Hi to everyone! I just joined & am glad to have a place to talk with others who either have KP themselves or a loved one with it.
My 5 yr old son has it, I am almost positive. We are taking him to the dermatologist next week(without much help from what I am reading!)...
He is showing mild signs of the bumps & redness over his left eyebrow.. My husband lost most of his as he was growing up(never diagnosed with KP & doesn't have the bumps that are classic either...could something else have happened to him??)
My question is if my son's case is mild will he have a chance not to lose his eyebrows?? I am really worried! Kids & people in general can be so cruel! His KP bumps on his arms, legs, butt are mild for the most part too..
This is confusing because I read that the baseline ususally stays the same for KP(not getting worse) & then I also read that it can & does get worse....
Personally, I am not as concerned with the KP on his body, just the eyebrows...He has such beautiful, thick ones!!!

Any ideas are appreciated!

Hi Beth, I posted below you - check it out for my details. But my KP isn't that bad on my arms, legs either. Although right now my arms are awful. But my eyebrows - that's what is the worst. I barely have any bumps on my brows either. A few - and some redness, but mostly when skin is irritated due to sun or heat. But it sounds like I have the same degree of KP that your son does - and I would really like to find an answer as well. The eyebrows is definitely the worst/most embarrassing thing for me as well - I hate it. I'm a 27 year old female so I can pencil in, but in the summer, during excercise, swimming, etc. - I'm not so lucky becuase it washes off. Let us know how you do at the doctor! Good luck! PS - is your husband of Celtic background? Seems to be a common link...

Hi Skye!

Thanks for responding to my post...No, my husband does not have a Celtic background...As a child he did have some rash over his eyebrows that the doctor said was "dermatitis" & not to worry that it would clear up....By the time he was a teenager he pretty much had sparse eyebrows....I have heard him talk about the tesing & such...The weird part is that he never had the classic bumps, so we don't really know if maybe something different happened to him or what(maybe Seborrhic dermatitis?)...
Anyway, I hate it for my son....Men don't have many options to correct the problem...I have read some about the new advances in permanent make-up....I think some men have it done to...I would LOVE to know of someone & their experience with that....
Hopefully, your KP will not get any worse...How long have you had it?
Take care...

Hi Beth,



Sorry for the delay in my response. I have had KP since I was a kid, I am 27 now. But it has gotten WAY worse since I started my own business. Perhaps stress has made it worse? I also do not have the "classic" bumps on my eyebrows... but I do have a few, and it's only like 2-5, but they come and go. Also the redness comes and goes. I have KP on arms which is worse that it's ever been, and as a child, I had the bumps on my cheeks - but they have subsided.



I can recommend some treatments for the face that have worked for me. I wash with Beaux Visage's Deep Cleansing Gel (www.http://www.beauxvisages.com/) and it has worked well for me for years. Very gentle, maybe it's the combo of ingredients - but it has cleared up my face and it looks great. The face wash is worth the price, although it's not marketed for KP, I am lucky I found it. Also, I put the Beaux Visage face wash, (just use a little tiny dab if it, a little goes a long way) on a disposable exfoliating sponge. The brand name is Studio Basics (for the Face) and they are sold in packs of 12 at CVS, Rite Aid, etc. You can use one for the whole week, they're great, and I just work the face wash gently, in a circular motion. Then I use either Vaseline body lotion or Clinique's yellow moisterizer. My skin is radiant! Wish I could say the same for my arms and eyebrows.... but maybe this will help if someday your son has KP on his face.



As far as permanent make-up, I haven't heard the greatest testimonials. I've heard that it looks fake, it fades into a blue-ish color, and is incredibly painful, plus the rest of the hair on the brow will fall out. Seems so scary to me since it is permanent and you have to trust the aesthetic vision of the tattoo artist. I am seeking the advice of Dr. Epstein in NYC and FL on a possible transplant. (See info below) He is supposed to be an expert in the transplant field and has been featured on ABC and many women's magazines. I may try to visit him in the Fall, the procedure is costly, $3,500-$6,000 depending on the number of grafts. Guess I better start saving up! He seems very nice based on my email correspondance with him. I have asked him for advice on KP, so I will let you know what he says.

Jeffrey Epstein, MD, FACS

Miami and New York City

www.foundhair.com

www.womenscenterforhairloss.com

305.666.1774 / 212.759.3484 / 800.370.2883



I have also been advised by my dermatologist and an internal doctor, to try to use Minoxodil for Men on my eyebrows, although this makes me nervous, I may try it anyway. I know that other people have tried minoxodil on this site, and they say it takes awhile, but that it can help in re-growth, if the hair follicles are not dead. Yikes. It all sounds so scary.



Hope some of this information helps, feel free to post/email me with any questions!



Best of luck,



Skye

My son who is 15 has KP and has lost his eyebrows, or very sparse. When I look at his baby and toddler pictures I see that he had more hair but it was never thick. It has been difficult for him but I think he is learning to accept it. One dermatologist, and we have been to many, told him it was something he was just going to have to live with. We tried Minoxidil and I do believe it may have helped a bit, but you must use it for the rest of your life. Also, if it drips to other parts of your face you will grow hair in the wrong place.