Hi Everyone,

I haven't posted here for quite a while, but I've been continuing my research into KP and KPRF. I'm still convinced that there's a very significant metabolic or nutritional factor which affects people with KP and that if we could find out what we're deficient in (or unable to utilise) then we'd be half way to a cure.

I found an interesting post on another skin forum which I have copied below:

**Melanin / Vitamin D-

melanin => vitamin D
people who generally have low amounts of melanin/vitamin d tend to have pail skin, diabetes and kp
(which are both hereditary, i have evidence of both in my family)
KP could possibly be a simple definciency of vitamin d/melatin.

(vitamin d is abundant in Fish Oils (supplemental pills) )


I think the poster is making a connection between melanin and Vitamin D which I'm not sure has been proven. Do we know for sure that people with low levels of melanin also have low levels of Vitamin D? Anyway, it got me to thinking that many people have reported on this board how their KP improves in the sun or even on tanning beds.

Vitamin D seems to be very complex and may even be called a hormone rather than a vitamin as it affects so many body systems.

It's interesting that the poster mentions that people with KP have a tendency to very pale skin (low melanin.) I'd really like to find out if that's true. Does KP affect olive/dark skinned people just as much as very fair skinned people. In my experience, most of the people that I have seen with KP have been very pale skinned and look like they don't tan easily.

If I can work out how to set up a poll, then I'll do that also, so people can register their skin type and we can get some idea of which skin types suffer most with KP. Have we had this kind of poll here before!!?? If it's true that KP affects very pale skinned people the most, then it may well have something to do with sunlight, melanin or levels of Vitamin D.

Rick

I've got tan skin and I do burn, but extremely rarely. Learning from the boards, there are many KP sufferers who have got olive/tan/dark skin tones. In my experience, I believe the curse of KP knows know boundaries!

I do agree that fish oils are a great supplement - they've got tons of benefits especially the omega fatty acids. But then again, I also think it would be beneficial for everyone to take a daily multivitamin regardless of whether or not they have KP.

From what little I recall from biology class - lack of Vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis or rickets. If I'm incorrect feel free to correct! I also just happened to read an article last week that said 10-15 mins of sunlight exposure 3 times a week is adequate to produce the body's requirement of Vit D.

Maybe our bodies are just not processing vitamins and minerals the right way. All the supplements in the world don't do much unless the body can actually do something with it.

Vitamin A and oils such a cod liver especially help with my KP. As I mentioned, good supplements in the right amounts are worth giving a shot. Just my two cents

Hi!

I have medium pale skin, i tan fairly easily, but my skin is quite transparent when i havnt got a bit of a tan.

I take omega 3,6, & 9 twice a day, but only started that about a month ago, and so far there isnt a big difference to my kp but the rest of my skin feels softer and clearer.

I also take multivitamins and occasionally a combination supplement of calcium and vitamin D as i dont get a lot of dairy products like milk in my diet.

But if like you say, if our bodies dont know how to use these vitamins in the right way, then im probably fighting a losing battle.

I used to go on sunbeds frequently and found my skin much softer then. I thought this was more to do with putting on excelerators and then adding heat.
Has anyone ever tried using the excelerators on there own? as these raise the melanin to the surface of the skin to help you tan. ( or so the lady in the tanning shop said)
Im worried about having regular tanning sessions now as i think it is doing my skin more harm than good in the long run as its only a temporary solution to the kp and could result in skin cancer. And i know which one i would prefer!

Catster.x

hi i've got fairish skin and without sun protection burn easily. i have mild kp on arms and top of thighs, however my eldest son has kp real bad, chest back top of arms top of legs, all raised and bobbly looks like little heads breaking through skin that feels rough and dry like sandpaper and somtimes spotty he also has it real bad on face, eyebrows red and lack of eyebrows, side of face below side burns, under chin, above top lip, and on forhead!! has had this from the age of about two,now age seven and worse than ever dematologist diagnosed kp a year ago and had a group of 7 doctors of that field look at him closely nothing was given to me in the uk and said he would have it always he may grow out of it as you don't see many old people with it!! a great comfort to me!!not! Anyway he has olive type skin that never burns he gets a fantastic tan when we go on hols. and his kp is hardley noticable unless you look real close and see the raised bobbly bits. He has been on omega compleat efa for about 3years i had read good for skin but has made no difference at all he also has a real good vitamin multi every day. i think kp is not going to improve at all on my lad, does anyone know of any herbal cream that helps?? the sun helps loads but i worry about the big C and think kp is at least the better of the two evils. as at least you can't die from it!!
I am so glad to have this site it really helps nowing your not alone!! Just hope my youngest son escapes it he is 2 now but only faint bobbly bit on thighs.

