Have a look at this photo:
See the rough raised red bumps on the back of the upper arm?— that’s Chicken Skin.
Medically, we call this keratosis pilaris, I’ll call it KP in this blog. It’s not a disease but it is also not optimal skin health. It definitely is a condition that drives patient’s crazy.
"KP is a fairly common and benign skin condition that affects nearly 50-80% of adolescents and about 40% of adults, and it’s found in people of all races and both genders. Dry, wintery conditions may make KP worse for some."
In the past your doctor would have suggested consistent moisturizing twice a day with a white, odourless emollient like Aveeno. You would have done this routine for 3 months with very little benefit. It’s not the doctor’s fault that was the recommended treatment for chicken skin - but it was widely understood that it is very difficult to improve the bumps. During the summer, our tanned/sun kissed skin hides the bumps and redness but this is not a solution to KP, it is merely masking the irritated skin. At Skin Worthy we believe that t-shirts and tank tops should be worn without embarrassment all year round.
Let's break this down. Internalize this mechanism for a moment - Keratosis Pilaris is crusty keratinous plugging of the hair follicles. So we focus on therapies that promote healthy exfoliation of the skin and a healthy cellular Skin Maturation Cycle (SMC). Too slow of a maturation cycle leads to too much crusty build up. Too fast of a maturation cycle leads to increased irritation and redness. The key is to find the perfect balance and allow the skin cells to turn over at an ideal rate to minimize both the crusty build up and the associated redness/irritation of KP.
Top Therapies for Keratosis Pilaris at Skin Worthy:
Getting Skin Ready Protocols to clean, exfoliate and reduce sebum production from the sebaceous-follicular unit.
Then we add on an Exfoliation Accelerator to promote the optimum Skin Maturation Cycle (SMC).
This product contains a Glycolic and Lactic acid complex that aids in the removal of dead skin cells while providing calming and soothing benefits with an aloe, green tea and chamomile blend.
Skin Protection is a must - ZO Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is best for those short sleeve sunny days.
The Forever Young BBL is not limited to just facial treatments. This technology offers a major step in correction of the reds and browns that come with KP. It shrinks sebaceous glands, promotes SMC, and even causes a youthful expression of DNA — all things to keep your skin tight and bright.
The major bonus of these therapies — there is no downtime!
Every patient’s journey starts with a consultation - so don’t be a chicken, we would love to talk to you about your keratosis pilaris.
At Skin Worthy, we value educating our patients on their skin concerns, if you are looking to treat your keratosis pilaris or would like to learn more, we encourage you to come in for a complimentary consultation. We will discuss your goals, assess your skin and decide the best plan of action for your specific needs.
-Dr. Hemsworth
call Skin Worthy 647-350-7546 to book your consultation today!