I've recently started using the Implanon implant as a form of contraceptive and have noticed that my KP is getting worse. Not to mention the other side effects of Implanon - headaches and increased bleeding .
I have read of one individual using an oral contraceptive pill that helps with the KP and was wondering if anyone else had had similar stories. I'm thinkning of removing the implant and would love to know if there is a pill that will help with my KP.

I know that birth control pills help with acne but I don't know what they would do for KP...I haven't ever taken them (that's why I'm a new mom lol)but my friends do and love what it does for their skin!

i'm on the pill for medical reasons, and it's done nothin for my kp and kprf

I am also on hormones for medical problems, and I think my KP has maybe gotten a little worse? Or it's the same.

Hormonal contraception tends to keep the hormone levels higher, and it can have the effect of drying out your skin and making KP worse. When your female hormones are high, you produce less sebum (skin oil), which is why it can clear up acne. But it seems to have a negative effect on KP, supposedly by slowing the production of sebum, so your skin piles up even more with dry, dead keratin.

Turquoise! How are you. You probably don't remember me, but I'm so happy to see your writings. I have found a breakthru....... I used the Glycolic 20% and I saw results. However, I tried something totally different (something I came up with myself) and the results are astonishing. I took before pictures, and then again after 7 days. You can already see the results.... I tried to upload them on here, but my files are too large... Any suggestions of how I can post the pictures?

Here's what I did.
1. I exfoliated with Cetaphil soap mixed with baking soda - to clean pores deeply.
2. I put a mask called Queen Helene's Mint Julip (costs $3.75 at Wal-Mart or Walgreens)
3. After 1 hours I got in the shower to rinse it off.
4. I wiped my legs with toner (I used Oil of Olay brand)
5. I put Hemorrhoid cream on my legs (like lotion) to shrink my pores so that it can't get more stuff clogged in there.

Hello,

I do remember your name. That is great that you've found something you're happy with. I am surprised that it would work for long term, because shrinking the pore or follicle wouldn't normally have any preventative effect for KP. The clogging happens from the inside of the follicle to begin with, and the follicle only becomes enlarged because it fills with that debris. So, all of our follicles started out small, but the clogging happened anyway. To actually prevent KP, you would have to somehow change the function of the inside of the follicle, not just the size.

If you do have long term success, I'm sure people would want to know more about these products that (for the most part) seem to be new and untested for KP people. Maybe they do have some effect on the follicles' function.
I am not sure what is in Hemorrhoid cream, but it seems like it would be an anti-inflammatory thing, so that could be beneficial.

I am remembering that you were one of the ones who started on chemical treatment early on and did not use dermabrasion first (?). If you decide you want to try again, you can get much better results if you do. It is now available in bulk to the public for home use, so you could probably get the results you want that way, and you would not have to use AHA until after that phase of treatment was over. (around 6-8 weeks.)

I don't know if the baking soda would work as well as the dermabrasion crystals (?) but it sounds like you have found a similar method of physical exfoliation.

Do keep us updated on your progress with this new treatment.

As for the photos, you would need to shrink them before uploading. If they have just come off your camera, they are way too big and would need to be reduced in a photo editing program, or whatever similar that came with your camera and was installed on your comp at the same time. (I think most cameras come with something?) I don't know of a place online that will host photos that big otherwise.

Thanks. I will definitely try the microdermabrasion, then AHA after the 6 to 8 week treatment is completed.