About Me:
I’ve had KP my whole life. When I was young, it only covered the tops of my arms. By my teens it had spread to my entire arms and by my 20s it had worked its way onto my back, legs, rear, face- nearly everywhere I had hair. By age 22 I was formally diagnosed with KP by my doctor. I was told there was no cure or treatment. Like many others, hearing there was no cure made me determined to find one. And so I googled Keratosis Pilaris and found this wonderful place. It was here I stumbled on the emerging Sea Buckthorn treatment and decided to give it a try after comparing my symptoms to the original poster. It’s now been just over a month and my KP has reduced WELL over 50% and continues to show an ever increasing reduction. I recommend anyone who has KP to try this treatment as it is so simple, cheap and effective and knowing if this treatment will work for you takes only a few weeks. This following thread is dedicated to all of the information I have learned about this treatment, including the cause, the solutions and what products you will need. So let’s get started! You might want to make some coffee.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor nor do I claim to be, although I may have played one on TV and I did stay at a holiday inn express last night. All of the information below was gathered by me from my own experience, from others here on the forums, and from research I did on the web. If you personally decide to continue with this treatment or any other treatment you find here, do so at your own risk!


The Demodex Parasite
This microscopic parasite is the possible cause of some forms of Keratosis Pilaris. Commonly referred to as the “eyelash mite”, the Demodex parasite lives on most, if not all humans. They live within hair follicles of their hosts, feeding primarily on hormones and oils (sebum). The mites also reproduce, lay eggs, die, and decompose within the hair follicles and sebaceous glands which are located slightly deeper in your skin. They are more commonly found in adults than children, as hair follicles produce more sebum and hormones as the human body ages. The mites do leave the hair follicles occasionally and walk around on the skin but avoid daylight as they are extremely light sensitive- this can cause an itchy feeling at night. For the most part they are harmless but they have been known to be the cause of certain skin conditions in some people- the full effects of this are not well known or documented. You can read more about the mite here on wikipedia and the cited sources there.
Demodex - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The theory behind Demodex causing Keratosis Pilaris is that some people may have a genetic disposition, immune or otherwise, to the mites. This causes the mite population to become out of control and/or for the hair follicles react negatively to either the sheer amount of mites or the lack or oils and hormones that the mites constantly consume or the hair follicles may be producing large amounts of keratin protein due to the imbalance of hormones and oils- once again the exact reason isn’t well known. This in turn causes various skin conditions, from Keratosis Pilaris to Rosacea. (The link between certain types of Rosacea and the Demodex parasite has in fact been proven and Keratosis Pilaris, being a similar skin condition, should not be too far off). Tanning has long been known to reduce the appearance of KP, which makes sense as the mites are extremely light sensitive and die quickly in sunlight (artificial or otherwise).

The good news about having the Demodex version of Keratosis Pilaris is that the Demodex Parasite itself can be treated and reduced, if not completely eliminated from the host- resulting in reduced and possibly complete reduction of all KP symptoms. The most common treatment for the removal of the mites is skin and hair products that contain Sea Buckthorn. You can also take Sea Buckthorn orally via various drinks and capsules. You will learn more about the treatment and the various products in the following sections.


The Symptoms
From what I personally have found so far, people with this type of KP share similar symptoms. These symptoms include but are not limited to:

- The amount of KP gradually increases as one ages. It starts in one area and slowly spreads to the next until nearly the entire body has some KP on it. For example, when I was less than 10 years old, I only had KP on the tops of my arms. In my teens it spread to my entire arms and by the time I was twenty my entire body was covered in KP. This is because as one ages, the body produces more sebum in the hair follicles, which the parasites live off of. The speed at which the KP spreads could easily be different for everyone, as everyone produces sebum at different rates and at different times in their life. Some may not notice an increase until they are 30 or more. Nearly all humans naturally see an increase in the parasite as they age.

- The KP occasionally itches. This is give or take as some people may do this purely out of habit and not notice they are itching and may need someone else to point that out for them. (For example, I itched my KP regularly but never noticed until my fiancé pointed it out) Also, the KP might itch more at night (typically when your asleep) than during the day as that’s when the parasites tend to move around on the skin. (In order to avoid daylight in which they are extremely sensitive to)

- It’s genetic. Someone in your family has KP too and you can pretty much trace which side of the family you got it from. For example, only the Philippine side of my family has KP and I can trace it back to my great grandmother on that side. As a result I have KP.

