About keratosis pilaris (kp)

What is keratosis pilaris (kp)?

Keratosis pilaris (KP) facts

  • Keratosis pilaris is a very common, benign skin disorder that affects adolescents and adults.
  • Keratosis pilaris causes numerous small, rough, tan or red little bumps around hair follicles on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and cheeks.
  • Keratosis pilaris creates the appearance of gooseflesh, goose bumps, or chicken skin.
  • Keratosis pilaris is seen in patients with other dry skin conditions and atopic dermatitis.
  • Keratosis pilaris is not curable, but it may become less noticeable with time.
  • Keratosis pilaris tends to be inherited through families (genetic association).
  • Keratosis pilaris may spontaneously clear without treatment.
  • Keratosis pilaris generally requires ongoing maintenance therapy.
  • Treat keratosis pilaris with daily lubrication, gentle exfoliation, and glycolic or lactic acids.
  • Consider helpful options for keratosis pilaris like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and facials.

What is keratosis pilaris?

Keratosis pilaris is a very common skin disorder affecting many people of all ages. Keratosis pilaris is a benign condition that presents as numerous small, rough, red, or tan bumps primarily around hair follicles on the upper arms, legs, buttocks, and sometimes cheeks. Keratosis pilaris creates a "goose bumps," "gooseflesh," or "chicken skin" appearance on the skin. A majority of people with keratosis pilaris may be unaware that the skin condition has a designated medical term or that it is treatable. Keratosis pilaris may be cosmetically displeasing but it is medically completely harmless. Keratosis pilaris is common in otherwise healthy people.

Does keratosis pilaris affect the entire body?

Although possible, it is rare to have keratosis pilaris all over the body. The lesions in keratosis pilaris most characteristically involve the back of the upper arms. Other common locations include the back, thighs, buttocks and occasionally the face. It does not affect the eyes, mouth, palms, or soles.

What does keratosis pilaris look like?

Typically, keratosis pilaris patients present with a scattered, patchy rash made of very small red or tan bumps. Often, anywhere from 10 to hundreds of very small slightly rough bumps are scattered in an area. The affected area may have a fine, sandpaper-like texture. Some of the bumps may be slightly red or have an accompanying light-red halo indicating inflammation.

What are the symptoms for keratosis pilaris (kp)?

Bumps symptom was found in the keratosis pilaris (kp) condition

Treatment for keratosis pilaris usually isn't necessary. But if you're concerned about your or your child's skin, consult your family doctor or a specialist in skin conditions (dermatologist).

What are the causes for keratosis pilaris (kp)?

Keratin plug 

Keratosis pilaris develops when keratin forms a scaly plug that blocks the opening of the hair follicle. Usually plugs form in many hair follicles, causing patches of rough, bumpy skin.

Keratosis pilaris is caused by the buildup of keratin — a hard protein that protects skin from harmful substances and infection. The keratin blocks the opening of hair follicles, causing patches of rough, bumpy skin.

It's not clear why keratin builds up in people with keratosis pilaris. It may occur in association with a genetic disease or with skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. Dry skin tends to make keratosis pilaris worse.

What are the treatments for keratosis pilaris (kp)?

Many treatment options and skin-care recipes are available for controlling the signs of keratosis pilaris. Many patients have very good temporary improvement following a regular skin-care program of lubrication. As a general rule of thumb, treatment needs to be continuous. Since there is no available cure or universally effective treatment for keratosis pilaris, the list of potential lotions and creams is long. It is important to keep in mind that as with any condition, no therapy is uniformly effective in all people. Complete clearing may not be possible. In some cases, keratosis pilaris may also improve or clear spontaneously without any treatment.

General measures to prevent excessive skin dryness, such as using mild soapless cleansers, are recommended. Frequent skin lubrication is the mainstay of treatment for nearly all cases.

Mild cases of keratosis pilaris may be improved with basic over-the-counter moisturizers such as Cetaphil or Lubriderm lotions. Additional available therapeutic options for more difficult cases of keratosis pilaris include lactic-acid lotions (AmLactin, Lac-Hydrin), alpha-hydroxy-acid lotions (Glytone, glycolic body lotions), urea cream (Carmol 10, Carmol 20, Carmol 40, Urix 40), salicylic acid (Salex lotion), and topical steroid creams (triamcinolone 0.1%).

The affected area should be washed once or twice a day with a gentle wash like Cetaphil or Dove. Lotions should be gently massaged into the affected area two to three times a day. Irritated or abraded skin should be treated only with bland moisturizers until the inflammation resolves.

Occasionally, physicians may prescribe a short seven- to 10-day course of a medium-potency, emollient-based topical steroid cream once or twice a day for inflamed red areas.

Many treatments have been used in keratosis pilaris without consistent results. As there is no miraculous cure or universally effective treatment for keratosis pilaris, it is important to proceed with caution and lower expectations.

Because keratosis pilaris is generally a chronic condition requiring long-term maintenance, most therapies would require repeated or long-term use for optimum results.

Mild cleansers and lotions for sensitive skin: Wash daily, and apply lotion twice a day.

