Can children develop keratosis?
Unlike adults, children’s skin is very delicate. Because damage in a child’s skin can be carried on to adulthood, it would be advisable to give them the maximum protection possible. The risk factor involved for kids when they get the condition called keratosis comes about because of a certain skin disorder of an overgrowth of keratin. Keratoses are the overproduction of keratins, which is the protein component of hair and nails, in the skin although keratin is vital to the body and their main function is the protection of the skin. Keratin also protects the head with hair and the fingers with nails and is harmless although too much of it is not good for the skin.
There are three types of different keratosis conditions. Solar or Actinic Keratosis which is also known as AK is commonly found in fair skinned people as they are more sensitive to sunlight. AK causes crusty scaly patches to appear on skin, specially those areas that get more sun exposure. Secondly we have Keratosis Pilaris which resembles goose bumps and is a disorder that is genetic and affects hair follicles. Excessive keratin which is accumulated on the hair follicles of the skin causes it. Thirdly we have Seborrheic Keratosis which can resemble a stuck on waxy growth.
So how do you protect your children from keratosis treatment? You cannot protect your kids from treatment because if they develop the condition, they will have to be treated at one point or another. But if they must be protected from treatment, they either have to avoid the condition or contain it once they have it.
Although suffering from these skin disorders is something that cannot be avoided, there are factors you can put into practice to make an attempt at lowering the risks involved. Many general factors and not just sunlight alone brings about the condition. There is the genetic factor that is involved if your family has a history of keratosis and this means that you are predisposed to develop it. Although some keratoses are not curable, they can be removed or treated either through surgery or by using keratosis removal creams and serums.
If you really don’t want to go through keratosis treatment, then here is some advice: the best way that your children can avoid skin problems is to avoid too much direct sunlight. Children of course need sunlight because they need vitamin D but too much sunlight is not a good thing for them. They will need to be protected by limiting their time in the sun, using sunscreen, covering their bodies with appropriate clothing for protection from the sun and by always staying aware of sun sensitizing medications.
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