5 year old female with Keratosis Pillaris

 Here’s a case study we were given and how I would go about it. This A&P class was my first class and my introduction to integrative health.

AS ALWAYS, THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, THESE ARE JUST PAPERS I HAVE WRITTEN IN MY GRATUATE PROGRAM. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP IF NEEDED.

Case study

5 year old female with Keratosis Pillaris

  5-Year-old patient known as “Charlotte” has been diagnosed as having Keratosis pilaris (also known as ‘chicken skin’).  Keratosis pilaris is a skin condition that causes dry skin as well as tiny bumps in patches that are harmless and do not itch or cause pain (according to the Mayo Clinic website, Keratosis pilaris is caused by the buildup of keratin). The patient had seen 3 previous doctors and given 3 different medications; all were unsuccessful in treating Keratosis pilaris.  What is usually just small patches of Keratosis pilaris, had now spread throughout her body.  This was now also causing Charlotte to become more self-conscious of the way she looked.

            After seeing a holistic doctor, Charlotte had recovered within a week or two as told by the patient’s father weeks later.  What was she treated with that ultimately helped her?

            Without knowing her medical history, or even being able to see the patient, treating her is a challenge.  I would first ask if there are any known allergies to food or other, knowing that food allergies can play an important role in skin health.  Ruling out any known allergies and medication side effects, I would move onto diet and if the patient takes any vitamins or pre/probiotics.  Without knowing any of the forementioned, I would treat with the following: gluten free diet and Lactobacillus and Bififobacteria probiotics (as a mom, I’d also recommend using breastmilk soap as breastmilk contains the probiotics as well as is showing promise in people with skin sensitivity in reducing dryness).

The skin is the largest organ of the body, and seems to be overlooked often.  People (including doctors) just slap on lotion/medication and don’t always look deeper into what is causing their skin to react the way it is.  According to the AAD website, (last updated 6/23/21) they recommend if treating at home, to exfoliate gently, apply keratolytic after exfoliating and slather on moisturizer.

            Gut health is becoming more and more talked about in reference to how your gut affects the body as a whole.  As the old saying goes, ‘You are what you eat’.  What we eat, how our bodies process it plays an important part in our skin’s appearance.  Our gut contains microorganisms that help to breakdown food, produces vitamins and has other vital functions.

            Gluten should be avoided in people with Celiac disease (which is an autoimmune disease), a sensitivity to gluten, a wheat allergy or Gluten ataxia (a rare neurological autoimmune disorder) (JohnHopkinsmedicine.org, What Is Gluten and What Does It Do?, by Selvi Rajagopal, M.D., M.P.H). 

            Breastmilk contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which are two common probiotic microbes that aid in not only gut health but also skin health.  These microbes are mentioned in the Breastmilk and formula section, protein-rich diet section, as well as the dietary fiber section.  In these sections, they all show how these contribute to gut health.

            In conclusion, I would treat Charlotte with a gluten free diet, add in probiotics to her diet as well as using breastmilk soap.

References

AAD website Keratosis pilaris: Overview (aad.org)

Mayo Clinic website  Keratosis pilaris - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Rajagopal, Selvi, M.D. “What Is Gluten and What Does It Do?”

JohnHopkinsmedicine.org, Web address. Date of access.

Md. Rayhan Mahmud, Sharmin Akter, Sanjida Khanam Tamanna, Lincon Mazumder, Israt Zahan Esti, Sanchita Banerjee, Sumona Akter, Md. Rakibul Hasan, Mrityunjoy Acharjee, Md. Sajjad Hossain & Anna Maria Pirttilä (2022) Impact of gut microbiome on skin health: gut-skin axis observed through the lenses of therapeutics and skin diseases, Gut Microbes, 14:1, 2096995, DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2096995  https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2022.2096995