- Hair problems. For me, it was oily, thin hair that tended to shed a lot. While I don’t think this affects everyone as how your hair reacts is also genetic, from what I’ve found most people with this suffer from either light hair loss (I personally shedded my hair a lot, leaving hair all over the bathroom) and/or hair that gets oily quickly. This is simply another reaction to the mite as it has been proven that the mites can cause some forms of hair loss and hair conditions. This may really differ from person to person.

- Sores / Scabs on scalp. I’m not sure if this affects everyone. Many of us treated had this problem, where we’d find ourselves itching off tiny scabs or finding sores on our heads. This might be connected further to the “hair problems” symptom above.

- Weak immune system. Once again, I’m not sure if this affects everyone with the parasite but from the few people I have talked to with the parasite, we all seem to share reduced or weak immune systems. I was often sick as a child and my immune system did not improve as I grew up. It is also said that after long term treatment of the mites, people find they feel healthier and have an increased strength in their immune system. This would make sense, as perhaps the parasite is placing a burden on the body’s immune system overall. A link has been found between Rosacea, Demodex parasites, and suppressed immune systems so Demodex induced KP is probably not that far off the mark!

I urge anyone who has had this form of KP and treated it successfully to please post your symptoms here. That way I can possibly expand, concentrate, or eliminate the listed symptoms of Demodex induced KP.


The Sea Buckthorn Treatment
Sea Buckthorn is a common berry that has been proven to kill the Demodex parasites- either by killing the parasites directly or correcting a faulty part of your immune system. (Sea Buckthorn is known as an immune system booster) It is known as an extremely healthy fruit, so much so that it has been dubbed as a super fruit. Because of Sea Buckthorn’s numerous health benefits it has been made into many different types of skin products including soaps, shampoos and lotions which you can easily buy online. It can be also found in certain types of health drinks. It rarely causes allergic reactions (if any) but like with any new food or skin product, please test in small amounts in isolated areas at first.

The treatment is to be used religiously for the best results. In the first few days of use you won’t notice much of a difference. But after a week or two into the treatment you will then know for certain if you have the Demodex form of KP as your KP will get worse. Yes you heard right- for some reason or another- either due of the mass amounts of decomposing parasites or the new imbalance of oils- your KP will get actually get worse. Much worse. You will start to get KP in places you never had KP and you will get pimple like formations on certain areas of your body that had no prior KP at all. But whatever you do, don’t stop the treatment!! This is actually a great sign as it means the Sea Buckthorn is working. After about two to three weeks of increased KP, it will all start to fade. After about a month and a week, you will notice a dramatic decrease in your KP. After about 3-4 months your KP should fade- if not disappear completely. I really recommend sticking with the treatment for at LEAST a month and a half before giving up if you see absolutely no reaction or decrease in your KP. This entire process -from start to reaction to finish- I will explain in detail below.


Starting the Treatment
How much or how little you wish to invest into the treatment is up to you. You can easily start off with just Sea Buckthorn soap and go from there. But I personally recommend that you start with at least three things: Soap, Shampoo and Lotion. If you wish to go all out I would also recommend a Sea Buckthorn drink (or capsules, if they prove to be just as effective) as that will speed up the treatment immensely. Further down in this guide I will list a product guide that you can follow when picking out your Sea Buckthorn products. But for now, I will go through the various types of products and how they are applied. Once you have received all of your products, use them as follows:

Soap: Use as often as possible, 1 to 2 times a day. Apply it to every part of your body, except your scalp. Rub thoroughly into the skin with either your hand or an Ayate washcloth (see product guide below) in all directions. Because I have sensitive skin, I only rubbed the soap in with an Ayate washcloth maybe two times a week. When applying to the face, rub the soap into the eyebrows thoroughly. Also, let the soap soak into your skin- do not immediately wash it off. Often times I’d fill the bathtub with around 5-6 inches of hot water (as the heat would help open the pores) and while sitting in the hot water, I’d then proceed to rub the soap in all over my body until my entire body was white with soap. I’d then let it all sit for about 5 minutes until the soap had faded. I’d then gently rinse of the soap and get out and apply the lotion. Also in order to converse as much soap as possible, you should only rub the soap a few times over the area you are applying it to and then rub the area with your hand/Ayate washcloth until it has completely lathered.

