Keratosis Pilaris Explained by Dr. Oz

Q. Are these bumps a rash or keratosis pilaris?

A. "This is very important actually. Keratosis pilaris is that chicken-like skin... you notice that? What it's caused by is too much keratin, too much of the skin, increasing layer and layer. It's like painting a house with too many layers of paint, you block off the pores and so of course you end up with a little bit of inflammation there, and that gives you that classic image that we just saw. It's not rare, it's not an infection, but you can treat it with oatmeal based creams, you can use exfoliants on it, to get that extra layer of skin off." -Dr. Oz



*Click here for recommended products used to treat keratosis pilaris.


The above Q & A came from a segment on the Dr. Oz Show called, "Simple Cures For The Most Common Bumps"... the other types of bumps discussed in this segment were:

Is is a spider bite or mosquito bite? - Dr. Oz said to treat both spider bites and mosquito bites, use ice and hydrocortisone cream.

Is it an ingrown hair or pimple? - Dr. Oz said an ingrown hair is caused by a hair follicle getting stuck underneath your skin, whereas a pimple is just a blocked pore. You can often see a tiny hair inside of an ingrown hair. To treat it, you should soak the area in warm water and then dislodge the hair follicle with a sterile pair of tweezers.

Show air date - 3/10/11

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Dr. Oz Article on Keratosis Pilaris

Treating "Chicken Skin" Bumps: Keratosis Pilaris
By Audrey Kunin, M.D. (President of DERMAdoctor, Inc.)

Chicken skin bumps – such a simple yet instantly identifiable description of the skin problem named keratosis pilaris (commonly dubbed "KP.") Can't you just visualize it? These minute, rough bumps with their grater-like texture are most frequently scattered along the upper arms and thighs. However, the cheeks, back and buttocks can all become involved at one time or another. They're annoying, unsightly, chronic and incredibly commonplace.

If you don't have this condition, odds are that you know somebody who does. Whenever I talk about KP, inevitably the individual with whom I'm conversing pauses, gasps, then exclaims "I didn't know that's what that was! My child, husband, coworker (fill in the blank as appropriate) has that!"

Because keratosis pilaris affects 50% of the entire world's population, this reaction isn't surprising. KP is somewhat more common in children and adolescents; 50 to 80% of children have KP. Adults needn't feel neglected. Keratosis pilaris affects 4 out of every 10 adults, too. Women are slightly more prone to developing keratosis pilaris. Most people with KP are unaware that not only is there a designated medical term for the condition, but that treatment exists.

Read full article on the Dr. Oz website...

Click here for DERMAdoctor products used to treat KP...