Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Learn How To Treat Keratosis Pilaris

By Rico Kidd

Treating keratosis pilaris can be a tedious task. However, your effort will result in smoother and more beautiful looking skin. There are a variety of KP treatments on the market and this article will review some of the cheaper options.

Exfoliate - Make sure you exfoliate every other day with an abrasive loofah or scrub. I prefer to use the KP Heavy Duty body scrub from Derma Doctor, but you can go the cheaper route and use Cetaphil and a loofah. The key point is to exfoliate and get rid of the keratin build-up. The rough, bumpy skin that is caused by Keratosis Pilaris is due to an excessive amount of keratin that clogs the hair follicle. Exfoliating helps reduce and unclog the keratin buildup in your pores. Some people have very delicate skin that can not handle the abrasive nature of loofahs. If so, make sure to lightly exfoliate with a less abrasive scrub or loofah, but most importantly, you MUST exfoliate. Without exfoliating, your skin will always stay bumpy.

Once you finish exfoliating, use a topical repair lotion. The best types of lotion for treating keratosis pilaris are lotions that contain either; lactic acid, retin-a, or urea. Derma Doctor KP Duty Repair Lotion contains some of these active compounds but cheaper options include; AmLactin and Cortol-20. Make sure you are using some sort of lotion after exfoliating so that your skin can retain moisture. Excessive oil build-up from dry skin causes causes keratin build-up.

Scented soaps or soaps with heavy perfume and dyes can aggravate the skin and increase keratosis pilaris conditions. Try to use soaps that are hypo-allergenic and do not contains perfume or dyes. Cetaphil is a good cleanser as it's hypo-allergenic and unscented.

Sun bathing is a cheap alternative when treating keratosis pilaris. However, do not perform excessive sun tanning as your risk of skin cancer is higher when staying out in the sun too long. If you do sun bathe, remember to use a high SPF sunscreen and limit the duration in which you stay out in the sun. I've had good results reducing the red spots on my arms and legs by sun bathing.

Drink a lot of water. This one is a no brainer, hydrate your skin by drinking lots of water. Carry a water bottle with you at all times and make sure you drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Dry skin can increase the keratosis pilaris on your skin.

There are many more Keratosis Pilaris treatments , but to review, make sure you exfoliate, use a topical lotion that contains the key ingredients, get some sun (do it responsibly), and drink lots of water. Remember, there is no cure for keratosis pilaris, however treatment for keratosis pilaris starts with knowledge about the condition and being active in treating keratosis pilaris.

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