I used AmLactin for over three months as an experiment to treat keratosis pilaris and would like to share my results with you.

Did AmLactin Reduce the KP Bumps on my Skin?

Well, this one is up in the air as I exfoliated on the body part (arm) which I was testing. I believe that the exfoliating of my arm was the most important factor in reducing the roughness of my skin. I think the AmLactin did help make my skin softer, but yet again, the Eucerin that I used (on my other arm) seemed to make my skin just as soft.

Were There any Side Effects From AmLactin?

Yes, I had a couple of issues with the lotion. The first problem was that my skin burned like crazy when I applied it to my arm. The reason my skin burned was because I had small cuts from playing volleyball. The lactic acid in the lotion seared into my skin (felt like putting lemon juice on a cut). The other issue is that the skin on the underside of my arm (close to the bicep) broke out into a rash. I think the active ingredients in this lotion were too harsh for my skin. After a week of applying this stuff (every night) I broke out into a rash that itched like crazy.

Is AmLactin Effective in Treating Keratosis Pilaris?

I didn’t notice any difference between using AmLactin and Eucerin. If you have sensitive skin like me, I would recommend using Eucerin Intensive Repair because the active ingredients in AmLactin could be too much for your skin. PLUS, it’s about four dollars cheaper.

Right now you’re reading this post because you are interested in treating keratosis pilaris.  I have been treating keratosis pilaris for over three months now and would like to share with you my observations of which keratosis pilaris treatment methods work and which ones have not worked for me.  There are a variety of treatments for keratosis pilaris including the use of topical lotions, exfoliating scrubs, microabrasion beads, sunbathing and Seabuckthorn.  Treating keratosis pilaris can be an expensive process and can cost you hundreds of dollars in topical lotions and scrubs.  I for one have gone the thrifty route and do not like spending a lot of money in keratosis pilaris treatments.

Keratosis Pilaris Treatments

Here are some tips to treat keratosis pilaris.

1. Exfoliate – Make sure you exfoliate every other day with an abrasive loofah or scrub.  I prefer to use the KP Heavy Duty body scrub from Derma Doctor, but you can go the cheaper route and use Cetaphil and a loofah.  The key point is to get exfoliate and get rid of the keratin build-up.  The rough, bumpy skin that is caused by Keratosis Pilaris is due to an excessive amount of keratin that clogs the hair follicle. Exfoliating helps reduce and unclog the keratin buildup in your pores.  Some people have very delicate skin that can not handle the abrasive nature of loofahs.  If so, make sure to lightly exfoliate with a less abrasive scrub or loofah, but most imporantly, you MUST exfoliate.  Without exfoliating, your skin will always stay bumpy.

2. Use a topical lotion – After exfoliating and drying off, apply a topical lotion.  For keratosis pilaris treatment, I would recommend a topical lotion thats main ingredient includes either lactic acid, retin-a or urea.  Again,  I use Derma Doctor KP Duty Repair Lotion, however it’s quite expensive (about $80 for the set).  If you want to go a cheaper route, you can use AmLactin.  AmLactin can be found in your local drug store.  I bought my bottle of AmLactin at Wal-Greens for around $11. The only problem I had with AmLactin is that it stings when you apply it to skin that has cuts or scratches (it contains lactic acid). The benefits of using AmLactin is that it made the skin on my arms MUCH smoother.  If you want to go even cheaper than AmLactin, you can use Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion.  Eucerin also helped my skin become smooth.

Remember, to treat keratosis pilaris, you must exfoliate and then use a topical lotion that contains active ingredients (lactic acid, retin-a, urea). Keratosis Pilaris treatment is a tedious task, but you will be awarded for your diligence by having beautiful skin.  With warmer weather coming around the corner, wouldn’t it be nice to show off those keratosis pilaris free legs and arms?