Shampoo: Use two times in a row, every other day. Make sure you really focus on massaging it into your scalp and then rubbing it into the rest of your hair- just like a hair dresser would. Rub it in thoroughly just as you would with the soap. Also make sure after you have really lathered your hair and roots to let it sit for two minutes to let it soak in- after each application. So to summarize: apply to hair, rub vigorously into scalp, rub into the rest of the hair, let sit for two minutes, rinse…and again right after… apply to hair rub vigorously into scalp, rub into the rest of hair, let sit for two minutes, rinse. Done! Do this routine every other day. In the off days use your own favorite shampoo.

Lotion: Try to keep a coating of it on you at all times. Apply immediately after bathing and rub it all over the body, not just where you have KP. I did not rub it onto my face as I have oily skin and the lotion would have bugged me- but you are more than welcome to. After sweating or swimming or bathing always try to apply a fresh coat.

Drink: Take ¼ of a cup (1-3 fl oz) (30-90 ml) everyday. The drink for me really helped speed up the entire process and I could really tell the difference on the days after I had taken the drink. I REALLY recommend it- the taste can be a little strong so I usually take it like I would a shot of alcohol. Because of this I may switch to the capsules if they prove to be just as potent as the drink.

Oil: If you do happen to buy a Sea Buckthorn oil like I did, you can mix it with your favorite lotion. The oil will probably not be pure Sea Buckthorn so I would only recommend using it every other day and using your regular Sea Buckthorn lotion in between or most of the time. This is really optional and doesn’t have a strong impact on the treatment itself if you use it or don’t. But if you really hate the Sea Buckthorn lotion for whatever reason, this may be a worth while alternative- especially in the long run.

Capsules: I’ve heard of Sea Buckthorn capsules and I’m currently looking to buy them. I’m thinking they might be a good substitute for the drink. I haven’t tried them yet but I will update this section when I have.


During the Treatment
During the first few days of treatment you will most likely not notice any difference in your KP. But after roughly one to two weeks of using Sea Buckthorn products religiously you will see a dramatic difference in your KP as your KP will flare up, as in worsen dramatically. Yes, your KP will actually get much worse before it gets better. In about the course of a week and half, your KP may turn bright red and spread all over your body even to places that previously didn’t have KP. Essentially anywhere you have hair will become inflamed with KP. This dramatic, initial reaction is most likely due to the mass amounts of parasites decomposing in the hair follicles. If you do have this reaction, one thing is certain: you have a Demodex infestation and should continue the treatment as it is working!

The initial reaction may include the following:

- Extreme Itchiness. During the reaction I became extremely itchy; this lasted about a week and a half. My scalp itched like mad, my arms itched, my entire body itched, and I was nearly always itching myself. My fiancé even found me itching in my sleep! This may be due to the decomposing parasites in hair follicles. The itching will peak and start to fade thankfully in about a week and a half.

- Worsened KP. During the reaction my KP turned bright red- the worse I had ever seen it. Every hair follicle was infected on most of my body. This included my butt, my arms, and my legs. In the before and after part of this guide I have pictures. At times I couldn’t believe how bad my KP was. Word for the wise: don’t wear anything that will show your skin because you’ll be able to see the bright red bumps a mile off.

- KP in new places. My KP not only worsened but spread to new areas that I didn’t even think I could have KP. For example, I actually got KP under the bottom of my arms and in my armpits! Basically anywhere there was a hair follicle, I had KP. In contrast, this was relatively light KP compared to my usually infected areas of KP, but surprising (and itchy!) non-the less.

- Pimple-like bumps. This was probably the worst of the reaction. I started to develop acne like bumps (they look like a mix between a hive and a pimple) in areas that were infected with KP and in areas that had never shown signs of KP. At first I thought that they were hives and that it was an allergic reaction to the drink, but as the bumps contained puss (the puss was buried rather deep, which made it hard to see) it ruled out any kind of allergic reaction as puss is the result of a bacterial infection- hives contain no puss. The most common areas I received these bumps were on my back and under my arms. I also got quite a few on my butt too. They are painful, just as bad acne is. These faded within about two weeks.

- Scabs in the hair. For about a week it felt like I had sand in my hair- tiny little skin colored scabs formed all over my scalp and I itched them off on a regular basis. It was rather gross. This also faded after about two weeks.