Hi, correct me if I'm wrong but I was under the impression that we all have the same amount of melanin in our skin it's just darker skins have more melanin near the surface of the skin. That's how tan accelerators work, they bring the melanin to the surface so you tan easier.

Feel free to contradict this as my memory isn't what it should be!

Hi about the melanin topic...


I actually have a patch on my thigh which is either a birth mark or vertiligo(sp), either way, it looks like I have no pigmentation there (although it's difficult to tell as my skin is fair). I have no KP in this patch whatsoever. I don't know whether it's because of the lack of pigmentation or because there is very little hair growth there.

I've never actually had this patch diagnosed, so it might be something else (any suggestions? another point- when I exercise and wear tight trousers, I get a sweat patch exactly where this area is! It seems to produce more sweat then every where else! weird!)

I'm hoping to get to a dermotologist soon but I'm not sure what the procedure is in the UK and how long it will take me to see one. I'll be sure to post the results when I do though.

One thing I have heard is that people with more melanin, ie darker skin tend to have less vitamin D. This is because the melanin does what it is supposed to and blocks UV, but it also stops them getting through to where they are synthersised. I'm pretty sure thats the case anyway, feel free to contradict.

Take care, Jon

Hmmmmm.....

Well, here's something that should blow the intial post's theory out of the water....I am a black woman.....and I have had KP since around 8 years old I think. So one can pretty much say I've had it all my life. Black people have lots of melanin, so I'm not sure if KP and amounts/levels of melanin are correlated.

All I know is, I'm desperate for a dermatologist to specialize in this and find us a cure!

In the mean time, I am going to start a regimen starting tomorrow. I just purchased the BBW Eucalyptus Spearmint lotion today. It feels good on my skin.

I have pale skin which I think is a symptom of vitamin D/melanin deficiency. Maybe your theory is correct because I'm the only one with pale skin in my family and, unfortunately, the only one with kp.

SoSad, hi.

But I don't get it then, because I'm dark skinned and I have KP. And may I add that I am the only one in my family with this 'condition'.

Well, I'll keep on reading.

I am black too. And very dark, so I have more than my share of melanin. But I have the fiercest KP ever. I do not believe that they are connected.

Has anyone tried taking multivitamin pills??? it has all the things you guys are saying we are lacking???From Gnc or any nutrition store, the ones i bought are megamen multivitamin pills from Gnc.. Any thoughts on this?

On a six month rotation, I take Centrum A-Zinc. I am currently taking it.

You guys, I have a question; I thought it was stated that petrolatum and mineral oil negatively affect KP. If this is true, then why is BBW Eucalyptus Spearmint lotion being so widely recommended? Petrolatum is the third ingredient listed! Well I went ahead and bought it anyway because I figured at least it didn't contain both the mineral oil and petrolatum. Better just one than both...right? LOL

Hatemyskin,

When I said I am dark-skinned, it was relative to everyone else here who are either pale or olive or fair. My skin is sort of caramel tone, but the KP is very dark - almost black. So the contrast makes my skin look like hundreds of blackheads all over my legs. UGH! I find that when I squeeze each individual one, dark hard matter (ew) oozes out of the pore. Also, each hair strand on my leg curls up in the follicle and gets twisted up in the matter (keratin?).

What we need is something to soften, and maybe dissolve the excess keratin in the pore.

It's the eucalyptus in the lotion, that helps KP. So I have read, Eucalytpus oil acts as an antiseptic, has anti-inflammatory powers, and improves circulation.