Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a common, benign skin condition of follicular hyperkeratosis. Although KP is asymptomatic, cosmetic appearance of KP can lead to psychosocial distress among patients. New emerging treatments are increasingly being utilized.

The purpose new study published in The Journal of Dermatological Treatment was to summarize existing literature on treatments for KP and its subtypes.

This was a comprehensive systematic review, performed using Pubmed/MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science databases. Overall, 1 150 non-duplicated articles were identified and 47 articles were included in the review. The primary outcomes measured were KP treatment type and the degree of improvement following therapy.

The findings revealed that the most supported form of treatment for KP is laser therapy, particularly the QS:Nd YAG laser. Additionally, topical treatments- including Mineral Oil-Hydrophil Petrolat, tacrolimus, azelaic acid and salicylic acid- are effective at least for improving the appearance of KP. While the measured treatment outcomes varied among studies, laser therapy appeared most efficacious in the treatment of KP and its subtypes. Furthermore, the use of topical treatments also improved KP lesions.

Source: The Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 2020 Sep 4;1-25. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2020.1818678.