Keratosis Pilaris

So, I came across a great article on Skininc.com about how different vitamin/mineral deficiencies affect our skin. Some I was familiar with and some were fantastic new chunks of knowledge. One in particular that I was unaware of, was possible contributing factors to keratosis pilaris. I have had keratosis pilaris for as long as I can remember and never knew what it actually was until I became an aesthtetician.  I was told by my doctor early on that it was basically a rash or form of eczema related to my allergies. For those of you still in the dark about what this completely obnoxious skin condition is, it is a buildup of keratin that blocks the hair follicle. It is most commonly found on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks. Some people have gone as far as labeling it “chicken skin”, like it doesn’t look bad enough with out imagining a freshly plucked chicken – sexxxyyyy.While it can occur at any age it’s more prevalent in young children and has no real cause or explanation of why the keratin refuses to behave. Just slough off already and behave keratin!

There are a few treatments to help lessen this condition and range from homemade body scrubs to body washes and lotions that contain alpha hydroxy acids to topical vitamin A treatments. I am personally a big fan of homemade body products. They’re easy, you usually have 85% of the ingredients in your house, you can customize it for your needs and you know exactly whats in it. This is one I typically use in the shower as a full body scrub:

• 3/4 cup sugar, sugar is a natural humectant so it will help to draw moisture to the skin. It is also a natural source of glycolic acid which is a fantastic exfoliant. ( I actually use brown sugar because its gentler on sensitive skin)
• Castor Oil, also a humectant and has the ability to penetrate deeply into the skin
• coconut oil, helps to soften and moisturize the skin (add both coconut and castor oil until sugar holds together)
• Lemon essential oil, 3-4 drops, a natural skin brightener, antiseptic and antimicrobial
• lavender essential oil, 3-4 drops, used for many skin disorders due to calming, anti inflammatory properties

There are many other ways to make this scrub and i usually switch it up depending on my mood and and what I feel I need that day.

Aside from this condition being caused by unruly keratin, studies show that there a few other factors that play a role in keratosis pilaris (yes, I’m finally getting to the SkinInc article). Vitamin K2, which I didn’t even know existed, is needed for the formation of certain proteins that maintain healthy skin cells. Alongside vitamin K2, essential fatty acids such as Omega 6 and Omega 3 are very important to skin health. Essential fatty acids help skin cells retain moisture and have even been known to help combat acne. Foods such as kale, avocado and salmon are high in fatty acids and much easier to consume than sources of vitamin K2, which includes organ meat at the top of the list. Eghhh no thanks, I’m all set on the organ meat, but hey if you’re up to trying it, more power to ya!

So my rough n’ bumpy friends, up your fatty acids and play around with some homemade body scrubs or invest in a good AHA body wash. Keep that skin moisturized and don’t forget the water!