I have a little tip for KPers. t may just be me, I'm not sure, but this worked for me.
I had KP on my upper arms and my legs. I started wearing shorts outside and the KP on my legs cleared up and isn't noticeable unless you put your face right up to it. I've just recently begun wearing sleeveless or near sleeveless shirts, so I'm anxious to get the KP off my arms. I didn't make it a goal to tan or anything, I just wore shorts whenever I happened to be outside and it just cleared up. I'm not saying you should 'tan' per say, but just try to expose your KP areas to a little sun now and then to prevent KP from being too obvious.

If anyone else has some tips or comments with KP and sun, feel free to add and discuss.

Well the first things that come to mind with KP and sun are that yes, sunlight is good for the skin. Vitamin D helps the absorption of Calcium, among other things I'm sure. The tan helps hide the "dots". The pigment in your skin actually sort of prevents inflammation from some things I've read.

As for the downsides. Over 10-15 minutes of direct sunlight on any unprotected part of the body isn't healthy. Skin cancer, and other skin conditions can develop. Constant sun damage "ages the skin". The outer, dead layers become rougher, and less youthful. There is less skin moisture as well.

If you are using an AHA, its VERY important to use a sunblock in the sun, and avoid over-doing it. Even if you don't use AHA, its still important to use a sunblock. You can still get a tan with a sunblock on, and keep out some of the harmful rays (UV I believe).

Chris,

You are absolutely correct that skin cancer is linked to sun exposure. Unfortunately, now many people avoid the sun altogether, decreasing their rate Vit. D.

90-95% of one's Vit. D comes from the sun. As little as 3-5 minutes of sun exposure, 2-3 times a week will give us sufficient Vit. D and a light tan.

Be smart when you go out in the sun, but don't avoid it completely.

Some links to read about sun exposure:
Benefits of Moderate Sun Exposure—The Family Health Guide
On the bright side, sun exposure had benefits

Thanks for pointing out the need for extra care in the sun if you use AHA.

kebod

I actually read in one of those natural remedies books that suntan lotion actually causes the cancer, and that there's no real proven results that sunlight causes cancer. Do some research on your own, just trying to prevent you from doing anything you might regret in the future from lack of knowledge. It might be true, it might not be.