- Increased Facial Acne. Not only did KP appear on my face, but my normal acne actually flared up. I admit I looked like a total wreck. Thankfully once again, this faded within about two weeks.

When going through this reaction it is important to continue and not back down on the Sea Buckthorn treatments. This entire reaction is perfectly normal and is actually a great sign as it shows that you not only have a Demodex infestation, but you are successfully killing them off and ultimately your KP can be reduced or even eliminated! The reaction can be quite nerve wracking, but it will all fade away in about two to two weeks- which isn’t bad at all. Continue the treatments!

From there on it’s all down hill. Your KP should continue to reduce. After about month and a half into the treatment (or three weeks after the peak of your reaction), your KP should near a record low. For me I saw about a 40% reduction after a month and a week after starting treatment or three weeks after my initial flare-up reaction. To see my KP go to heights I had never seen it to nearly fading away into nothingness in such a short time was rather amazing.

But keep in mind that if you don’t use your Sea Buckthorn products on a daily basis or only use the soap or the lotion, your times may be completely different than mine. If you only start with the soap and do see a strong reaction in a week or so after starting, I would recommend buying the rest of the products I’ve suggested as they will help you dramatically!

Ultimately, in about 4 months your KP should be reduced into nothingness- I’m still in the process of making my way there. This of course may be different for everyone as to be expected. For me, I know that if my KP continues to reduce at the rate it is right now, in four months or less I will have barely -if any- KP at all. But the treatment shouldn’t stop there...


After the Treatment
You should continue using some kind of Sea Buckthorn treatment well after the KP reduction as there is absolutely nothing to stop you from becoming infected again with the parasite again. Not only that, but the parasites can continue to live on you in small amounts without showing any signs of KP (and the population will explode once again when you stop using treating it). Contracting the parasite again isn’t hard at all as nearly everyone on the entire planet has the parasite and it can be transferred by kissing, hugging or just bumping into someone. If our bodies do indeed have a genetic disposition to controlling / harboring the mites, then we will need to continually compensate for it by using Sea Buckthorn products. But keep in mind that’s not hard to do.

As I mentioned, in about 4-5 months your KP should fade or disappear completely. The reason it takes so long for the KP to disappear completely is due to several factors. For one, there are actually two different kinds of Demodex that live on humans. Demodex folliculorum, which lives close to the surface of the skin while Demodex brevis lives deep within the sebaceous glands. (Which is why taking something orally is probably so effective) Both parasites lay eggs which until they hatch are unaffected by the Sea Buckthorn. The Parasites live for about 18-30 days so you essentially have to deal with several generations and their eggs, slowly taking out the entire population and any surges in the population from mistreated areas. This can take anywhere from 4-5 months and you can continue to harbor small populations of the parasite well after your KP has completely faded. So keep using your Sea Buckthorn!

Personally- after about four months or so, when the KP has disappeared or reduced to near nothingness, I plan on reducing my Sea Buckthorn routine to see how it goes. I will probably stop using the lotion and the drink (unless the capsules work just as well as the drink, then I’ll keep taking them as they are cheap and easier to swallow), but continue to use the soap and shampoo at all times. But whatever you decide you should continue using Sea Buckthorn in some sort of fashion. This is a lifestyle change in a way- but not a big one. Really, you only need to replace the soaps in your bathtub!


Around the House
Demodex cannot live long without a host- they die quickly. Demodex die within only a few hours in a dry environment and slightly longer in wet environments. Changing sheets often should not be of a concern- but I would recommend using your own towel (or alternating towels) and not sharing with family members, and perhaps washing them often. This is only because the mites can live slightly longer in wet environments and if you take multiple baths a day you might be re-infecting yourself with your own towel. If you are planning on ridding your entire home of the mite, you will probably need to have your family members undergo the same treatment. How a non-KP family member may react to the treatment is unknown- but it may reduce their acne as Demodex seem to be a common cause of it. I may test on my fiancé at some point! As for pets, cat or dogs should not be a concern as neither can contract the human form of the parasite.


Frequently Asked Questions
All of these questions were questions I was asked here on the forums during my experience with Demodex KP. Rather than scatter them throughout topics I’ve collected them here. I’ve also posted some questions I’ve found helpful from other sites.

