I'm in love with this forum! I've only been lurking here for about 15 minutes and I almost want to scream aloud at how excited I am! I'm not sure how many members are here and if this is a very active group or not, but from what I've seen I'm thrilled!

Here's a little background info on me & my KP woes! I'll do it bullet style for brevity!

• I'm an RN and I'm 36 yrs old.
• Only discovered/diagnosed myself with KP by accident!
• I have suffered from skin picking since I was about 14
• While in college getting my nursing education, I realized I suffer from neurotic excoriation (compulsive skin picking, mainly face)
• Just last year, after attending a pediatric conference, did I put 2 and 2 together and realize that I have KP!
• KP is CAUSING my skin picking! How cathartic is that?
• I have KP on my face, thighs, calves, back & buttocks.
• I used to have a few of the bumpies on the backs of my arms, but never really a severe case like you sometimes see...I don't have any at all on my arms now.
• I researched last year and found that Vit A def. can be connected.
• I took Vit A supps for awhile, it really did seem to help, but I loathe taking pills everyday!
• Then at the pediatric conference I spoke of, I listened to an allergist MD promoting the newest RAST blood test for allergies in lieu of skin *****s.
• He stated that KP is a direct expression of the allergy gene.
• Another light bulb went off for me. I have awful asthma & allergies...KP!
• I would LOVE to get that blood test so that I can eliminate more of whatever it is I am allergic to, but I'm at home with the kiddos these days and my insurance won't cover the test. Bummer!
• I've tried a million products known to man for the 'bumps' that show up on my face. Some work okay, others not so much.
• I just can seem to stick with them or they just don't stay effective long.
• I'M EXCITED TO GET & TRY the COCONUT OIL!
• My bumpies aren't really red...well...until I pick the bejeezus out of them!
• It's just that bumpiness feeling, then I pick and have to get the tweezers to get the hair out and then on bad days, I'll get a needle to dig out the little milia-like plug. How awful is that???
• After a session which can last an hour or two my face and legs look like a peeled tomato.
• I'll go several weeks with mostly clear skin and then when my hormones cycle around, the bumpies will begin and hence the picking.
• It is an awful cycle.
• And a hidden one too. No one would know I pick my face, they would just think I have acne. My my hubby/best friend knows and it breaks his heart. I have to hide the picking from him. He gets so frustrated with me.
• I've tried everything to stop, but I know the best thing to help me not pick would be to clear up the KP and then I would have nothing to pick!!
• I know this is a gosh awful long post, so if you are still with me, thank you.

I have never expressed to anyone about my KP and the picking. I am hoping this will lead to healing for me and maybe to connect with others here that may experience the same thing, or not, and just learn from you fellow KP sufferers.

Thought I would share that I have read a book called Skin Deep that was a little helpful to break the itch scratch cycle. I need to re-read it. Some of you may find it helpful in dealing with your KP, whether you have picking tendencies or not.

Looking forward to getting to know everyone & getting rid of this KP!!!

LeAnn

Welcome LeAnn! How great to have a nurse among us. You will find understanding and comfort among us here. Don't be shy to post! We are all in this together. Good luck.

Thanks, flushfaced! Hey, you know one thing I have noticed on this forum is that trolls seem to appear pretty frequently. LOL. Might be hard to know who's geniune and who is just promoting a product! A couple are pretty obvious!

I'm very curious to know what kind of allergies could affect KP. I'm going to try to research it a little. Hopefully I will come up with something. I think everyone has picked or scratched at some point. I can remember being a little girl and my mom would try to pick the papules off my arm because she didn't know what it was. She didnt dig at it or anything though. I am still doing really well with the Arbonne wash that I bought about a week ago. The bumps are pretty much gone and the redness is reducing. I ordered the ABC lotion for myself and my daughter. (its supposed to reduce redness and irritation) My daughter has been on the ABC wash for about a week also and her condition has improved also. I thank people like Allison and Janea for introducing me to such a great product.

KP+, has your KP always gone in cycles?

Another thing I just thougt of.......I started my current job in May. My allergies acted up severly at first because there is a lot of dust and such in the air from the garage which is next to my office. Ever since I started here my KP has been horrible. It has only been this bad one time and that was due to pregnancy. I absolutely believe allergies play a role in this. Only thing is, my allergy spray never seemed to help with my allergies. Maybe I better go back to the doctor and get re-evaluated. My allergies have improved; I'm assuming because I'm here everyday and possibly getting used to it, but I still sneeze every morining when I arrive at work.

I've been able to find that KP is more common in people with seasonal allergies, eczema and asthma but nothing farther. Nothing I found so far has had any connection between treating allergies and having the KP clear up simultaneously.

Hi KP+ ... I think I have a wheat/lactose allergy type thing. I'm on a strict GI diet now and I was convinced it was connected. But last week I stopped using my coconut oil and my bumps came back, despite my GI diet. I'm sticking with the diet because I've lost 16lbs since 4 July, but I'm also sticking with the coconut oil as I've been using it again now for 4 days and my bumps are disappearing again.

Go get some, it's lush stuff !

Flo,

Thanks. Could you provide more details on your diet? Do you just cut out wheat and dairy?

I'm definitely planning on getting some coconut oil. I will pass along too that I've been using Olive Oil for 2 days in lieu of the coconut oil and even IT is helping! It is bringing up the existing KP to be eliminated and I'm definitely feeling smoother!

I'm sure I will like the coconut oil MUCH better, it will smell better and probably be less greasy, but the OO will work until I get the CO. I'm using it as has been suggested with the CO, exfoliating and then showering and putting it on. I've had to damp dry some of it off so it isn't so greasy. I'm using it as my facial moisturizer by just putting a little on a cotton ball and then applying a tiny amount. My existing blemishes looked 90% the next day.

Just thought I'd mention that if someone wants to try it while waiting to find the CO.

LeAnn

I'm so happy for you LeAnn!
I just started using coconut oil today!
Let's hope we're as lucky as the others!

Leann, I think I know exactly how you felt after finding this site. I can relate to a lot of what you shared, and it really does make a difference to know there are others out there. I can't tell you how many times I have felt feelings of shame, self-loathing, and envy (of other girls with perfect skin).

This may sound really silly, but you know that game where you have to say what you would wish for if you had 3 wishes? Well, always, only in my head, my #1 wish would be "I wish I had flawless skin". Now maybe this sounds shallow or vain, but I think it's just a small revelation of the physiological impact that this disorder has on those afflicted.