goldman1, I'm wondering if you might have a sensitivity to something like your laundry detergent or fabric softener or a fragrance in a skin product - those can certainly cause itching and burning on sensitive (or broken) skin.

Read recently that body moisturizer should only be applied (rubbed in) in the direction the pores grow - not "against the grain" - in order to prevent irritation.

I have better luck with an electric shaver than a blade; regrowth grows straight out that way, instead of down at an angle (causing ingrowns). It's not as close for as long, but much less razor burn and irritation.

If using a blade, exfoliating prior to shaving, letting the skin be wet for 10 minutes first, using a shave gel and shaving in the direction of hair growth instead of against are the drill. If I'm going for a week at the beach, I get a wax. Or I just wear a sarong... [sigh of frustration]

Mine looks very similar to this.

Goldman01-

I have the worst razor burn ever when I shave my legs as well because of my KP. In fact I can't shave my upper thighs at all without making all my KP bumps inflamed for WEEKS. I have resorted to a combinantion or types of hair removal for my legs. On my upper thighs (where the KP is the worst) I use VEET. It comes in a can and I apply it with my hands, leave it on for 3-5 minutes and then I wash it off with a washcloth in the shower. For my lower legs (below my knees) I wax them & then shave between waxing. When I shave, it is ONLY after soaking my legs in hot water while using a buff puff. I can only shave my lower legs once a week otherwise the KP bumps get inflammed.

What techniques do you use for hair removal? Are there any products that you can recommend that won't irrate the KP?

It seems that if you are not having any relief from external remedies you will have to treat your skin from the inside. I am experiementing with Sulphur the skin mineral. It is sold as MSM in shops and online. dont get the cheap stuff though and make sure you get the products with no petrochemicals. You can get in as tablets, capsules and crystals, you can also buy MSM cream and Lotion. Again make sure you get what you pay for the purer the stuff the better. One of the things it does is soften your skin. Sulphur is a blood purifyer and detoxifyer so you have to drink lots of water to get the toxins of your system. then it goes to work at skin level clearing any impurities (you may get a few spots but thats a sign it is working). Those with really bad KP may have to take up to 5g day ( you work your way up over several weeks). this may help alongside your external treatments.

Here are pics of mine... you can't see it very well, so I included a close-up of the skin to show how, even where you can't see it, it's still bumpy and feels quite rough.

The right arm:
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/8925/rtarmga5.jpg
The left arm:
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2968/lfarmga1.jpg
Skin close-up:
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/7...eonskinwy7.jpg

And, yea, I get it pretty bad on my butt as well, and I get it minorly on my legs. But on my legs, it's so minor that it's practically not there.

Everybody always asks, "Do you shave your arms or something?" because the hairs on my arm are so fair that they're practically invisible, and they're short to boot, so I guess they assume the bumps are just ingrown hairs.

No, I don't shave my arms at all! Even though you can't actually see any hairs in the pics, they are there, and you can probably notice how fair my skin is, so that should give you a clue that the hairs are simply light-coloured. Well, that, or I get the infamous, "what is wrong with your arms?"

I do, however, compulsively pick at the bumps! I honestly can't stop myself, and I do have other symptoms of OCD (setting my alarm five times each night, stepping over cracks in precise symmetric patterns coupled to inhilation versus exhilation, separating food into homogenous components before consuming it, checking emergency break on car several times, et cetera) so I'm not sure if the compulsive picking is another manifestation of that, or what. I had always assumed it was because of my OCD, but it sounds like lots of people here also pick the bumps, so perhaps not completely?

But it really doesn't stop me from wearing sexy clothing. It used to, when I was in high school and it was REALLY bad, but now whatever. I just answer people with "It's just this rash I get sometimes." One guy actually apologised for asking if I shaved my arms, and showed me some scaly skin thing he had on his hands and said that he gets that from time to time.

i decided to take pics today--and mind you this is 2months using the NeoStrata aha lotion..the one everyone was raving out...but i'm starting a new treatment this week (wish me luck!!) soo i decided to finally take before pics and i think its horrible......hopefully this new treatment will work comes in the mail this week

http://tinyurl.com/2oau3j

I am actually not so bad now, and the face isn´t the worst. But I hate to have it in my face. I have it all the other places as well ( buttocks and all), but I really hate the face bumps.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t...007/fot003.jpg

( can´t really see the bumps on this picture but you can see the redness)

@ kym1211: What AHA percentage did you use? Any improvement at all? What kind of treatment are you about to start now?

i used neostra 15aha, i have the oily skin solution as well, i didnt see any change, i never find any help with aha lotions, i find regular cetaphil to be more effective...and i just got my order today, its called clear & smooth with an all natural soup, its supposed to be a really good exfoliator, so i hope this helps so the next time i take pics they dont look like that!

And you had been using AHA's for 2 months only or longer?

since the beg of january, the bottle is almost gone, and i dont feel that i am responding to it as well as others, so instead of buying another bottle, i'm going to try something else (more natural) everyone is different, and i have never responded to topical creams and acids, so naturally this time wasn't different, i find those things to only be harsh and uneffective...i think it only irritates my skin...
my skin is different, i have no problem with dryness, and actually see greater improvement without any lotion or creams

Hi! I just have KP on my arms and legs... I don't think it's really that bad. It doesn't hurt and I am able to shave my legs. But sometimes it itchesand I pick at it... Sorry I can't post a pic because I don't have a camera.

How many times a day did you apply? Have you tried 20%? We have the proof that glycolic acid does work, so why wouldn't it work for you? The make up of the skin is the same for everybody. I don't think switching between creams is such a good idea. Your body will develop a tolerance to a certain cream or % and it may even take longer the next time you try before you see results. I felt the same as you when I started using glycolix 15%. I wanted to give up after ONE week, because I couldn't see a difference, but I now realize it's a slow process and I think I'm gonna up to 20% and keep using until I see a difference! Patience is key ...

It certainly does take patience. Twice a day is making a considerable difference for me after three days, though.

You are very lucky sassafras63 to see a difference only after 3 days. What exactly are you using again and how many times are you applying?