When your KP worsened did any puss ooze out of your arms?
Yes, but only a little. What contained the most puss was the pimple like bumps, but they often did not burst as the puss appeared to be really deep under the skin. This may be caused by the deeper dwelling form of Demodex. All of this faded within two weeks however- although I do occasionally get a lone bump here and there...

What was it like to work with such agitated KP?
It was itchy and the pimple like bumps hurt. So it was very uncomfortable! But thankfully it faded within two weeks. I wore long sleeve shirts and even skipped work for a few days due to the increased facial acne I had. I also tried not to wax my legs or arms as I was unsure of the complications.

I have three pets; two cats and a dog, I'm thinking I may have contracted the mite from them, but I don't have to make my household pet free to become KP free, do I?
Nope! You didn’t contract the mite from your pets. In fact your pets probably don’t have any mites at all! This is because the Demodex parasite can only live on humans. There is a Demodex version of the parasite for dogs, but it cannot live on humans. Your fuzzy friends can stay for good and don’t need any kind of Sea Buckthorn treatment.

What other lifestyle changes/habits have you adopted to ensure you remain KP free?
None. All you need to do is use Sea buckthorn on a regular basis and your set- I would recommend maybe having your own personal towel as well (or alternating between two towels) and not sharing them with other family members. I haven’t changed my diet (which is Vegetarian), or washed my clothes or sheets any more than I normally do, and I haven’t forced my family members to use Sea Buckthorn (yet- it might be a good idea to use it on those you are intimate with). The only lifestyle change you need to make really is to replace your soap and shampoo!

Do you have different sheets on your bed or just change them more often?
The parasite can’t live without a host for too long- only a couple of hours. They die quickly in dry environments so you should just continue to wash your sheets as you normally do.

Does anything cancel out the effects of SBT?
Not that I know of. The only thing I can really think of is not taking SBT at all or forgetting to bathe with it!

Would it be alright if I drank the SBT tea and Green Tea as well?
Ha! Sure! That’s exactly what I’ve been doing!

How do you tell if KP is caused by demodex or another cause? I guess a skin test would not help, since everyone has this parasite in limited numbers?
That's correct. The best way to test to see if you have Demodex is to actually try the treatment (which could be just the soap) for about 2 weeks. If you do in fact have the demodex parasite- you'll know. You're KP will get much worse within only a week or two of starting and you'll start to breakout all over your body. This is a good sign as it means your KP is treatable via sea Buckthorn and that you are successfully killing off the mites that cause it.

Do you oil pull or have you oil pulled?
No, I have not oil pulled and I don’t plan to at this time. You of course are more than welcome to, but I decided not to- instead I opted to go for a pure Sea Buckthorn treatment first. Whether oil pulling may speed up the overall treatment I really don’t know.

Do you tan or have you tanned during this process?
Yes. I started tanning when I started seeing a noticeable reduction in my KP, well after the initial reaction. This was because my red dots started to fade to tan and thinking it might be an excess of pigmentation left over from the Demodex parasite, I decided to go tanning. (Inside of course- it’s much safer than tanning outside) Tanning itself kills the Demodex parasite, so some tanning is probably helpful anyway!


Sea Buckthorn Product Guide
There are many different kinds of Sea Buckthorn products out there. Some are expensive and others are extremely cheap. Like anyone else I opted for the least expensive, but I also bought the more expensive to see how they’d fair in comparison. Below are my results, my reviews and my suggestions on which Sea Buckthorn products you should take a look at. This guide is still a little incomplete as I’m continuing to try new things!


--Body Soaps--
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn Soap
Current Price: $4.75 USD
Lasts for: Up to 2 months.
Store link: Amazon.com: Aubrey Organics - Sea Buckthorn Skin Care Bar With Sandalwood, 3.6 oz bars: Health & Personal Care
Review: I really like this soap and it is what I am currently using in my treatment. It is a dark orange color and smells more like Sea Buckthorn than the expensive Face Doctor soap I’ve listed brand below. I’ve had great success with the Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn soap and at such a low price it’s completely worth the buy on any budget!

Facedoctor Sea Buckthorn Soap
Current Price: +$20.00 USD
Lasts for: Up to 2 months.
Store link: Facedoctor Complexion Soaps
Review: I bought this initially along with the soap above as I wanted to test them both. I found that the face doctor soap didn’t contain as much Sea Buckthorn (due to its color and smell) and because of the high price I’m almost afraid to use it! I don’t really recommend getting this bar, as the above bar is so much cheaper and works just the same, but if you would like to try its effectiveness for yourself go for it. But I don’t think you’ll want to be buying a +$20.00 bar of soap every month.

