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Original poster

Keratosis pilaris can anyone help please dd so down about it :(

35 replies

harmonyuk2005 · 07/07/2013 20:06

Hi, dd (14) has had this forever, very bad on upper arms and her legs are so bad, totally covered in little red bumps. We've tried lots of different moisturisers, exfoliators etc, been to the doctors and got creams but nothing has made any difference. Today the sun is shining and dd put some shorts on with a pair of skin tights :( she never gets her legs out she's very self conscious and today her elder brother upset her because he noticed the bumps!! She's so down and depressed about it, is there anything we can try. I've googled, read old threads etc. Am seriously considering letting her use the sunbeds that's how sad I feel for her. Have also heard that ilp? laser hair removal can work? Finding her in tears this evening, we've had a chat and I've told her i'll ask on here, we have heard that sun exposure will help so I've suggested she does that in the privacy of our garden, have kicked her elder brothers butt! Have read threads on here about flexitol? there's a few which one? Is it worth revisiting the gp, can see a different one as the first just said tough luck you have to live with it but here try this cream. Please help, thank you

OP posts:

StrangeGlue · 07/07/2013 20:12

I have this badly too. I had diferin cream from the doctors, you have to pumice your skin then apply it.

Sun doesn't help enough to risk sunbeds and its the prolonged exposure to sun for vit d etc.

Shower rather than bath, exfoliate and cream with asilic (sp?) acid in it. I had a recommended link, will try to find it.

It gets better with age and no one has ever commented on mine and it hasn't put boys off if she's worried about that

TerribleTantrums · 07/07/2013 20:14

I only ever had it very mildly, but it disappeared when I stopped using shower gels with SLSs in them. It was an additional bonus as I had changed to milder shower gels to try and control my psoriasis. Jason do nice shower gels at reasonable prices or African black soap is extremely mild.

LordEmsworth · 07/07/2013 20:18

I had this for years on the backs of my thighs - wouldn't wear shorts because of it. I tried the same things (exfoliating, moisturising, sunshine) though I didn't go to the GP. Then I tried Clinique Total Turnaround body cream - it has salicylic acid in it, which is an exfoliator, so it goes on exfoliating your skin while it moisturises. I saw a difference within 24 hours - I am not exaggerating. It's gone now, the couple of times it's come back I've gone back to the TT cream & it's worked.

It looks like they've discontinued it now but you can still get it on eBay - I get mine from the cosmetics discount store at my local designer outlet. Might stock up now it looks like it's going...

AuntieBrenda · 07/07/2013 20:20

I had it quite badly on my arms and its recently disappeared. It's due to one ( or both!) of these two things:

Soap and glory body scrub in a tube
Coconut oil mixed with sugar to make a scrub

The soap and glory stuff actually says on the tube that's its for the bumps. I got the coconut oil in solid form from holland Nd Barrett. I used to melt it in a bowl then mix it up with the sugar.
I read on here that flexitol cream helps but I did that and I had no joy.
Good luck to your dd, I hope it works!

RawCoconutMacaroon · 07/07/2013 20:37

Mine Completely disappeared (upper arms and legs) when I went on a wheat and grain free diet.

I think many others removing grains (especially the gluten containing ones) find this is the case, so it may be worth trying for a few weeks.

For me, the skin improvements a happy additional benefit to the other health gains I got from going grain free... Obviously it won't work for everyone but if it does, it means no medication required.

Some of the grain free diet weblogs I read have information about inflammation and skin conditions caused by sensitivity to proteins in grains, a very sensible site is Marks Daily Apple, a great place to start if you are interested in finding out a bit more, and maybe trying a grain elimination diet for a month or two to see if it is a solution for your Dd.

RawCoconutMacaroon · 07/07/2013 20:43

LordE, salicilic acid works - it's an anti inflammatory... But it may come back if you are still eating or coming into contact with something with is causing the condition to erupt iykwim.

PareyMortas · 07/07/2013 20:45

The best, the easiest and the quickest solution is to buy any brand of cracked heal cream and apply it to your arms. I don't suffer any more, noticed that dd1 has them and three days after applying the cream they've gone. No scrubbing etc. it's the urea in the cream that does the trick.

