So, we’ve established what Keratosis Pilaris is through my Skinformation series (if you missed that post it’s here) but now we need to understand how to treat it. This is a long overdue post mainly because I know how frustrating it is to have this skin condition when all you want is smooth skin.
What’s more frustrating is this condition rarely affects your facial skin. It’s more likely to be on your arms or your thighs (I have it on the tops of my arms). Generally areas that you want to show off but feel like you can’t because of the little raised spots that won’t seem to go away.
Quick recap of KP
It is a very common, inherited disorder that is characterized by papules that may have surrounding redness. The papules cause a stippled appearance on the skin resembling gooseflesh. Gooseflesh, chicken skin and strawberry legs are all common nicknames for this skin condition, albeit not flattering terms.
It isn’t really harmful to the individual that has it but it is annoying and can affect a person’s self esteem.
Currently, there isn’t a cure for Keratosis Pilaris BUT there are ways to treat it. With constant care you can have much smoother skin.
So, how do I treat Keratosis Pilaris?
- Exfoliate
Keratosis Pilaris is caused by a build up of protein (keratin) which blocks your hair follicles. So, the best way to get rid of build up? Exfoliate. Constantly. It’s very important to note that you need to do this more regularly then someone who doesn’t have KP because that pesky keratin is always being produced.
A great product for this is First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA, which I actually need a bottle of.
You can also use exfoliating gloves to help you manually slough away at the keratin build up.
2. Hair removal
The way you remove hair will definitely affect your KP.
Shaving and waxing can exasperate your Keratosis Pilaris and can make you more susceptible to ingrown hairs because the keratin blocks the hair follicle before new hair grows.
When shaving and waxing remember to exfoliate well, moisturise a-lot and shave on damp, conditioned skin with a sharp razor.
3. Stay very hydrated
Put your lotion on damp skin to help seal that hydration in. You can also use a lotion that has AHA in it so you are hydrating and chemically exfoliating at the same time. This also gives you an extra step of exfoliation that requires little effort on you part because exfoliating your whole body all the time is hard work.
Some body cream/lotion recommendations:
Paula’s Choice Skin Revealing 10% AHA Body Lotion
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