--Shampoos--
Facedoctor Sea Buckthorn Shampoo
Current Price: +$30.00 USD
Lasts for: Up to 2 months.
Store link: Facedoctor Complexion Soaps
Review: While it is on the expensive side, I HIGHLY recommend this product. I will continue to use it until I can find a cheaper alternative, which I’m currently looking for. This product completely transformed my hair and helped blast the Demodex out of my scalp. If you are putting yourself on the Sea Buckthorn treatment, I wouldn’t go without the shampoo.

Dr.Hauschka Apricot & Sea Buckthorn Shampoo
Current Price: $13.00 USD
Lasts for: Unknown
Store link: Amazon.com: Dr.Hauschka Apricot & Sea Buckthorn Shampoo: Beauty
Review: I have not had the chance to personally try this product, but because of it being half the price of the Face doctor I probably will soon. If you are on a budget and you really can’t afford the Face doctor shampoo, I would give this shampoo a try. (Any shampoo is better than no shampoo!!)

--Lotions--
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn Lotion
Current Price: $10.00 USD
Lasts for: Up to 2 months.
Store link: Amazon.com: Sea Buckthorn Hand & Body Lotion - 8 oz. - Liquid: Health & Personal Care
Review: This is my primarily lotion and it has worked well- I highly recommend! The lotion is a dark tan color, which suggests a pretty good level of Sea Buckthorn. I will say one thing however- the lotion, to me anyway, doesn’t smell the best. My fiancé describes it as a fishy smell. But it has helped, so I will continue to use it. After about 4 months however, I will probably drop this from my regimen and continue with only the Soap, Shampoo, and drink (or capsules).

--Drinks--
Pure Fruit Technologies Sea Buckthorn Rejuvenation Drink
Current Price: $17 to $30 USD
Lasts for: 1-2 months.
Store link: Pure Fruit Technologies Seabuck-7 Rejuvenation Formula -- 33.8 fl oz - Vitacost AND at Amazon.com: Pure Fruit Technologies Seabuck 7 Liquid Rejuvenation Supplement 33.8 Oz: Health & Personal Care
Review: If you are really going to go all out with this treatment, I highly recommend you get the drink. It will speed up the treatment dramatically. It may also help rid you of the type of Demodex that is located well out of the reach of lotions and soaps. Everyday I took it I noticed a difference. I really, really recommend taking some kind of Sea Buckthorn product orally. I will warn you though- for some the drink may not be easy to swallow as it has a very strong gingery taste. I took it like I would a shot of alcohol. It really does help and if you want a shorter recovery time and faster breakout time, I’d give this product a try. Now I know that there are also Sea Buckthorn capsules, so I’m trying them out to see if they can be an alternative to the drink. Keep in mind that the drink is not pure Sea Buckthorn but is mixed with many different kinds of fruits. How high the concentration is of Sea Buckthorn I’m unsure of.


--Capsules--
Balanceuticals Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, 500 mg Dietary Supplement
Current Price: $22 to $26 USD
Lasts for: Unknown
Store link: Amazon.com: Balanceuticals Seabuckthorn Seed Oil, 500 mg Dietary Supplement Softgels, 60-Count Bottle: Health & Personal Care
Review: I personally have not tried these capsules- yet. I have ordered them and they should be arriving soon. I’m hoping that they will work just as well as the Sea Buckthorn drink and prove to be a more “easy to swallow” alternative. I really do think it is important however to be taking some kind of Sea Buckthorn product orally, so hopefully these capsules will work out!

--Oils--
Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil
Current Price: 13.00
Lasts for: Depends on how you use it!
Store link: Amazon.com: Weleda Sea Buckthorn Body Oil 3.4oz from Weleda: Health & Personal Care
Review: I like the oil, although it is not pure Sea Buckthorn. What I’ve done is mixed it into the lotion I use regularly. This for me smells much nicer than the Sea Buckthorn lotion I’ve listed above, but I’m unsure of this oil’s Sea Buckthorn concentration in comparison. I might even try using the Sea Buckthorn capsules in my lotion instead to see if it is more potent than using the oil. The oil is not a necessity, unless you want an alternative to the lotion above or wish to put some in your bath water! The capsules above may turn out to be an alternative however.




