Sometimes it’s not Keratosis Pilaris, sometimes it’s follicular eczema

About 10-ish years ago I told my PCP about these bumps on my arm. Without looking at my arms, I was informed that it was most likely Keratosis Pilaris and sent on my way. In general the pictures I found on the internet did match and I was pretty young still so I just went with it. I tried EVERYTHING to improve the skin on my arms in accordance to KP: all the different products, routines, and diets that claimed to help with at least the appearance of KP. Everything either made it worse or did nothing at all. It’s been a constant struggle for a majority of my life as it’s something that family and friends have commented on since I was a kid. It’s always just been called KP or chicken skin and dismissed.

Last week I went to my new regular PCP and remembered to ask her about it. It’s had been getting steadily worse over the years despite everything I was trying. It essentially covered my arms and legs at this point. My new PCP is so lovely and took the time to really look at my skin and listen to my complaints and what I’ve already tried. She took some pictures with a fancy lens to get a good look at the bumps both for herself and to send to dermatology. After looking at them up close she determined that it didn’t look like KP at all and looked a lot more like Follicular Eczema instead. I had been essentially over-exfoliating and otherwise mistreating eczema for 10 years then getting confused and distraught when it was worse. The itching had been so constant my whole life that wasn’t even aware I was doing it anymore.

Now I’ve been on a whole different regiment for the last couple weeks and I’ve finally started noticing smoother skin and less overall inflammation on my skin. Right now we’re going kinda intense alternating Hibiclens wash and a ketoconazole shampoo as a body wash everyday. Then after the shower I use a urea-based or shea butter lotion. Even my strawberry legs are fading and I’ve already noticed less ingrown hair-like bumps!

(I also had what I thought were HPV warts on my hands but guess what!! Also fucking eczema!! Everything is just eczema!!)