Keratosis pilaris is a common rash that results in bumps on the skin. Learn what causes keratosis pilaris and how it is diagnosed and treated.
Key points
Keratosis pilaris is a very common and harmless skin condition that occurs when there is too much protein in the hair follicles.
It is usually inherited from one or both parents.
Keratosis pilaris causes the skin to appear blotchy and bumpy and can be itchy if it occurs with dry skin.
Moisturizers and special creams may improve the appearance of keratosis pilaris and ease any discomfort, but they cannot cure it.
Introduction
What is keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a very common skin rash that affects at least one in five children around the world. The rash consists of many rough follicular papules (small bumps in the hair follicles) that look like “goose flesh”. Usually the bumps are skin colour, but they can sometimes have a blotchy appearance or a white top that make them look like “white heads”.
Signs and symptoms
Areas of the body affected by keratosis pilaris
How does keratosis pilaris affect the body?
Keratosis pilaris is harmless. It usually appears on the upper arms and thighs, but it sometimes affects other parts of the body such as the buttocks and cheeks.
Most people are not bothered by keratosis pilaris, but some might be bothered by the skin’s appearance. Most of the time, the skin only becomes irritated if it is very dry and becomes itchy or if your child picks at the bumps. Keratosis pilaris usually resolves with time or improves during summer, but, in some people, it remains the same for many years.
Very few children have keratosis pilaris as a sign of an underlying genetic disease or have severe keratosis pilaris across their body.
Causes, risk factors and prevalence
Keratosis pilarisAn excess of keratin in the hair follicles forms a hard plug that feels like a bump.
What causes keratosis pilaris?
Keratin is a protein that makes up a big part of our skin. Keratosis pilaris occurs when there is too much keratin in the hair follicles. The excess keratin forms hard plugs, which in turn create the skin bumps.
Keratosis pilaris is a genetic condition. This means that it can be inherited from one or both parents.
Diagnosis
How is keratosis pilaris diagnosed?
A doctor can diagnose keratosis pilaris simply by looking at your child’s skin and asking about their medical history.
Treatment
How is keratosis pilaris treated?
Keratosis pilaris does not need to be treated unless it causes a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, no treatment can completely resolve keratosis pilaris, but moisturizers and special creams with urea and lactic acid may improve how it looks. These creams can sometimes irritate the skin, however, and are not recommended for small children.
Laser treatment has been used lately to treat severe cases of keratosis pilaris, but its main success has been in reducing the redness of the skin, not the bumpiness.
When to seek medical attention
When to see a doctor for keratosis pilaris
See your child’s doctor if your child’s keratosis pilaris is itchy or if it affects many parts of their body (including their eyebrows, knees or elbows, for example).