Here are also some other facts about me:
Age: 22
Sex: Female
Ancestry: Philippine / Italian
KP Ancestry: Philippine
KP Levels: Child- Upper arms, Teen- Entire arms, back, Adult- Entire body
Diet: Vegetarian (fiancé as well)
Pets: 2 cats, fiancé
Family members in house: Just my fiancé and myself
Job: Modeling (Bet you didn’t see that coming! Having KP was a huge liability!)
Treatment Period: Currently 1 month and one week into the treatment.
Level of Reduction: 40-50%, with continued reduction!
Immune System: Always Poor. Hopefully that will improve with the treatments.
Location: Florida, although I lived in the Northern US. Moving didn’t change KP, other than ability to get sun all rear round in Florida



Latest Post from the original poster who sparked my treatment:
Original Topic:
34 years later... cured - it was demodex parasite!!

Wrote: “Hi All, I am so happy to see that my original post seems to be helping many of you. Some have asked if I have before and after pics, and I dont. I am sadly one of those persons who doesnt even own a digital camera! And I dont know that would have even thought to have taken a before picture because I have tried so many different things over the years I truly never expected the results I got. I am still KP free. I continue to use seabuckthorn body soap and hair shampoo. I also bought some oil and have added it to lotion that I use and trust. I fear if I stop using it the KP will come back. So I dont have an answer for how long to use seabuckthorn. I have found that I simply like to use it. It makes my skin feel and look better. Anyhow, I used to get email notices when somebody added a reply to my post- but they stopped coming and I assumed the nobody was looking at my post any longer. But I got a private message the other day and came back to see that my original post has indeed provided some help to others. I am so happy to see this. I have to say the scariest part using seabuckthorn was the breakout phase. It was horrible while it lasted, but I was so fed up with my kp, and at times have picked at it so bad, that a few short weeks of breaking out was well worth it. If you want to try this treatment I encourage you to time it for a period of a few weeks when things will be slower pace and you will have less social things going on. There was little I could do to deal with the breakouts, except let them happen. Nature taking its course. The reward has been more than I ever expected. I love my skin now. And I'd like to add a note about doctors too. I have been to numerous doctors throughout the years. I must have 10 or more tubes of various creams they have given me that never worked. Some knew what it was called and some just took a stab in the dark. I just have a hard time being told that something I have has "no cure". It just made me that much more determined to figure out what it was, and how to treat it. So I hope others will continue to post their experiences and kp journeys here. I look forward to learning more from others who know the misery of KP and the joy of overcoming it. And if anyone has questions like would like to send to me, please feel free to send me a personal message. Thanks!”


And here ends the guide. I hope it has been helpful to you and I wish you the best of luck in treating your KP! If you have any questions at all feel free to post them here!

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Just wait until you see the before and after pictures, they are amazing!
will be up shortly, just need to sort them out.

Edit: The pictures are now up. Take a look at them in the corresponding section in the above guide!

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I apologize if you answered this question already and I missed it:

How do you tell if KP is caused by demodex or another cause? I guess a skin test would not help, since everyone has this parasite in limited numbers.

Interestingly, Wikipedia says that demodex parasites can cause skin disorders for those who have a suppressed immune system. So if you follow a regimen to rid yourself of this parasite, you should also learn how to improve your immune system.

Our immune systems become less efficient through the years because of poor diets and/or antibiotics. Daily exercise, a healthy diet, avoiding sugar in all its forms, a daily source of probiotics (yogurt, raw sauerkraut, kimchi, or probiotic supplements), plus supplements of vitamin A, C, E, and zinc, will greatly enhance the immune system and keep mites, candida, and many other nasties under control.

kebod

The best way to test to see if you have Demodex is to actually try the treatment (which could be just the soap) for about 2 weeks. If you do in fact have the demodex parasite- you'll know. You're KP will get much worse within only a week or two of starting and you'll start to breakout all over your body. This is a good sign as it means your KP is treatable via sea Buckthorn and that you are successfully killing off the mites that cause it. See my newly uploaded pictures for what the breakout looks like.


