Hello, this isnt meant to be rude but the people with kp i always see usually have a bit more fat, like they arnt overweight,,,like me im not overweight but i have some extra fat, i find so hard to lose weight, but when i do and muscles are toned my skin looks better. thats why i wonder whhy kp usually goes on places with more fat, like arms and butt and legs. i have a bit under my chin too where i could slim it down a bit. but then why dont i get it on my stomach? are there any really thin people here with kP? i think mine is getting worse, it got better for a while it seems to have gon on my back and breats now which is annoooyiiiiiiing i dont really try to get rid of it to be honest i think if i spend more time it will go. i also wonder on skin colour? i am darker eastern europe skin, when i tan i look meditteranean. but i live in england so i stay light which i like but my kp looks like purple bumps on my thighs and just bumps some like white stuffs on my arms and chin, and breasts just lots of close together tiny bumps, aaaaajjhhhh i want pretty skin!!!!!!!!!!

you bring up a good question. my kp started getting worse when i got fatter.
maybe most of us with kp also have slow matabolisms. im about 40 pounds over weight.
and my body distiputes fat all over my body fairly evenly.
ive been a vegitarian now for about 8 or 9 days. im planning on losing this extra fat. i think that my kp will lesson as my fat goes away. only time will tell.

i think that its probably more so what you eating and how much of it your are eating....my kp was much better when i was really health obsessed but these past few years ive really let me self go and eat larger quantaties of the foods ive always eatin and as ive gained weight my kp has progressively gotten worse and its not on places it never was before (like my stomach)...maybe im alergic or have some sort of reactions to certain foods...thats the only thing i can think of

I dont think weight has anything to do with it, as im thin (even a bit under weight) and i have KP

i've always been quite skinny and i've had kp since puberty--although it was only diagnosed a few years ago.

-bre

These issue has come up quite a few times over the last few years.

It would seem that weight is an aggravating factor in KP. Other aggravating factors could be weather and diet. However I believe the 2 big factors that effect KP are genes and hormones (i.e. puberty and pregnancy)

From reading posts on this site it seems that those who are overweight in their 30's and 40's don't seem to notice a diminishing of their symptoms like those with a healthier weight.

You will read several articles saying that KP gets better in your 30's and 40's but many people are not finding this so - I wonder if it is because a lot of people carry more weight than previous generations????

My KP (which was quite severe) began to recede in my 30's. Now at age 46 is now non-existant on my arms. No creams - no special diets - just age. But my weight has always remained within a healthy range.

If you google 'keratosis pilaris weight' you will find articles citing weight as a factor. Of course everyone is different but I believe a healthy weight and diet can help, not only your KP but, your overall wellbeing in general.

Quotes from articles are below:

Keratosis Pilaris

"The cause of keratosis pilaris is unknown however it does have a tendency to be hereditary (especially those of Celtic descent), also in people who are over weight."

and

Skin Care- Do You Know What Is Keratosis Pilaris?

"This disease is an inherited disease and most of the sufferers are children or adolescents and adults. It is normally not seen in old people. Over weight is a trigger for keratosis pilaris."

Also try searching this site for others peoples comments on weight and KP to see if losing weight will help your symptoms.

wow anne, you hit the nail on the head there. i dont think theres anything else to be said.

I have read a few posts where the poster said watching their diet, and keeping their weight low through exercise, seemed to make their KP go away.

I guess I am an exception. I have always been thin, and I first noticed KP when I was in my early 20's, after my pregnancy. It never got better until I started oil pulling.

kebod

I think what cereza says is true.. im slightly overweight also and have kp on my upper arms, i also have stretch marks on the opposite side cos of weight lifting... this said i also go to the gym with 5 other mates who are very well toned, 4 of them i discovered yesterday also have kp.. which has made me more chilled about the hole thing, i cant decide whats worse the stretch marks or the kp!! haha

I have been super thin most of my life, and have had this condition as long as I can remember! When I graduated from high school, I was almost 5'9" and around 125lbs and very toned! I was glad to be able to gain weight when I turned around 33 years old. Yes, I am around 160 lbs now which is about right! I still get carded from time to time?

To give you an Idea of how thin I was, when I couldn't float on my back in swimming class in High School, the teacher said she would let me pass if I could lay on the bottom of the pool. So I did!

Yeah, same here. I weighed just over 7stone when I left high school.

I don't think weight helps when younger. However I note from posts on this forum those who are in their 30's and 40's who are overweight notice an improvement in their KP when their weight goes down.

I believe age is on your side in your 30's and 40's and impacts hormonally in a positive way on KP(whereas puberty and pregnancy impact in a negative way on KP).

You will find several medical articles saying KP improves with age (I found this to be true - however by age don't expect too much to happen until the 3rd or 4th decade). However I believe that a lot of people aren't seeing this natural improvement because they are carrying a lot of weight which negates the postives of age.

google weight, age and keratosis pilaris to do your own research on this.

Thanks Anne! Do you think I might benefit from losing the few extra pounds I have? I think I carry it well, and I seem more prone to depression when I lose weight. I might be old enough at 39 to turn the corner on better skin, with a little effort! My doctor thinks I am still biologically young! Having fair skin, do you think the red scaring will ever go away?