Keratosis Pilaris- best treatment?

sofababe

I have had this all my life, I'm now 40, tho now it is only on my arms. I had it on my face as a child:eek: but it was only diagnosed in 2006 and no treatment was offered.

As the summer is coming to an end I'm thinking about ways to treat my KP during the winter as I find it much less severe in summer, I'm sure its the sun.

40% of people have it, mostly women so some of you out there in MSE-land must be with me in this, so what do you use? What have you found helpful? Or hopeless? I exfoliate and moisturise, some days are better than others.

thursdaynext

I had it for years on the backs of my legs - easy to cover up but meant I felt very uncomfortable in short skirts... I had no idea what it was until I read an article a couple of years ago, in Slimming World magazine of all places.

They did say sunshine helps, so that will be why it's better in the summer!

They recommended Clinique Total Turnaround -it's not cheap, about £22 for a tube that's not very big - because it has salycetic acid in it. It's an exfoliating cream, basically, so your skin is constantly being exfoliated.

I noticed a difference within 2 days of starting to use it. I got through 2 tubes (in about 6 weeks) & it was barely noticeable anymore :j I stopped using it & exfoliate 2-3 times a week, and moisturise every day (currently No 7 silky leg oil, which I lurve...) and now I love getting my legs out!

As I say - not cheap but it works!

jenniewb

I have this at the tops of my arms. Desite whats said about the sun it doesget worse in the summer. I find exfoliation helps, I have been told by dermatologists that exfoliation does nothing and that nothing can help but exfoliation helps me, it doesn't take it away by a long shot but I feel it reduces slightly. I find it gets worse when its very hot weather. I apply sunscreen and wonder if this contributes or if its the heat and skin sweating (even if you don't drip with sweat, the skin can still be doing so but it just gets evaporated very swiftly).

I also use Eucerin with 10% w/w Urea treatment lotion (about £7-£8 for a massive bottle which has lasted me two summers now). It helps as the acids in it help keep a limit on the skin processing the skin at the rate it does. I do notice a difference if I stop using this, again subtle but there is a difference.

I have not tried the turnaround lotion on it- if I could afford to I would as I have had samples of this in the past and used on my face did amazing things to my skin!

I was told by a dermatologist that its to do with the production of vitamin A. Not that we are in need of more vitamin A or less, just that our bodies are dealing with it in a strange way and this KP is the result. I eat alot of fresh fruit and steamed veg, I have experimented with changing the type and it makes no difference.

grey_lady

Exfoiliating seems to make mine worse, lush dream cream helps for a few hours but next on my list of things to try is Shea butter and thennthe turnaround cream.

sofababe

I might have to give the turnaround cream a go (£22:eek:), as it doesn't seem to matter which body lotion I try, its ok for a few hours then its hard and pimply again:(
I cringe when my OH touches my arms but I'm probably far more aware of it than he is, tho it really gets me down sometimes.
I've just had a bath and used a body brush beforehand and a massage sponge during and my arms are fairly smooth atm but not for long I predict. What do you think about moisturising? Does it make it worse by clogging the pores more?

sofababe

thursdaynext wrote: »

They recommended Clinique Total Turnaround -it's not cheap, about £22 for a tube that's not very big - because it has salycetic acid in it. It's an exfoliating cream, basically, so your skin is constantly being exfoliated.

I noticed a difference within 2 days of starting to use it. I got through 2 tubes (in about 6 weeks) & it was barely noticeable anymore :j I stopped using it & exfoliate 2-3 times a week, and moisturise every day (currently No 7 silky leg oil, which I lurve...) and now I love getting my legs out!

As I say - not cheap but it works!

Is this the one in a tub or the concentrate in a pump?

thursdaynext

I used the tube - didn't know there was a pump version, or a tub... There's a different version for the face, the woman at the counter was adamant that I mustn't use the body lotion on my face which was a bit scary...

I think moisturising definitely helps for me, now that it's so much better I do find if I get lazy & skip moisturising for a couple of days I start to notice the follicles getting all hard. I think the article I read said it's to do with hair follicles producing too much keratonin - so it's the hair follicles that are the problem rather than the pores.

It just seems bizarre to me that so many people have it but it's not better known, I had it for years with no idea what it was...

gwhizz75

I have it on my arms and I find it is a lot better in summer too. Another thing which I recently found works wonders is a sauna (or steamroom). After spending 10 minutes or so in there, my arms felt really soft and smooth and there were no bumps to be seen.

Exfoliation also helps with mine although mine isn't a severe case.

sofababe

I'll give the Turnaround cream a try I think (when I've got the money:o), wonder if would help with ingrown hairs as well. I get a bit of trouble with those too as I epilate my legs and no matter how much I scrub & moisturise I still get them.