I first remember noticing KP in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. Then I started tanning(I don't tan anymore...skin cancer is a bad thing...I'll take the KP ) and it totally went away. UNTIL I got pregnant with my first baby...my KP came back with full force! It gradually improved and now after having our 2nd daughter it is back again! I can't help but wonder if it is hormonal...anyone else have a similar case?

I am going to order some coconut oil. I tried it a while back, but didn't give it much of a chance...guess I was looking for a quick cure. This time I'm really going to give it time to work and will take it internally as well...although I've read that when taken internally you should also take probiotics since the coconut oil is antibacterial. I'm excited and hope to see results!!!

KP affects those who are overweight and pregnant, it can also affect those with a family history of dry skin or KP itself.

i suggest you to check on what you eat and make sure you get all tha recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals and drink plenty of water.

Also if you have any fatty tissue you could also go on a diet which improves the skins appearance and texture and go for a more toned look.

I know what i am talking about as i have studied this skin condition for many years and i know what kind of things cause it, there is more than one way of getting this skin condition...i hope i have helped a little, if not you may ask more tips of me.

I am sure it is hormonal.

i'm not overweight(am pretty petite), but i'm sure i could tone up...i did just have a baby 3 months ago!
i am a vegetarian, but take fish oil to get some extra omegas. i am also still taking prenatal vits and drink LOTS of water since i'm breastfeeding.
it did get better with time after my first pregnancy...hopefully that will be the case this time...maybe the coconut oil will help too. i'm also taking homeopathics and an herb(nettle) to help balance my hormones. any other suggestions are appreciated!

Check out AllisonSullivan's posts on her experience with Arbonne for hormonal issues. Whatever she's been taking, she says is helping her quite a bit.

meditation helps calm the mind as some believe that KP is at its worst when stressed or anxious.

I'm using Prolief to balance my hormones naturally. I never had KP until I was pregnant, and it erupted during delivery and nursing! I'm also using a skin care regimen that I go into detail about in my other 2 posts, "Clearing up with Arbonne" and "Before and after pics are here". The Prolief has helped me in soooo many ways! Feel free to email me at allisonsullivan@insightbb.com for a hormone imbalance symptom list and see how many you have (I had 31! I'm only 30 yrs old!!). I think you can carry KP in your genes your whole life and never know it until a hormonal period hits you. I didn't have it in puberty, but my sister did. My mom never had it until her hystorectomy (I have said menopause in other posts, but recently found out that she had a early menopause-like period after her hystorectomy because the doctor failed to prescribe her HRT!!! She's on the Prolief now, too). My aunt had a true menopause, and broke out with it then. She said she got "arm pimples" when she had a miscarriage in the '70's, but they went away on their own. Probably KP... So I think yes, definitely hormonally-triggered.

I think KP may be due to a hormone imbalance in some cases, but not in others. I have read a few testimonies from both men and women on this site that claim that a progesterone cream cleared up their KP completely. Many women seem to have a worse case after pregnancy, too.

BUT: Personally, I have had my hormones tested, and my progesterone and estrogen (the hormones that seem to be related to KP) were deemed normal (though my testosterone was very low). I was put on bioidentical progesterone anyway (as well as testosterone) to help with some symptoms I have that could be associated with low progesterone, and have noticed no difference. My mom, who I get this condition from, did not say that her KP was any worse when pregnant with me, either. So, I really don't think it is hormonal for everyone.

I DO, however, believe it do be due to a common physical issue (personally, I think it's poor nutrient absorbtion and/or utilization) that is caused by any one (or more!) of a number of things, like a food intolerance (this can, from what I have read, lead to an irritated small intestine, and thus poor nutrient absorbtion), a hormonal imbalance (hormones help balance nutrients in the body, as well as perform a variety of crucial functions), etc. But who knows for sure...

That's just my three-cents.

Peace!

Namaste,
GreenBean

Hey greenbean,
i'm with you on that. Perhaps the poor nutrient absorbtion and/or utilization is caused by a hormone imbalance in those of us who have it. I'm just curious... did your doctor do a blood test or saliva test? The saliva test is more accurate, but less used by doctors. apparently the blood test only accounts for about 20%(?) of your total hormone levels. I'd love to actually find someone whose doctor suggested one... My Dr's didn't test mine at all!

edit: my mom didn't have it when she was pregnant with me or my sister either, not until her hysto.

YAY! We're on the same page!!

Yeah, I remember you mentioning the saliva test issue before, and that alarmed me a bit as the test that was done on me was a blood test. Aw, well... I will take what I can get - it's hard enough finding bio-identical hormone docs in my area. Unless, do you know how I could go about looking for a saliva-testing office (lol - that reads funny, no?)??

Thanks, again!

Peace!

Namaste,
GreenBean

lol that does sound funny. I was told any office would do it, but you have to request it specifically. Incidentally, I think the bio-identical hormones contain a small amount of synthetics (or animal by-products?) used as a base which cannot be absorbed by the body and ends up stored in fatty tissue. Doctors are finding it in the breast tissue of mastectomy survivors. Unless your pharmacist says it's completely all-natural, you could be in trouble! be informed!

I'll inquire further the next time I see them. Thanks for the heads-up, Allison!

Hi there, im new.

I only realised I had KP (or more to the point what it was) 2 days ago. Ive had it since I was 15 (now 33) and I am interested to read the theory that mal-absorbsion may lead to it.

I discovered 4 years ago that I was a sufferer of Coeliac disorder (wheat intolerance), which indeed affected for many years the absorbtion of nutrients into my system. Cant say ive noticed a difference since changing my diet, but i did also have a child around that time too so my hormones could well have been masking it.

anyway, just thought id introduce myself.
Im Gill by the way, and im in the north west of england.

what were the symptoms of your wheat imbalance? just curious!

Hey Gill! How are you? Welcome!

Celiac disease, huh... Yeah, I have heard of a few Celiac-sufferers who had KP (but they saw an improvement within 6 months for so of changing their diet to exclude gluten), which is one of the reasons I think that KP is caused by a nutrient imbalance or deficiency. Has your "new" diet helped you in any other way(s)?

Due to some digestive issues I have, as well as allergies and other issues, I had my doc test me for Celiac disease recently. The results were negative, but he said that an INTOLERANCE (as opposed to an allergy) to gluten, wheat, dairy, or something else could be causing some of my issues. Hence, in the fall and winter, I will be "going off" gluten and dairy to see if there is any change in any of my symptoms. I'll let you all know...

Good luck, Gill!

Peace!

Namaste,
GreenBean

P.S. Stay cool over there... I hear you guys have been having a heat wave!