Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a very common skin disorder seen in many people of
all ages. It is a benign condition that presents as numerous small, rough, red,
or tan bumps primarily around hair follicles on the upper arms, legs, buttocks,
and sometimes cheeks. KP creates a "goose bumps," "gooseflesh," or "chicken
skin" appearance on the skin. A majority of people with KP may be unaware that
the skin condition has a designated medical term or that it is treatable. In
general, KP is often cosmetically displeasing but medically completely harmless.
KP is frequently noted in otherwise healthy people.
Who gets keratosis pilaris?
Anyone can get KP. Although it is commonly a skin condition of children and
adolescents, it is also seen in many adults. KP is estimated to affect between
50%-80% of all adolescents and approximately 40% of adults. Females may be more
frequently affected than males. Age of onset is often within the first 10 years
of life and can particularly get worse during puberty. However, KP may begin at
any age. A large percentage of patients have other people in their family with
the same condition. It has been commonly been seen in twins. KP is also seen in
atopic dermatitis patients and patients with very dry skin.
What is the prognosis of patients with keratosis pilaris?
Overall, KP tends to be a chronic
skin condition periodically becoming worse or better. KP is a benign,
noncontagious, self-limited skin condition that tends to be mild. KP frequently
improves with age in some patients. Many patients note improvement of their
symptoms in the summer months and seasonal flares in colder winter months. More
widespread, atypical cases of KP may be cosmetically distressing.
Will I eventually outgrow keratosis pilaris?
KP usually improves with
increasing age. KP may even spontaneously clear completely after puberty.
However, more frequently the condition is chronic with periodic exacerbations
and improvements. Many adults still have the skin condition into their 40s and
50s.
Does keratosis pilaris affect the entire body?
Although possible, it is
fairly rare to have KP all over the body. The lesions in keratosis pilaris most
characteristically involve the back of the upper arms. Other common locations
include the thighs and buttocks and occasionally the face. It does not affect
the eyes, mouth, palms, or soles.
What does keratosis pilaris look like?
Typically, KP patients present with a
scattered, patchy rash made of very small red or tan bumps. Often, 10-100 very
small slightly rough bumps are scattered in an area. The affected area may have
a fine, sandpaper-like texture. Some of the bumps may be slightly red or have an
accompanying light-red halo indicating inflammation.
What does keratosis pilaris look like?
Sometimes, a small, coiled hair is trapped beneath the rough bump. Acne
whiteheads, called milia, may also be in the same areas as KP. Patients may
complain of a rough texture and an irregular cosmetic appearance of the skin.
The cheeks may appear pink, red, flushed, and be studded with very small
(pinpoint) bumps.
Keratosis pilaris may cause bumps on the backs of the upper arms, as seen here.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Eczema, also known as dermatitis, is a general term for many types of skin inflammation. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis. The other forms of eczema include: contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, Nummular eczema, Neurodermatitis, stasis dermatitis, and dyshidrotic eczema. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of eczema may vary from person to person and may depend on the type of eczema.
Allergic rhinitis symptoms include an itchy, runny nose, sneezing, itchy ears, eyes, and throat. Seasonal allergic rhinitis (also called hay fever) is usually caused by pollen in the air. Perennial allergic rhinitis is a type of chronic rhinitis and is a year–round problem, often caused by indoor allergens, such as dust, animal dander, and pollens that may exist at the time. Treatment of chronic rhinitis and post nasal drip are dependant upon the type of rhinitis condition.
Acne is a localized skin inflammation as a result of overactivity of oil glands at the
base of hair follicles. This inflammation, depending on its location, can take the form
of a superficial pustule (contains pus), a pimple, a deeper cyst, congested pores, whiteheads, or blackheads. Treatments vary depending on the severity of the acne.
Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness of the forehead, chin, and lower half of the nose. In addition to inflammation of the facial skin, symptoms include dilation of the blood vessels and pimples (acne rosacea) in the middle third of the face. Oral and topical antibiotics are treatments for rosacea. If left untreated, rhinophyma (a disfiguring nose condition) may result.
Eczema is a general term for many types dermatitis (skin inflammation). Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema. Other types of eczema include: contact eczema, allergic contact eczema, seborrheic eczema, nummular eczema, stasis dermatitis, and. dyshidrotic eczema.
An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to it. It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process after injury. The depth and size of the wound incision and the location of the injury impact the scar's characteristics, but your age, heredity and even sex or ethnicity will affect how your skin reacts.
Sunburn is caused by overexposure to UV radiation from the sun. UV rays can also damage the eyes. Repeated overexposure to UV rays also increases the risk for scarring, freckles, wrinkles, and dry skin. Symptoms of sunburn include painful, red, tender, and hot skin. The skin may blister, swell, and peel. Sun poisoning (severe sunburn) include nausea, fever, chills, rapid pulse, dizziness and more. Treatment for sunburn depends upon the severity. Sun protection and sunscreen for an individual's skin type is recommended to decrease the chance of sunburn.
What are noninfectious, common rashes localized to a
particular anatomical area?
Common, noninfectious rashes are listed below. Since these conditions are not caused by infectious organisms, it is reasonable to attempt to treat them with
over-the-counter 1% hydrocortisone cream for a week or so prior to seeking medical attention.
Seborrheic dermatitis: Seborrheic dermatitis is the single most common rash affecting adults. It produces a red, scaling eruption that characteristically affects the scalp, forehead, brows, cheeks, and external ears.
Atopic dermatitis: Atopic dermatitis, often called eczema, is a common disorder of childhood which produces red, itchy, weeping rashes on the inner aspects of the elbows and in back of the knees as well as the cheeks, neck, wrists, and ankles. It is commonly found in patients who also have asthma and hay fever.
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