Can severe Keratosis Pilaris scars be completely removed by laser treatment? (photo)

Hi,

Indeed what you have appears to be rather severe keratosis pilaris. They are really not scars but pronounced thickening of the skin around the openings of the hair follicles. The condition is chronic and no known cure is currently available.

Some improvement may be seen after use of moisturizers and topical retinoids (tretinoin and adapalene). Avoid applying topical steroids or rigorously scrubbing the area as it will only aggravate the situation.

Procedures such as superficial chemical peeling may also help a little by gently removing the thickened skin.

Laser treatments are not likely to give significant or lasting benefits so I would not recommend going down this route.

Hope this helps!

No, keratosis pilaris on the outer arms cannot be removed using a laser. This condition is caused by the build up of dead skin in the follicles of the affected areas, usually the outer arms and thighs. I get my patients to use urea cream to soften and remove the dead skin. If they need to get a quick result, I would put them on a monthly program of chemical peel with salicylic acid to remove the dead skin. This condition is lifelong and is best approached using the creams.