Types of Keratosis Pilaris

When most people think about keratosis pilaris (of the people who actually know what KP is), they think about the little red bumps that are probably on their arms, their thighs and maybe their backs. While it’s true that KP can show up almost anywhere on your skin (lately there are more and more cases of people getting keratosis pilaris on their faces and their chest then ever before), most people don’t know about the several different types of KP.

They think that KP is just a skin condition of little red, sometimes irritated, bumps on the skin. While this is true their are many different kinds of keratosis pilaris, all of which have their own unique traits and variations.

Keratosis Pilaris Rubra Faceii

Keratosis pilaris rubra faceii is a distinctive type of KP that occurs on the face. An easy way to remember this is by using the somewhat literal translation from Latin to “keratosis red face”. often misdiagnosed as rosacea, this type of KP primarily affects the face and is accompanied by itching in the affected area.

Some of it’s giveaways are a bright rosy color in the cheeks, the distinctive rough KP bumps in the area and irritation if gone untreated.

Some treatment options for this type of KP are using moisturizers and lotions to sooth the affected skin. This may or may not reduce the rough feeling of the skin and some of the tell-tale rosy color. In many cases, prescription skin cream and / or lotions may be prescribed. Treating this condition can take a long time before any significant results will be seen. And most of the time, if you stop your daily treatment routine, the symptoms can return.

Keratosis Seborrheic

Keratosis seborrheic is yet another skin condition often misdiagnosed or mistaken for psoriasis or eczema. This form of keratosis pilaris is characterized by (usually white in color) large wart like formations on the skin in the affected area(s). It is actually is a benign type of skin tumor. While their is as of yet no known cause (although it may very well be genetic in nature like KP), it typically comes on after the age of forty.

These “warts” may be in many different colors (there are some recently reported cases of them being anywhere from beige to black in appearance). The skin in these areas will often times seem a bit “elevated” or raised above the rest of the skin and they can form from somewhat small to quite large in size. Even though they look like common warts, they are not at all viral in nature (exactly like normal keratosis pilaris).

Some treatments for this condition are to apply various over the counter products that may actually “kill” the wart like spots. Products like lactic acid, glycolic acid, greater celandine extract and hydrogen peroxide have recently been reported to have cured this condition in several test subject cases. Once successful, Reviva Lightening cream has been used by many people to improve the previously affected area once the condition is cured.

Once a patient is free of this condition, occasional bathing in baths with hydrogen peroxide added to the water has been shown to keep this condition away in some people.

Recently, an all natural treatment for keratosis pilaris has been getting a lot of national media attention. Many people are attributing their being KP free to this new system, which uses commonly available ingredients that can be bought at any grocery store. You can learn more about it here.