Q&A: What is KP?
Q: What are those little rashy-red bumps on the backs of my arms, and how do I get rid of them?
A: I get this question asked of me a LOT, as it's a really common skin disorder. a lot of you may possibly have heard or referred to it as "chicken skin", acne, or a rash. although it looks as if it could be painful or irritating, it actually doesn't feel like anything! i mean, to the touch it feels slightly sandpaper-y and rough, but possesses no actual harm or health risks. It's called Keratosis Pilaris, and i've actually had a slight case of it most of my life. it's basically just an over abundance of dead skin cells that your body has a problem with sloughing off naturally. though it may look like acne in some cases, it has nothing to do with your oil glands or bacteria, but can be treated the same way as you would acne in the sense that they both need to be exfoliated.
(that's not my arm, just FYI!)
it's quite simple to treat, although if yours is severe enough, may possibly look like something different than what you see here, or have any concerns i definitely recommend you see your Dermatologist.
What do I use to treat it, and how much will it cost?
There are a ton of beauty products on the market, so i can see where one can get caught up in the media/magazine ad hooplah. basically with this skin disorder, exfoliation is going to be your best friend. key things to remember when you're searching for a good treatment:
- Quality ingredients are key. you want something that exfoliates chemically and mechanically, which means acids and granules! look for cleansers with ingredients such as AHA/BHA's, which are Salicylic, Glycolic and Lactic acids, and be sure to check up on the percentages. effectively, salicylic works best at a 1.5 - 2, glycolic at a 2%.
- Don't be cheap! i know it's rough right now, especially with the economy being in the position it is, but when it comes to quality skin care, sometimes you just have to shell out the bucks. i use Murad's Clarifying Cleanser, Acne Body Wash and their Hyper-pigmentation serum to help with the discoloration. and don't forget to moisturize! you don't want something SO heavy that it blocks up your pores and cancels out all the work you just did! try Eucerin's Moisture Plus, which has the AHA/BHA's (Alpha/Beta Hydroxy Acids) that help exfoliate. the downside is that Murad isn't cheap ($30+ a bottle?!), but the upside is that IT WORKS! if you're on a REALLY tight budget, stick with the advice i gave above about ingredients. Note: Try and steer clear from exfoliants with "rough" or uneven particles such as walnut shells and apricot-pit bits, as these could leave tiny cuts and scrapes in your Epidermis. Opt for gentle, smooth, or round exfoliants such as JoJoba beads or rice bran. Try Dermalogica's Skin Prep Scrub. it's gentle enough to use everyday, but extremely effective.
- Don't be lazy! once you have a good regimen, stick with it! make it a part of your daily routine, mark it on your calender if you have to! the more you use your products and use them consistently, the better the results are going to be.
- Watch the hands! try your absolute best to not pick or scratch at the bumps. it irritates the skin, and causes scarring and discoloration later on in life. keep in mind while exfoliating: for some reason, we get the idea that scrubbing reeeeallly hard will do the trick. in reality, you really don't have to work the skin all that hard, and could be damaging it. let the exfoliants do the work for you, and save your poor little arms some unnecessary heartache!
- Try not to over-exfoliate! if you're like me and feel that you should join a club called "Over-Exfoliators Anonymous", raise your hand! while getting your treatment started, you should start in small increments at first to prepare your skin. try 2-3 times a week with your exfoliation, possibly even just once a week. then after 2 weeks to a month, bump it up to every day. if your skin gets at all red or irritated, stop what you're using and see your doctor. it could be an allergy, or you're just scrubbing the hell out of yourself!
Be good to your skin, and it'll be good to you. if you have any more questions, just ask. =]
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