ParkerTheThief · 07/07/2013 20:50

I used flexitol on mine and it disappeared really quickly.

Branleuse · 07/07/2013 20:54

i have it on my legs and bum. Worse in the winter.

I find it gets better if i make sure i bath or shower and exfoliate daily, with one of those rough massage exfoliating sponges (to keep the keratin from building up) and then using pure coconut oil as a moisturiser.

I also find a bit of fake tan disguises it, and getting the air to it definitely helps.

Its so so common, especially if you have celtic heritage

FlatsInDagenham · 07/07/2013 20:56

I use cracked heel balm - Boots own version is much cheaper than flexitol and has the same active ingredient. Smells nicer too.

SconeInSixtySeconds · 07/07/2013 21:04

LordEmsworth is this the stuff you mean?

I have always had this. Dd told me today my leg looked like raw chicken skin. Which was nice.

showtunesgirl · 07/07/2013 21:07

I have had this since I was little and it was rather bad on my arms.

I went to the docs for a completely unrelated matter and he noticed my arms and advised using non-perfumed and non-foaming bodywash when washing that area and again moisturising with heavy duty non-perfumed body cream. Boots do a great derma range which I find the most effective.

My skin is now almost completely smooth and I wish I'd known about this before my wedding where I had a make up artist put make up on my arms!

Grockle · 07/07/2013 21:08

I use those exfoliating gloves & gentle soap/ body wash (always SLS free). They disappeared but I make sure I use those gloves every day in the shower.

ggirl · 07/07/2013 21:16

sudocrem is also meant to work

Original poster

harmonyuk2005 · 07/07/2013 21:23

Wow thank you for your responses so much! i will read through and get dd too as well am on phone as comp throwing a fit! I remember someone saying coconut oil. It seems the foot stuff is quite popular so will definitely get her to give that a go. We have the gloves to exfoliate and a good body brush too. Also read about a soap and glory product. We have the scrub in that. As there's only a week left at school am hoping we can try things over the holidays can anyone tell me how long we should try say the foot stuff for before going onto the next product thank you again i really appreciate all help :) ps she's not worried about the boy aspect but says some kids can be mean :( and she's in a new school after the hols

OP posts:

OrangeLily · 07/07/2013 21:25

My DH has this and it drives me mad because he is constantly picking at it. He never goes to the doctor about it but at least now I know there is something to help!

Imnotaslimjim · 07/07/2013 21:26

I have it too, and have for most of my life (remember mum trying to get rid of it when I was about 8)

I use cracked heel cream, which does work. I do have a wheat intolerance, but don't stay totally wheat free - and I can't say I noticed a massive difference in it when I was

LordEmsworth · 07/07/2013 21:34

Scone erm, quite a compliment... it's the body version of that (which specifies not to be used on face - so am guessing a stronger version)

SconeInSixtySeconds · 07/07/2013 21:42

I know! Just as well I love the little toerag!

I will keep looking then! Thanks.

3mum · 08/07/2013 17:32

I have this and my daughter does too. Have tried the mild soap thing and moisturising without any effect. What works best for both of us is any product with salicilic acid in it plus using a scrub - basically you have to get rid of the build up of skin around the hair follicles which then gets a minor infection giving you the red dots.

My absolute favourite is Boots hard skin remover for feet - the sort which is a combination of a cream with acid and granules in it and you rub off the hard skin. It leaves your skin nice and soft afterwards and we both use it on our arms without any ill effects. Any similar product works equally well so just buy the cheapest.

topsi · 08/07/2013 19:17

It's a long shot but when I cut out refined carbs from my diet mine improved.
There has also been research to show this helps with acne as well as well as avoiding dairy

tethersend · 08/07/2013 19:21

Mine disappeared when I was pregnant- but I don't advise that

Aveeno shower gel helps a lot.

SconeInSixtySeconds · 08/07/2013 20:22

Did it clear it up for good tethers?! Otherwise I would have to be pg for the rest of my life and I think it might feel a little tiring to have 17 children....

tethersend · 08/07/2013 21:30

Unfortunately, it came back within hours weeks of me giving birth

Some people say theirs gets worse whilst pg

SconeInSixtySeconds · 08/07/2013 21:35

Okay then. scrubs pregnancy off the list

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