Everything you need to know about keratosis pilaris

Keratosis pilaris cannot be prevented as it's genetic, but affected areas can be treated with moisturizing soaps and lotions so that it's less prominent. Watch dermatologist Jeanine Downie, MD, discuss how moisture treats this variant of eczema.

Transcript

00:00

Keratosis pilaris is a variant of eczema. It's usually genetic. It's red, spiny bumps that you can see on the back of the arms

00:07

prominently. You see it on the back of the buttocks and the backs of the thighs. [SOFT MUSIC]

00:17

It can be itchy sometimes, although most times it's not. You see it in almost half of adult Americans.

00:23

And it's one of those things that is treatable, but it's not curable. So what I tell my patients is to use a nubby washcloth,

00:31

plenty of moisturizer. Try not to scratch or pick at it. Use hydrating, moisturizing soaps.

00:38

No toners back there or anything that's going to dry it out. Keratosis pilaris is not contagious.

00:44

It's one of those things that people think looks rashy sometimes. And so they're worried they might be able to catch it from somebody else.

00:50

But it's a variant of eczema. You see in young kids on their cheeks sometimes. You see it in adults prominently displayed behind their arms, the back of the buttocks

00:58

and the backs of their thighs. It's absolutely not contagious. It's annoying to the person that has it. But it's not serious at all.

01:06

Keratosis pilaris cannot necessarily be prevented. The only thing is, if your skin is dry, it's going to be more prominent.

01:12

So moisturization is good. Not scratching is good. Using hydrating soaps is great. But it can't necessarily be prevented.

01:20

It can just be treated to make it look better. But it's not necessarily something that's easily prevented, as it is a variant of eczema,

01:26

and it is genetic. [AUDIO LOGO]