Yep, that's correct. A link between Rosecea, Demodex and suppressed immune systems have been found. There hasn't been much or any research on KP in this area but because Rosecea and KP are similar, it is more than possible that the link applies to KP as well. Personally, myself and to the others I have talked to all share a somewhat poor immune system, which may be attributed to the mite. As after the treatment of the mite, many people find their immune system have dramatically improved. So in conclusion, the body might not know how to react to the mite and the mite ends up placing a heavy burden on the immune system, causing a weakened immune system overall, or adding to an already genetically weak or handicapped immune system. I'm not entirely sure, but hopefully more research will be done on the specifics of the link.

Interesting snippit I found here: Mites might cause mighty problems - Skin Disorders - Demodex mites linked to human skin diseases USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) - Find Articles
"Under normal conditions, mites produce an antigen when they feed in a hair follicle, and then the human body makes antibodies against the bugs, thereby keeping their reproduction low and in balance. The mites are actually needed to make the antigen that stimulates the body into making protective antibodies."


Also: I wanted to update saying that I have uploaded BEFORE, DURING and AFTER pictures of my KP throughout the treatment process, As everyone knows proof is in the pictures! They are centered in the main post above, so take a look. Thanks!

EDIT!! I just uploaded yet another picture, this time a close up of my KP before the treatment. This way you now have a super close up of my KP before and after the treatment. It looks pretty cool!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to start this thread! All of this information in one place is fantastic, and will be of much help for those who seek a KP cure.

Thanks from me too for all your hard and thorough work! This will help a lot of us out.

I have a question about the Face Doctor shampoo. I was just looking on a site about it and they say to use twice a week. But you use it every other day. Do you just get faster results your way, do you think, or is there something about the shampoo that they might only recommend two times, like it's extra drying or something, and so you use a lot of conditioner with it?

Edit: pattirobb told me about buying Face Doctor shampoo and soap on herbspro.com, and it's a bit cheaper there than what you're paying (thanks patti)!

I never had any complications using the shampoo so frequently. But I can see why they say to only use it twice a week. For me, the shampoo had a very strong sensation on my head, almost like a burning sensation. It kind of scared me the first time I used it....I was picturing all of my hair being chemically burned off. But it washed out fine and my hair totally changed for the better. I think I had the mites really bad on my head and I was just feeling the reaction. The sensation lessened as I continued the treatments and now I dont feel it at all. I also have to say I have very oily hair/skin. It has never dried out from using seabuckthorn products. The products have just made it "normal". So those who have a dryer complexion may want to use the product as directed first and adjust accordingly. My only reason for using it more often was mostly pyschological- in that I thought since I had KP so bad I would need a greater dose than the typical person. I just happened to get lucky that more frequent use was a match for my skin/hair type. Also, with the face doctor shampoo my hair seemed to require less conditioner. It just changed/improved the whole texture of my hair. The face doctor shampoo does not look like much, especially for the price. But it was truly a gift in disguise.

Fantastic work, SirDuckles.

I can report to you that I also have the scalp sores you speak of, down to the details.

As soon as I can, I will get a hold of this Sea Buckthorn Oil. For now, my Herbalist gave me what is the most potent Oregano Oil she knows of. It kills a multitude of things, so it might be effective against the Demodex mite.

I also put undiluted Oregano Oil on a small section of my arm yesterday, and it made it itch. So I know that much if I'm going to use this topically, there might be some itching. It's slight, so I will just ignore it.

Concerning my KP condition; I have it almost everywhere that there are hair follicles. And all are extremely red and enflamed. It has gotten noticeably worse in the last few years, and I think it is trying to creep up onto my hands. I won't let that happen, I have very nice, soft hands, and I'm not prepared to take the loss.

By the way, mine also gets better when I'm in the sun, which I found out by testing it this last summer. My sister also went to tanning salons regularly for a while and it almost disappeared on her arms. For me, they don't go away with sun exposure, but clearly the condition becomes much less red, turning nearly black, as if whatever was there had died. Then I suppose they are replaced by living mites that take over the follicle, thus continuing the cycle.

Thanks so much for the post, sirduckles!

Your results are great, especially on the butt area. There's hardly any redness/inflammation left!

I'm not sure I buy into the theory that there are different causes and types of KP covering our KP or mites/demodex being the cause of our KP, but I'm sure their presence in our hair follicles can only make things worse for us (ie. make our follicles more inflammed, etc). And because I do agree most