For about nine years now, I've had bright red upper arms and thighs, with goosepimple-like spots all over them. As I am a teenager, I used to think it was just acne; because I don't get many spots on my face, I thought I was just making up for it on my arms. But one thing always struck me whenever I compared a real spot to the bumps on my arms: they were completely different. The spot was, well, like a spot; a pink raised lump on my skin, that usually cleared up in a couple of days. However, on my arms and thighs, the bumps were always there, no matter how much I exfoliated and scrubbed away. Admittedly, the exfoliating is reducing it a lot, but it never cleared it up completely. As I never used to exfoliate, I thought it was simply a build up of dirty skin or something; as the redness and bumps began to lessen with exfoliation I thought it was because of a lack of washing, and it would soon fade.

I have been exfoliating without moisterising for a year now.

I've always meant to ask for some over the counter acne cream, but never had the nerve to do it, because of confidence issues. I thought maybe they person serving me might laugh because I don't have acne on my face, and that s/he might make judgements about me, because I am a teenager.

However, after finding out about Keratosis Pilaris very recently, I have realised that maybe it wasn't my fault from not scrubbing my arms and legs regularly. I plan to see my doctor next Thursday about this, but I am slightly apprehensive, because I have a lot of scarring on my left arm. I was depressed not long ago, for a multitude of reasons, and as my arms and legs looked disgusting, I took my anger out on them, thinking that my skin would then heal nicer. Didn't quite work out like that...

I'm just wondering: I've researched Keratosis Pilaris a lot, and I'm answering yes to all the indications of it, and as my elder brother has bright red, pimply upper arms and my mum told me she used to have it quite bad a teenager, I think that I may be a sufferer of KP. My mum says I should go and see the doctor anyway, and then maybe he can prescribe me creams to help, but all I seem to have read recently is prescribed creams don't work, but "alternative" things do. I really want to make this condition go away for the summer, because I don't want to have a rash all over my arms when I go to my school leavers ball - I've already had my friends comment on my red thighs and arms tactlessly in PE.

I just want to know, has anyone found that prescribed creams have worked? And does "oil pulling" really work? Only I always thought sunflower oil would taste quite nasty. Can you do it with other, nice tasting oils, or won't it work?

Basically, just help ): Ever since I read that KP was incurable, I've been extremely low. I just want to have nice arms and legs I can show off an be proud of.

Thanks.

//-rereads- Okay, I didn't mean to write that much... But y'know, it helped a bit. Better than talking to my friends about it - they'd probably just be disgusted or something...//

As best we know, KP is incurable. Sucks, doesn't it? But at least KP's not pathological, it's only an aesthetic nuisance.

You'd do just as well pulling snake oil.

In my PubMed searches, I've found few references to KP and even fewer successful treatments. Given how widespread the condition is, that result surprises me, but only somewhat given that KP's not exactly life-threatening. The few treatments I've seen have been AHA and urea lotions and the prescription drug tazarotene (brand name: Tazorac). I've tried tazarotene and it was fairly effective at treating my KP but I couldn't figure out a moderate dosage for extended use that wouldn't burn my skin. I've yet to try AHA or urea creams.

Burn your skin? What, did the treatment hurt when you applied it...? ://

Snake oil, hee. I don't really want to know how that's made. -imagines a big juicer and a pile of snakes- Erlack, gross.

Speaking of, is it selfish to be grossed out by KP or anything? Like, somedays I look at my arms and think, Urrrgh. Then I feel all guilty, and stuff.

The tazarotene didn't burn putting it on but after about 2 weeks it made my arms look and feel sunburnt i.e. red and skin peeling. Too little and the bumps remained, too much and I burned. I couldn't quite get the dosage right.

I don't think it's particularly selfish being grossed out but I'd certainly advise getting terribly worked up over it. For example, I've lurked off and on this board for some time and have read about a number of people being depressed over their KP. That really strikes me as obsessive and psychologically unhealthy. Does the condition annoy me? Absolutely, and I've tried a few different treatments, none of which have worked. It's something that I, and everyone else here, has to live with. No sense tearing your hair out about a trait that's not actually harmful but only a superficial nuisance.

I've tried Amlactin with moderate results

Yeah, I've seen topics like that. I mean, I know that it can make you self conscious and stuff, but it shouldn't affect you more. Granted, it does, but maybe we have to learn to accept it and just deal with it, because how else are we ever going to feel confident? If we don't accept it, then no one else will - or, if they do, we won't believe they do, so we'll just hate it more.

That's my theory anyway. I've gotten over the initial shock of Oh God I'm Stuck With This For Life, and trying to think positive really.

Is that prescribed or can you get it over the counter?