Reminder, do NOT use scented soaps or lotions.  Scented soaps and lotions can aggravate your Keratosis Pilaris and cause additional KP buildup.  I also recommend cleansing with Cetaphil because the soap is hypo-allergenic and non-scented.

3. Sun-bathing

Summer is almost here and with summer comes sunshine! Sun tanning is another way to reduce the red spots caused by keratosis pilaris.  However, I do not condone or recommend sun tanning as a way to treat keratosis pilaris.  I just want to state that in my case, sun tanning has helped reduce the red spots on my skin. Actually, it’s helped a lot.  I will post pictures soon.

4.  Drink lots of water

This one is a no brainer, but in order to hyrdate your skin, you must drink lots of water.  Carry a water bottle with you at all times and make sure you drink at least 8 cups of water a day.  Dry skin can increase the keratosis pilaris on your skin.

There are many more Keratosis Pilaris treatments that I will get into in another post, but to review, make sure you exfoliate, use a topical lotion that contains the key ingredients, get some sun (do it responsibly), and drink lots of water. Remember, there is no cure for keratosis pilaris, however treatment for keratosis pilaris starts with knowledge about the condition and being active in treating keratosis pilaris.  I will write about additional treatments for keratosis pilaris in my next blog post.

Ok so I found an interesing post on Keratosis Pilaris Org from a user called “Sir Duckles” that states that there are various forms of KP, which includes Demodex Parasites (or eyelash mites) causing KP. Basically, he states that some people might have a genetic disposition that can cause the mite population on ones body to become out of control, which might cause the hair follicles to produce larger than normal amounts of keratin protein due to the imbalance of hormones and oils in the body. He then goes on to state that one can treat this form of KP with Seabuckthorn, either topically or with pills.  And I quote:

“Seabuckthorn is a common berry that has been proven to kill the Demodex parasites- either by killing the parasites directly or correcting a faulty part of your immune system. (Sea Buckthorn is known as an immune system booster) It is known as an extremely healthy fruit, so much so that it has been dubbed as a super fruit. Because of Sea Buckthorn’s numerous health benefits it has been made into many different types of skin products including soaps, shampoos and lotions which you can easily buy online. It can be also found in certain types of health drinks. It rarely causes allergic reactions (if any) but like with any new food or skin product, please test in small amounts in isolated areas at first.”

Intersting…but I’m not sure if I buy into it. I might have to try it just to entertain myself.  The user said it worked for him and cleared up his KP.  Maybe it could do the same for me?

You can read more about Keratosis Pilaris and seabuckthorn treatment at the thread here

1. DermaDoctor KP Duty – The reason why I bought this product is because it’s plastered everywhere when I Google “Keratosis Pilaris Treatment.” Let’s see if it works!

2. Glytone – The reasons for the purchase is the same as above.

3. AmLactin

4. Cortol – 20

5. Market America (Generic Acne Cleanser)

6. Eucerin – Dry Skin Therapy

I will follow the recommended directions for each product and will use each product on a specific body part.

Right Arm – Eucerin Dry Skin Therapy – Apply two times a day and use Cetaphil as the body cleanser
Left Arm – AmLactin – Apply two times a day and use Cetaphil as the body cleanser
Chest – Generic acne cleanser and repair lotion- use everyday
Left Leg – Derma Doctor KP Duty Scrub – Use two times a week and apply lotion twice a day (Use Cetaphil for days that I’m not using the scrub)
Right Leg – Glytone – Use exfoliating scrub two times a week and apply lotion twice a day (Use Cetaphil for days that I’m not using the scrub)

I’m planning on doing this treatment for a couple of months and will update on my status weekly. However, if I do not see any improvement, or it’s obvious that the product is not working, then I’ll move to another treatment.

Please feel free to comment on this experiment and on ways I can make it better.

Remember, I am not a professional doctor and do not claim to be one. Any comments made on treatment options or suggestions made by me are up to your discretion. I’m just here to give results on various types of KP products and show how effective each product is.