Keratosis Pilaris (cont.)
Gary W. Cole, MD, FAAD
Dr. Cole is board certified in dermatology. He obtained his BA degree in bacteriology, his MA degree in microbiology, and his MD at the University of California, Los Angeles. He trained in dermatology at the University of Oregon, where he completed his residency.
Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD
Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
In this Article
- Keratosis pilaris facts
- What is keratosis pilaris (KP)?
- Who gets keratosis pilaris?
- What is the prognosis of patients with keratosis pilaris?
- Does keratosis pilaris affect the entire body?
- What does keratosis pilaris look like?
- What causes keratosis pilaris?
- How is keratosis pilaris diagnosed?
- Is keratosis pilaris curable?
- Is keratosis pilaris contagious?
- What are possible complications of keratosis pilaris?
- Does diet have anything to do with keratosis pilaris?
- Keratosis pilaris "do's"
- Keratosis pilaris "don'ts"
- Find a local Dermatologist in your town
Keratosis pilaris "do's"
- Do take measures to prevent excessive skin dryness, especially in colder winter months.
- Do use mild soaps like Dove soapless cleanser or Cetaphil cleanser.
- Do lubricate skin with special lotions containing lactic acid like AmLactin or Lac-Hydrin lotion.
- Alpha-hydroxy-acid lotions (glycolic acid), urea cream (Urix 40), and salicylic acid (Salex).
- Do gently massage the lotions into the affected area twice a day.
Keratosis pilaris "don'ts"
- Don't use harsh soaps or cleansers.
- Don't scrub harshly and try to scrape off the skin.
- Don't expect immediate results with topical creams.
- Don't give up hope.
REFERENCE:
Hwang, Sharon, and Robert A. Schwartz. "Keratosis Pilaris: A Common Follicular Hyperkeratosis." Pediatric Dermatology 82 Sept. 2008: 177-180.
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