Dermatologist Diagnosis

Aug 14, 2012

I saw my dermatologist today. He was able to diagnose what these bumps are on my arms. As I suspected, it’s Keratosis Pilaris.

Keratosis Pilaris is a condition inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion People with the disease got the gene from a parent (my dad’s family), and will pass it on to fifty percent of their children (Josh has it).

It is a “retention hyperkeratosis”, meaning that the skin cells around the opening of pores doesn’t shed away properly, “retaining” the dead cells which make hard bumps that look like whiteheads centered over a pore. The surrounding skin may be red. Usual locations are the face, back of the arms (like in my case), buttocks, and outer thighs.

There are enzymes in the skin that, when activated by water, will break down the bonds that hold the dead cells in place and help them to shed. He has prescribed a lotion that I have to apply twice a day that will reduce the bumps and give my arms a smoother complexion. There is no cure for it though.

He digitally faxed my prescription to Rite Aid. I was able to leave his office, go to McDonald’s to get a McDouble and a tea, drive back to Tarboro (a 30 minute drive), go to the hospital, walk all the way to my niece Caroline’s office, talk to her for 20 minutes, walk back out to my car, sit there and have a 10 minute conversation with Josh on the phone, check my voice mail, call my mom back, talk to her for 5 minutes, drive the 10 minutes to Rite Aid, wait in line for 3 minutes, and it STILL wasn’t ready! They asked if I wanted to wait for it, which would take 15 minutes, and I said I’d come back but I wanted to pick up my other prescriptions that were already filled. I got those and told them to go on and fill my prescription and text me when it’s done. I left there a little after 4. It’s now 6:41 and I still haven’t gotten a text saying it’s ready. Glad I didn’t fucking wait!!

EDIT: I just got a text that my prescription is ready. It’s now 8:00.

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