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Ency. home > Disease > K > Keratosis pilaris

Keratosis pilaris    See images

Overview | Symptoms | Treatment

Definition:

A common skin condition in which keratin, a protein in the skin, builds up around hair follicles.

Causes and Risks

This condition is most often seen as a rough, almost goose-bump appearance of the skin over the outer upper arm and outer upper thighs, although it can occur on other areas of the body. The texture is that of very coarse sandpaper. Individual lesions consist of a small, skin-colored papules which build up around hair follicles. The condition is generally worse in winter and often clears in the summer.

The condition is benign, self-limiting, and often disappears with increasing age.

It is more common in patients with atopic dermatitis (eczema) and seems to run in families.

Ency. home > Disease > K > Keratosis pilaris

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