Above is a photo of my KP on its third day. It might not show much but the itch was intense, irritating and frustrating, the redness was severe and the texture was very rough. I guess the key to treating KP is getting at it as soon as you see the blemishes but the tell-tale sign for me was the itching even before any bumps showed up.
And since I am allergic to numerous things, my diet is always suspect when rashes similar to this appear. You know when something is not right especially with the skin. Ladies, we apply lotion to our skin several times a day so we know when a little roughness is nothing and when it is not.
Always have a nourishing lotion for dry skin handy. Use or not use, keep it handy. The first thing I actually applied on my KP was calamine lotion. Sensible decision I thought at the time, but since it was not an outside irritant that caused it, the calamine did not work. So I went through the usual process of elimination process. Allergens and such, but in the end a professional opinion will be needed. And stick to the regimen, it is time consuming but effective.
I did not do the dry scrubbing/exfoliating process because I know that it will make my skin raw and it was not just something I was advised to do. So I scrapped that idea (though I see alot of that being recommended on youtube) and did a more scientific approach to addressing my KP.
Diet is also key in this. I eat healthier now and no sweets, no artificial and processed food. I took out white rice, meat and nuts. I love it! I also cut down my exposure to sunlight and sweating has been very helpful.
I was thinking these bumps, itch and redness will last 2 weeks or so but on the fourth day, I have almost eliminated 96 percent of the rashes. Stick with the regimen though time consuming, it will help.
The itch is almost all gone, I hardly itch at night now and it does not wake me anymore. Four days of this was about enough for me. The lotion that I have is with me or near me 24hours a day. As soon as I feel an itch coming I just slather that on all over my arms or legs.
Again, this worked for me. You can give it a try but no guarantee. I am just so fortunate to have a doctor handy to monitor my progress and encourage me when I am doing so well. Good ol' Dad.
And R, even said my back looks much better than it did before. He even volunteered to put lotion on me, like he used to before my whole body became so eeky with rashes. He missed doing it, he said. Aww..a sweetheart, I know.
Well, again. If you happen to pass by this update and want a photo of the products that I used, just comment below and I will post pictures.
BTW, this is how my skin looks now after 4 days of doing my treatment of my KP. Today, is the fifth day that I am doing my treatment. See below.
Again, this worked for me. I am sharing only because I want others who have KP to know that there is hope in achieving smooth skin again. Just stick with the regimen that works best for you. It will be a constant struggle with skincare and diet. But I can do this. We all deserve smooth skin and anything good takes lots of work. Smooth skin you can be born with but maintaining it is a personal choice. Work your way to smoother than ever skin.
Good luck. And if I can be of help please comment below and I will reply.
Thank you for visiting...tomorrow, is another day.
3 comments:
Hi im currently suffering from kp now and i would like to know the products that you used to help your skin get cleared from those itchy bumps..thank you so much..
Hi xu junxiong.
First, thank you for your question. Please know that the first battle you have with KP is to control the scratching. Try not to scratch it. It could get infected if you continue to scratch it.
Write down what you eat and see when the itching starts. You can have food triggers, like I did. Avoid those food while your skin is red and itchy.
Avoid soap with perfume or scented.
Wear breathable clothes. Loose fitting close but that covers the areas that are red is also good. You don't scratch it as much if you do not see it.
Take cold showers. Do not exfoliate as much (until it heals and then you can use soft washcloth to take of the dead skin).
Check your shampoo. Maybe when you wash your hair it is too strong for your skin, it irritates it.
I avoided soy sauce, tofu, tomatoes and mayonnaise.
I use baby wash for bodywash. I use no lotion at all but AMLACTIN after each shower. I take antihistamine to relieve the itchiness at night. After 10-14days it will ease up a bit. Make note of your food triggers.
If you workout (like I do) please change clothes after a heavy workout. DO NOT LET SWEAT DRY ON YOUR SKIN.
Think pores need to breath. If these pores are clogged KP kicks in. The incorrect kind of food can make matters worse. Since I became a strict vegetarian, my KP comes no more than once a year and in smaller patches than years before.
Stress is also a culprit. Relax and do not scratch. It can leave nasty scars if you do this too hard.
Freeze a couple of wet washcloth and when the itching gets really bad, apply one of the washcloth on the itchy area. The cool surface of the very cold washcloth helps with the itching.
Avoid shaving legs when you have KP. The application of AMLACTIN can sting like crazy. Be ready to stand the sting. Do it in a well ventilated room. Lie down if you must. But cover the whole area with KP, repeat as needed. BTW, I also put my AMLACTIN in the refrigerator. Better applied cold than room temperature.
For me, I have decided to now use only ORGANIC face cream and nothing with scents.
Again, what helped me was being vigilant with my diet. AMLACTIN. No scented products anymore. Loose clothing (breathable fabric).
I hope this helps you. Keep me updated okay. I really want to help. I know how it feels like when you have a KP flare up. Hang in there. It will be gone soon.
Thank you so much for this valuable information.
It is people like you that really make a difference in the lives of people with keratosis pilaris.
I suffered for 12 years from keratosis pilaris and nothing I tried worked.
Drugs, nutrition, all types of doctors...you name it--the suffering never really went away.
Fortunately, I found out about a natural way that finally got rid of my keratosis pilaris for good.
This article talks about it...
http://www.bestquicktips.com/keratosis_pilaris
Hope it helps and keep up the good work!
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