with him. That would be poetic justice for me. Childish, yes. but I would so totally redeem myself

I am so sorry your husband is so insensitive and shallow. Did he do this when you were dating? I think it is inexcusable. Have you talked to him about it? Respect for your feelings should come far ahead of any issues he has. But guys are kind of dense and you have to spell it out for him (be specific and not too emotional). Talkto him about it. If he does not respect your feelings after a discussion, then when he walks ahead of you, just turn around and walk the other way...

Boosmom,
I'll take into consideration your suggestion. However, Ive mentioned my KP to him many times, but mostly under an emotional outbreak or either as a defense mechanism, made
a joke about it. All he says is that it doesn't bother him, and that it bothers me much more than anyone. Although this may be true, it's his actions that cause me so much discomfort. Anyway, it's the dark spots that I need to get rid of. I'm going to try the Sulphur soap and see what happens. Everyone seems to be so excited about it, I hope it works on my skin as well.

Free2bme01

Hi!! everyone..im a new member ..the day i found this site was my happiest of my life..im 18 and have had KP..frm the day i was born. My KP is pretty bad..its all over my face,neck pretty much the whole body. ..Till now..i didnt even kno wut this curse was..but now that i kno..im get really happy when sumone comes up with gud products..all my life ive been told that i'll grow out of it..but now that i look at this board i see 30 ,40 yr olds with Kp..means its jus one of lies that doctors use..i ordered..Sulfur soap..so far i think its pretty gud..i use it for m

Hi!! everyone..im a new member ..the day i found this site was my happiest of my life..im 18 and have had KP..frm the day i was born. My KP is pretty bad..its all over my face,neck pretty much the whole body. ..Till now..i didnt even kno wut this curse was..but now that i kno..im get really happy when sumone comes up with gud products..all my life ive been told that i'll grow out of it..but now that i look at this board i see 30 ,40 yr olds with Kp..means its jus one of lies that doctors use..i ordered..Sulfur soap..so far i think its pretty gud..i use it for my face as well..its pretty bad on my face n neck..yuk!! its liek..Hey look im a KPsuferer. my question is ..is it ok to use sulfur soap on my face..also..one Tip..i'd liek to give..i jus started using Ponds cold cream .it works wonders..it really smoothes skin.give it a try...THANX u all.....for everythin...xxx...

I also thought that I had the worst case of KP ever. My KP developed when I started shaving around 9 years old. I haven't worn shorts since then. I have done so much research and bought so many products, and absolutley nothing works. I have it severly on every inch of my arms, legs and butt. Each time I wax or Nair, it gradually gets worse. I am trying to start up a regimen before the summer comes. I turn 30 this summer and I need all of your help. Can someone please offer suggestions???

This is to the 41 year old black woman who suffers from kp. My heart goes out to you. Although I am white myself, my roommates/best friends are black and we ALL have kp. KP is especially devastating for people with darker skin. Here is what my roommates and I used.

Microdermabrasion-this will scrub off the top layers of skin that would take MONTHS for acid lotion to peel off.

Non-mineral oil lotion (Neutrogena Bump minimizing and Bath and Body Works Eucalyptis Speermint...and they don't break the bank)

Sal. Acid Sulphur soap and shea-butter body wash (generic brand)

** My roommates and I used to have some of the worst cases of kp that I've ever seen...EVERYWHERE except our hands and feet. On me it looked like red dots. On them it looked like millions of black dots.

Two weeks after we started this regimin, though, you cannot even TELL we used to have kp (we're all 24 and have had it our whole lives) Don't give up hope.

I consider mine to be pretty bad, the worst is my upper arms. Its like a damn mountain range. The only reason I consider my KP to be worse than others is I have some friends who have it and theirs is nothing like mine. So, I'm judging by comparison only. The worst of my problems is I can get the bumps to go away if I try hard enough, like my skin can be completley moist and smooth, but I'll still have the coloring everwhere. Plus I have a lot of freckles so I have both red and brown spots.

I hate mine too, i never had it as a young kid, yet on vacation one day we realized this "rash" forming, let it be and its pretty bad now, the only thing good about it is that its only on my upper arms and upper back, the rest of my body is fine, its soo demoralizing though, see im the body builder type, and its horrible cause i feel embaressed about it constantly....

now a days my demo. has me on like this acne wash and another topical lotion, its doing nothing and costing money, so i need to look into new options, i think im going to try that microdermabrasion technique now, maybe followed by some eucrin redness relief, i hope it helps

I too have KP on my arms and of course I also have KP Rubra Faceii. I know what you mean about working out and not able to show off your arms because you have these ugly "red plugs" all over your arms. I still work out 5 days a week and sometimes I wonder why I exercise since I cannot show off my arms in public... But I do it anyway, because I love working out, but I know how you feel man. I should get tatoos all over my upper arms, that would do it! darn KP! BTW I had KP for many years and I kicked my dermatologist to the curb a while ago. They don't do nothing for us.