How Keratosis Pilaris affects my kids and The story behind starting KPAway
As my first blog post, I will share a story about why I will forever be a loyal customer of KPAway!
I share 50% of my DNA with each of of my two girls, so this means that unfortunately, they were destined to have Keratosis Pilaris and Atopic Dermatitis (eczema). Luckily for my kids, my wife, has no atopic dermatitis nor keratosis pilaris. Nevertheless, since the age of about 2-3 months I started to notice slight redness to the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks on each daughter. My youngest (currently 3) has it worse than her older sister (currently 5). As a dermatologist who has atopic dermatitis and keratosis pilaris I actually started to use moisturizers to their entire body at least 4-5 times per week before noticing any of these issues. Then, when I started to see that their skin was dry, rough, and showing early signs of KP, I started daily use of KPAway of course. Getting cream rubbed into two infants or toddlers is not easy so make sure you have the jar open to scoop large quantities quickly. This approach has not "cured" their red bumps or flare ups, but their skin stays very moist and bumps are almost non-existent! We still had to use hydrocortisone here and there for various rashes but they luckily have never had any major eczema or keratosis pilaris! So what do we do now? The girls bathe every other day or every day and in the winters KPAway is nonnegotiable. Summer time heat and humidity is great for their skin, so we are more relaxed with emollient use, but it is always at stand-by. By the way, at the bottom of this post I have a list of the other products we use for our kids at bath time.
So let me get to why I started KPAway. As background, I personally have atopic dermatitis and I recall my pediatrician suggesting this diagnosis when I was about 10. I likely had Keratosis Pilaris at that time too, but I did not get that diagnosis until my late teens when I started to see a dermatologist for acne. Of course the first 10 recommended therapies included various exfoliants from AmLactin to Gold Bond to other less common "peels" and "exfoliants." I put these words in quotes because there is no standard definition of these terms as used in cosmetic industry. During this time, I recall how frustrated I was. Bumps would often improve temporarily but the irritation / burning / stinging would cause me to stop any of the products within 3-4 months of use. And as my routine broke down, my bumps returned! So I realized that
- Keratosis Pilaris is lifelong, inherited and although not life threatening, it is embarrassing
- I needed a routine that could last for years, not months.
Through medical school and then Dermatology Residency I worked to find a formula that would cause no irritation, no burning, no stinging while providing at least 50% improvement. I finally found an awesome manufacturing company in Portland Oregon, USA that makes top of the line products! (In addition to making KPAway, they formulate many products you see on the shelves of Whole Foods.) I worked with this company and ultimately found a formula that not only has under 10 ingredients, it had no unwanted side effects and proved to improve my own KP by more than 75% within 3 months! This product also had lasting potential as I never developed any irritation or reaction. Since that time, to confirm my findings, we have conducted a study of 108 persons and 0 had any reaction (study conducted by a 3rd party in New Jersey, USA, results on file)! And like me, our customers on Amazon have confirmed how much KPAway helps their KP! Since 2015 we have been in business as Boston Skin Science LLC and this is our newly revamped website. I hope to make post regularly on this Blog and hope you join me to solving your Keratosis Pilaris!
Lastly, as promised, Dermatologist approved products we use for our kids at bath time
- Vermont Soap Company - Unscented Baby Body Wash
- CeraVe Baby Wash & Shampoo
- Honest Purely Sensitive Conditioner
- KPAway as a general, all purpose moisturizer
- Honest Detangling spray!
- No bubble baths (Urinary tract infections are more common with bubble baths during infancy and even into adulthood)
(We avoid many CeraVe Creams due to Parabens, which, are not found in their Wash & Shampoo)
Let me know if there are other recommendations you would like to hear about!
-Anar