The skin on my body is like goose bumps

Some people's skin looks like chicken skin, which feels rough and not smooth. This is a chronic follicular keratosis disease called keratosis pilaris, also known as or keratosis pilaris. The disease is characterized by papules with needle-like and pore-like shapes, accompanied by varying degrees of erythema. This disease is common in most people. People who suffer from the disease usually start to suffer from it in childhood. The incidence rate is highest during adolescence, and then goose bumps will gradually decrease with age.

Causes

The occurrence of this disease is related to genetic factors. It is an autosomal dominant genetic disease with variable penetrance. The onset of the disease is related to the deletion and translocation of a gene on the short arm of chromosome 18. It is an X-linked dominant inheritance in females.

This disease can also be a manifestation of other diseases and is related to nutritional deficiencies. The increased incidence or aggravated symptoms in patients with Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, and those taking glucocorticoids suggest that this disease has a certain relationship with endocrine metabolism.

Clinical manifestations

It often occurs on the posterolateral side of the upper arm, the extensor side of the thigh and the buttocks. In severe cases, rashes may also occur on the face, shoulder blades, forearms, and calves, and occasionally they may be generalized. Individual rashes are pinpoint-sized follicular papules that are dark red, brown, or skin-colored. There is a gray-brown or gray-white keratin plug on the top of the rash, with a vellus hair sticking out or curled up in it. After peeling off the corner plug, a tiny concave pit is left on the top, and a new corner plug will soon grow out. The rash occurs at the opening of each hair follicle, does not fuse with each other, is persistent and scattered, clustered into groups, and has a chicken skin-like appearance. There are erythema around the hair follicles. In severe cases, there will be small pustules. The disease is more severe in winter and less severe in summer, with no subjective symptoms.

Keratosis pilaris is often associated with ichthyosis and atopic xeroderma.

diagnosis

Based on the presence of follicular keratotic papules on the posterolateral side of the upper arm and the extensor side of the thigh, the keratin plugs can be removed. After removal of the keratin plugs, tiny cup-shaped depressions can be seen, revealing curly vellus hair. This disease is more common in adolescents and is generally not difficult to diagnose.

Differential Diagnosis

This disease needs to be differentiated from ichthyosis follicularis, lichen spinulosus, pityriasis rubra pilaris and vitamin A deficiency.

treat

This disease is chronic, has a good prognosis, and generally does not require treatment.

Vitamin A and vitamin E can be taken orally to relieve symptoms, and retinoic acid drugs such as tretinoin cream, retinoic acid cream, tazarotene gel, urea cream, salicylic acid cream and cod liver oil cream can be used externally to improve symptoms.