  • Cetaphil
  • Dove
  • Eucerin
  • Curel

Potent moisturizers for home treatment: Use once or twice a day.

  • Lactic-acid lotions (AmLactin, Lac-Hydrin)
  • Alpha-hydroxy-acid lotions (Glytone, Citrix glycolic body lotion 15%)
  • Urea creams (Carmol 10, Carmol 20, Carmol 40, Urix 40)
  • Salicylic-acid lotions (Salex 6%)
  • Compounded 3% salicylic acid in 20% urea cream

What is the prognosis of patients with keratosis pilaris?

Overall, keratosis pilaris is a chronic skin condition periodically becoming worse or better. Keratosis pilaris is a benign, noncontagious, self-limited skin condition that tends to be mild. Keratosis pilaris frequently improves with age in many patients. Many patients note improvement of their symptoms in the summer months and seasonal flares in colder winter months. More widespread, atypical cases of keratosis pilaris may be cosmetically distressing.

What are the risk factors for keratosis pilaris (kp)?

Keratosis Pilaris (KP), or chicken skin, is a skin disorder that appears as small bumps on the skin and is usually mistaken as goosebumps or small pimples.

  • Keratin, i.e. proteins produced by the skin in large quantities, blocks hair follicles, and this leads to the development of red bumps on the skin.
  • None can define why keratin is built up in keratosis pilaris. Itchiness and irritation can be felt on the skin.
  • Keratosis Pilaris appears on the back of the upper arms, thighs, sometimes cheeks and buttocks.
  • It does not appear on the eyes, mouth, palm, or soles. It is a genetic disorder. It appears with other dry skin conditions and atopic dermatitis.
  • The color of the bumps appearing on the skin may depend on the skin tone; it may be flesh-colored, pink, red, brown or .
  • Dry skin may worsen the condition with keratosis pilaris, especially in winter and also during pregnancy, as hormonal changes cause flare-ups during pregnancy and puberty.
  • Many people with keratosis pilaris are unaware of this disease, and this is very common such that about 50% to 80% of teenagers and 40% of adults may have keratosis pilaris. There may be hundreds of very tiny red bumps appearing on the body.
  • Keratosis pilaris may mostly affect adolescents and adults of almost all ages and people with obesity, eczema, ichthyosis Vulgaris, hay fever, asthma, hypothyroidism, diabetes, Cushing's syndrome, and Down syndrome.


Symptoms
Bumps appear anywhere on the skin, especially the place where there are hair follicles,Bumps look like goosebumps or the skin of a plucked chicken,Slight pinkness or redness around bumps
itchy, irritable skin,Dry skin,Bumps that feel like sandpaper,Bumps that can appear in different colors depending on skin tone (flesh-colored, white, red, pink, brown, or )
Conditions
Keratosis rash,Patches of rough-feeling tiny bumps appear on the skins
Drugs
Moisturizing treatments (urea and lactic acid) to soothe itchy, dry skin and improve the skin's appearance from the keratosis rash,Microdermabrasion, an intense exfoliating treatment,Chemical peels,Retinol creams

Is there a cure/medications for keratosis pilaris (kp)?

There is no cure for Keratosis Pilaris (KP), but it can cure on itself over time. There are also many treatment options available that can help to control the symptoms of keratosis pilaris.

  • There is no special treatment for this disease, but many lotions, creams, and skin care products can help in some way or the other to reduce the bumps and relief.
  • Dry skin can become a cause of keratosis pilaris, and to avoid this, doctors may recommend using mild soapless cleansers. Skin lubrication is the best possible way.
  • Moisturizers such as Cetaphil or Lubriderm lotions can help in improving mild cases of keratosis pilaris. For severe cases, medications such as-
  • Lactic-acid lotions (Amlactin, Lac-Hydrin),

Alpha-hydroxy acid lotions (Glytone, glycolic body lotions),
Urea cream (Carmol 10, Carmol 20, Carmol 40, Urix 40), salicylic acid (Salex lotion), and

  • Topical steroid creams (triamcinolone 0.1%)
  • are prescribed.
  • Proper hygiene should be maintained as regards the affected area and must be cleaned by Cetaphi, Dove, Curel, Eucerin.
  • Lotions must be applied two to three times a day.
  • Vitamin A cream, i.e. Retin-A, can help decrease the buildup of keratin that causes keratosis pilaris. Even laser treatments are recommended. Various home remedies can also keep you at ease from keratosis pilaris.
  • The bumps on the skin may go in summer, whereas they may be visible during winter.


Symptoms
Bumps appear anywhere on the skin, especially the place where there are hair follicles,Bumps look like goosebumps or the skin of a plucked chicken,Slight pinkness or redness around bumps
itchy, irritable skin,Dry skin,Bumps that feel like sandpaper,Bumps that can appear in different colors depending on skin tone (flesh-colored, white, red, pink, brown, or )
Conditions
Keratosis rash,Patches of rough-feeling tiny bumps appear on the skins
Drugs
Moisturizing treatments (urea and lactic acid) to soothe itchy, dry skin and improve the skin's appearance from the keratosis rash,Microdermabrasion, an intense exfoliating treatment,Chemical peels,Retinol creams

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