KP does not bear any known, long-term health implications, nor is it associated with increased mortality or morbidity. It is not related to goose bumps, which result from muscle contractions, except that both occur in the area where the hair shaft exits the skin. Gallery
Treatment
KP is medically harmless, but many individuals may seek treatment, as the condition can cause emotional distress. Topical creams and lotions are currently the most commonly used treatment for KP, specifically those consisting of moisturizing or keratolytic treatments, including urea, lactic acid, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin D, fish oil, or topical retinoids such as tretinoin. Improvement of the skin often takes months, and the bumps are likely to return. Limiting time in the shower and using gentle exfoliation to unplug pores can help. Many products are available that apply abrasive materials, with alpha or beta hydroxy acids to assist with exfoliation. Some cases of KP have been successfully treated with laser therapy, which involves passing intense bursts of light into targeted areas of the skin. Depending on the bodys response to the treatment, multiple sessions over the course of a few months may be necessary. Epidemiology
Worldwide, KP affects an estimated 30 to 50% of the adult population, and around 50 to 80% of all adolescents. It is more common in women than in men, and it is often present in otherwise healthy individuals. The skin condition is prevalent in persons of all ethnicities, and no particular ethnicity is at higher risk for developing KP.
Many KP bumps contain an ingrown hair that has coiled. This is a result of the keratinized skins "capping off" the hair follicle, preventing the hair from exiting. The hair grows encapsulated inside the follicle. KP is more common in patients affected by atopic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. KP subtypes are occasionally part of genetically inherited syndromes associated with intellectual disability, neuro-cardio-facial-cutaneous syndromes, RASopathies, ectodermal dysplasias, and certain myopathies. Diagnosis
Physicians can often diagnose KP simply by examining the skin without specialized tests, but a dermatologist can use dermoscopy to confirm the diagnosis and assess if a person with KP is responding to treatment. Physicians often consider family history and the presence of symptoms when making the diagnosis. Those with this condition are generally encouraged to contact a physician if the bumps are bothersome and do not improve with over-the-counter lotions. Differential diagnosis
Several medications that can cause a skin eruption similar to KP include cyclosporine, BRAF inhibitors, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Classification
The several different types of KP include KP rubra (red, inflamed bumps, which can be on arms, head, legs), KP alba (rough, bumpy skin with no irritation), KP rubra faceii (reddish rash on the cheeks), KP atrophicans, keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans, atrophoderma vermiculatum, KP atrophicans faciei, erythromelanosis follicularis faciei et colli, and papular profuse precocious KP.KP is commonly described in association with other dry-skin conditions, such as ichthyosis vulgaris, dry skin, and atopic dermatitis, including those of asthma and allergies.