today i took my daughter to the pediatrician, and while i knew he would tell me she had KP (like my husband also has), he told me she has KP Rubra Faceii, and thats to do with the redness on her cheeks (which my husband also has, we had assumed it was in no way associated, and thought it was rosacea). he told me to use acne medication with a salyicic acid of 1%, if it doesn't work he'll give me cream for 6%. i don't know how comfortable i am using acid on her face, arms and legs, and was wondering if there is some other lotions, creams or washes i could use. she also has ichythosis (dry skin), just like my husband, and he's dealt with this his whole life, and well, he's a guy, he doesn't care if he has to wear long shorts and sleeved shirts, but when my daughter is older i'd like her to be confident enough to wear no sleeves. all of this is said to be worse in the winter, i am wondering if a humidifier will help with the moisture problem. Will this help at all? Thank you so much, she started showig signs of this at 6mos, we thought it was baby acne, only it is so much worse than that. Thanks.

I'm not sure on how safe SA is on a baby, but I know their skin is much more sensitive then the skin of adolecsents/adults. 1% is very mild, but I would try to get advice from someone who really know whether this is safe or not before trying it.

I can tell you 2 things that will help, and are comletely safe.

1. Keep a humidifier on 24/7. Preferably the hot steam kind, and make sure the baby can't come into direct contact with the steam obviously, they get hot, but they're nice because they warm the room. Moisture absolutely helps with KP, and probably her other skin condition. It makes the skin more moist.

2. Try to keep your baby warm. Leave the heat on if you can, and keep your child in warm clothes, or a blanket. Blood tends to stay near the vital organs when your cold, and when your warm it circulates through the entire body better. You'll notice the colder she is, the redder her KP spots will get. I think they heal better when there is full circulation too. As you can see, winter normally brings dry air and coldness, which makes these skin conditions worse. A humidifier + heat will replace what winter doesn't provide, heat and moisture.

Also make sure your baby gets adequate nutrition, and enough fluids in her system. Mother's milk is always best, though I'm not sure when the proper time to discontinue breast-feeding is.

In my opinion, it would be best to stay away from products until the baby get s a little older, I'm not sure what the proper age is to begin using such things as AHA's and Retinoids, but hopefully someone else here can tell you that.

Another thing is, when the baby's old enough to actually get tested, have her allergy tests done, and tests for lactose intolerance and gluten intolerance (celiac disease). Food allergies sometimes create and/or worsen KP.

Chris89, you recommend getting tested for lactose and gluten intolerance when 'the baby's old enough'. When is 'old enough? I've been told to save my money and try first a lactose free and then gluten free diet for a few weeks each to see if there's any improvement in my 2 1/2 yo daughter's KP, as the immune system is still developing and test results would be unreliable. What tests have people used and at what age?

Thanks

Jo