Keratosis Pilaris, or 'chicken skin', is common. What causes it?

Chicken skin, or keratosis pilaris (KP), is a common skin condition featuring small, rough bumps on ares like the upper arms, thighs, cheeks and buttocks. It occurs when keratin and dead skin cells build up within hair follicles, causing them to become clogged and irritated.

This can be dealt with topically, but what causes and eradicates?

From a functional health viewpoint, KP is a manifestation of deeper imbalances or deficiencies in the body like

• Nutritional Deficiencies - Vitamins A, D, Zinc and Essential fatty acids (Omegas 3, 6)

• Gut health - Gut microbiome imbalances or dysbiosis, intestinal permeability and food sensitivities like gluten and dairy or oxalates eg when I gave up gluten, mine disappeared

• Hormonal fluctuations - During puberty, pregnancy, menopause

• Chronic Inflammation - Systemic inflammation due to poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, or environmental toxins

• Genetics - We may have a predisposition, but genetics are not destiny

• Immune dysregulation - An overactive or underactive immune response can contribute

A KP healing plan that addresses the root causes and promotes better gut and immune health might involve

1. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet of whole and well-sourced, single ingredient foods

2. Hydrating with clean water

3. Identifying and eradicating other causes of inflammation like food sensitivities and allergies

4. Healing the gut using a personliased protocol based on testing

5. Topical practices like exfoliation, dry brushing and moisturising

6. Improving sleep quality and managing stress