i don't know if anyone else feels this way, but i am so angry at dermotologists!!!!! i went to a dermo for the first time, knowing i had severe kp and kprf, so naturally i wasnt suprised when he told me so. i was aware there was no cure, but i thought he might prescribe me some cream, but NO! what he DID do was tell me (and these are the exact words) "it's like the colour of your eyes. it's you, and there's nothing you can do about it. then he asked me if i didn't "get" that. i said, yes, i do get it. but he said i was being overly negative, gave me a lecture about being obsessed with perfection, and gave me a note which said in giant letters THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! the whole time, he was laughing and mocking me. i have never been so ****ed off and humilated in my life, and i was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experence. sorry for ranting but i'm so cross!

You should file a formal complaint with whoever regulates dermatologists in your area. That's completely unacceptable. In addition to being an insensitive jerk, that doctor is also quite deficient in medical knowledge. To say that nothing can be done is simply untrue. He obviously doesn't know squat about KP, and he'd prefer to mock and demean you rather than admit his ignorance.

I have scoliosis, and a woman on an online support group I belong to once went to a spine specialist who commented, with a laugh, that she looked just like Quasimodo. It's really frightening when you consider that people with so much hatefulness and contempt toward other human beings are practicing medicine.

not all are like that. my dermatoligist was great. she was caring and sensitive without being patronising.

she followed my lead because I was nearly as clued up as she was on the subject which helped.

don't give up. keep trying to see different derms!

Yes, I agree with Mr. Mark and should have said so in my response. I have an excellent dermatologist who has had very helpful suggestions (and who agrees that more funding should be devoted to finding a cure for KP). Any doctor who demeans a patient's concerns is in the wrong profession.

So please do hang in there, and find a different dermatologist.

I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you, punxroxprincess. I agree with jimm, the dr. should be reported. Wishing you well in your search for someone better!

my old dermies were negative and discouraging too. they were like you can't do anything about it and blah blah blah, I got really frustrated by them

thanks for all your support! the problem is, people think i'm sulking and exaggerating because i'm 14. i'm really glad some of you have wonderful dermos!

OMG I had a similar experience! Except my dermatologist told me that there was no diagnosis for me! The nerve! And stupid me, I went along all these years thinking she was right and it was just me.

Finally I am enlightened!

well, i'm glad that my experience has helped u (sort of) KP_Girl

punxroxprincess - I had the same experience from 3 different dermatologists with my 2 kids that have KP. FINALLY I found Turquoise's post on this website about using DCL brand AHA 15% and 20%. Check it out, it really is working for my kids and my husband.

Here's a link to an article on KP in the magazine U.S. Pharmacist from April 2005 that discusses therapies any dermatologist should be using when prescribing treatment for patients with KP:
http://www.uspharmacist.com/index.as...age=8_1466.htm

Maybe refer your (probably soon-to-be-former) dermatologist to this.

to punxroxprincess

I know exactly what you're feeling. I've had a horrible experience when I was about 18. Went to this teaching hospital and a doctor asked me if I would agree to show my skin to medical students, thinking that they would brainstorm to try and help me or at least give me suggestions. I was on a gurney, surrounded by 15 doctors, half naked and my kp was at its worst at that time. They inspected me like cattle, looked disgusted and then left me there and walked away. When I ask the chief physician if anything could be done, he laughed and smirked uglily, turned around and left me there. He used me as a freak show! Looking back, I wish I'd lodged a complaint, but I was too traumatized. I came back home and cried all week. I think there was some racism involved in the way I was treated also, to be honest. Over the years, I've had other bad experience. One derm actually told me a few years back I needed to bathe more, in an incredibly insulting manner! As if kp had anything to do with hygiene! I got furious at her, nobody showers more than I do. Heck, my home is a freakin' sterilized environment!

Anyway, my current derm has a good bedside manner and seems to have empathy. Don't know what the results will be long term, but so far so good (I just had another skin diagnosis on top of kp, so it's a complicated case). Anyway, don't loose faith. But you may have to see A LOT of derms before you find one who cares. I must have seen at least 50 over the years...

Try to keep your spirits up. Just don't accept that kind of **** from derms and don't let you prevent from seeking second, third, fourth, hundreds of opinions if necessary. Nobody should be subjected to that kind of bull.

wow guys thanks for the support! it makes me feel so much better. i'm so sorry you'll had such horrible experiences. maybe most dermotologists aren't aware of KP?

Freedom68, my heart goes out to you! I'm sorry u had to go through that horrible experience, but you know what? They are the ignorant ones so don't let this effect u ANY LONGER. I felt "dirty" my entire life from KP but it really doesn't have to do with hygiene, some people are so quick to judge. The first and only dermatologist I visited basically laughed and said nothing was wrong with me and I just have to "accept" it.. then she prescribed me some really expensive bleaching cream (that didn't work btw, and was entirely too greasy making it inconcenient) and some expensive topical treatment. Blah.

Please do keep your spirits up everyone, life's too short so let's do the best we can to be the best person we can be
This is my 3rd day of OP'ing and I feel good about it.
Also ordered my 20% AHA in the mail and can't wait.

it's a good day.