My son was diagnosed with kp at a young age. At first it was just the tiny bumps on the cheeks and legs. Now it has progressed into the redness and rough skin on the cheeks with the white spot in the middle. I took him to his physician about the redness and he said it was preteen acne for the longest time. I then switche physicians and he said it was eczema and prescribed treatment. It made his face even more red. We then went to see a dermatologist and this doctor seemed amused at the pictures I brought in of KPRF and didn't really diagnose him at all. He acted as if KPRF was not really a medical condition. He laughed and said yeah I've heard of it; all it means is KP with a red face. He said the redness from KP was rare and said he may have a form of it. One of the pictures I brought in looked almost exactly like my sons; it was from Johns Hopkins. He told us to use hydrocortisone for a month. After 2 days. we were so excited to see the redness was much better. Then, the next day his cheeks were so red it looked as though he had a terrible sunburn. I called the doctor and they told me to stop using the hydrocortisone for a few days and then resume. They thought he may have actually gotten sun burned. The severe redness did go away in a couple days. We have resumed the hydrocortisone, but don't see any improvement. Has any one else ever used hydrocortisone?

I've heard that hydrocortizone used for long periods of time is really bad for your skin because it thins it and actually makes things worse. I could be wrong, but I would maybe stay away from it for long term treatment.

I am not a doctor and what follows is only my opinion.

Anyways, I say that hydrocortisone is ****. Heres the truth: Doctors/Dermatologists could care less about KP and all its variations. They just throw a tube of stuff at you that people put on their swollen, irritated asses and tell you to rub it on your face.

They act like its no big deal. I was told by a derm "Awwww this is nothing, William Shatner has it."

Hey thanks Doc!!!

Meanwhile I am going thru puberty and my "self-image forming" years feeling like a freak of nature who has to sit on the right of anyone to feel comfortable speaking with them so they arent distracted by my blotchy face.

People dont think its a serious condition. And compared to cancer or AIDS etc... it isn't.

But Dermatologists are about skin. I think its time they own up to the fact that KP is a serious skin disorder. It affects self-esteem and self-image.

Maybe someday they will wake up and work hard enough to have a cure for it. We can go to the moon, ,we can cure smallpox, we have people beating cancer and living healthy for years and years
with HIV (Magic Johnson) but that red face stuff????? Awww....here rub this ass cream on your face and get over it.

Completely agree with you squibb. Why doesn't someone research this condition and come up with a cure. I'm no doctor either, but if kp is caused by hair not being able to come out of the follicle or pore or whatever, could we take something to make the hair stronger to push through?
Like I said no doctor just in a vocal rage here.

Hello,
This is my first post here.
I was just diagnosed with keratosis pilaris, after being treated for acne, and rosacea. Let me tell you it is a relief to know that it is not rosacea. Anyways I have seen a very good dermatologist and he has prescribed u-cort which is a prescription hdrocortisone. It is working very well, and id the best thing I have used so far. I may have a little flushing here or there, but I notice that if I drink water, it usually goes away. I also take a vitamin for my skin called dermavite. It has helped not just the keratosis, but has improved the look and fell of my skin all over. I love it!

I would just say, be blessed that the condition we have can be improved, as with rosacea, it is something that will never diminish and will have to be regimened very closely every day.

I second that, I have rosacea, and I have to say, it's a nightmare.

I've found that hydrocortisone will give me a days relief from a red face due to KP. If I apply the hydrocortisone at night, the following day my face will be almost completely pale. However if I continue to apply the hydrocortisone it loses its effect and my face returns to its normal redness. As a result, I save the hydrocortisone for 'special occasions' such as camping trips when I cant be bothered with make-up. Also I fully acknowledge that hydrocortisone use does more harm than good in the long run.

Kddupuy...where can you get the dermavite?

XOXO,

This is an old thread. Kddupuy last posted in April, '04.

Can anyone else answer XOXO's question?

kebod

well its a multi-vitamin, so try looking in a herbal & vitamin supplement store, or up the vitamin isle in a supermarket. but vitamins dont really work for the skin that much as they claim to do.