How to Treat Chicken Skin aka Keratosis Pilaris.

Keratosis pilaris is a skin condition that effects a large portion of the population on a regular basis. Otherwise known as Chicken skin or KP this condition is not something that should cause concern, it isn’t contagious or sinister in any way. Unfortunately, it is not known what causes the condition however it is genetic and can often be  linked to other conditions such as eczema, allergies or inflammatory disorders.

It gives the appearance of hardened lumps on the surface of the skin, this is where the keratin (protein) in the skin hardens and forms a plug inside the follicles. As the skin continues to shed dead cells this builds up the plugs causing the skin surrounding them to become red, inflamed and irritated.

The bad news is that there is no cure as such, however it does tend to rectify itself as you age and in the meantime there are a number of things that you can do to help maintain the skin in the affected areas. It can be found on the upper arms mainly, thighs, bum and even sometimes on the face.

Here is a list of the best ways to treat this annoying condition:

1. A very simple method to treat KP is Dry Skin Body Brushing. These body brushes will help to increase the micro circulation in the skin, aid lymphatic drainage and gently exfoliate at the same time. Using a harsh scrubs on this sensitive area will only make matters worse as they can inflame the skin.
2. Increase your Vitamin A intake in your diet, lack of Vitamin A can cause your skin to become keratinised and scaly which can lead to KP. Foods such as liver, kidney, cod liver oil, egg yolks and butter are all high in Vitamin A. We recommend the advanced nutrition programme Skin Vitamin A supplement also.
3. Invest in a product that contains salicylic acid this BHA helps to break down surface dead cells, it helps kill bacteria and because salicylic is taken from Willow bark, in the same way as aspirin, it can help to reduce inflammation.
4. Take Omega oils, they act as an anti-inflammatory and help to moisturise the skin from within. We recommend the ANP Skin Omegas as these also contain Vitamin A for double the benefits.
5. Moisturise the skin regularly, preferably with an oil or body lotion that contains Vitamin A like the Environ Body Oil.

If you have any further questions about this or any other skin problem you can contact us at [email protected] or ph:016766411 and we will be more than happy to answer your queries.