Follicular Hyperkeratosis
What Is Follicular Hyperkeratosis?
To understand the meaning of follicular hyperkeratosis, it's best to break the term into three parts. Follicular means something which pertains to follicles, in this case the hair follicles on our body. Hyper generally means an excessive amount or degree of something, while keratosis indicates a disorder associated with the production of keratin. Keratin is a protein, and is the basic building block for hair, fingernails, and toenails, and is also present in the skin.
To keep our skin moist and healthy, an oily substance called sebum is constantly produced. One of the components of sebum is keratin. When the amount of keratin becomes excessive, it has a tendency to plug up our hair follicles. It is this plugging up or "capping off" of the hair follicles that is one of the symptoms of follicular hyperkeratosis. The other symptom is a pronounced thickening of the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet due to a build up or thickening of the skin caused by the excessive amount of keratin.
There are a number of forms of follicular keratosis, a milder form of follicular hyperkeratosis. These milder forms result in clogged follicles but seldom involve skin thickening to any degree. Both follicular keratosis and follicular hyperkeratosis are usually not harmful nor painful, though some types can cause rashes and irritation. These follicular diseases are often genetically based, and passed on from one generation to the next. Although usually treatable, these follicular diseases are generally not curable.
One Is Rare, The Other Common - Follicular hyperkeratosis is present most often in developing or impoverished societies and is rather rare in the more developed countries. Follicular keratosis on the other hand is quite common and widespread. It is estimated that close to 50% of the world population is affected, and perhaps as many as 80% of children and young adults have the milder disorder. In the vast majority of these cases, the symptoms are quite mild indeed, and more often than not go completely unnoticed.
Ingrown Hair - When the follicles are subjected to excessive amounts of keratin, the keratin quite often solidifies, forming a plug in many instances. In worst case scenarios, these keratin plugs may prevent individual hairs from growing above the surface of the skin. A hair may instead become ingrown, trapped inside a follicle. This situation can in some instances cause irritation and even pain. Freeing the ingrown hair can be a rather tricky procedure if scarring is to be avoided.
Vitamins Deficiencies A Leading Cause - When genetics is not a main factor behind the follicular diseases, the cause is often due to a dietary deficiency, notably vitamin A, though a deficiency in vitamins B, C, and E can also contribute to the disease. Malnutrition is therefore a leading cause, though following too strict of a diet that may be deficient in these important vitamins can also bring on incidents of follicular keratosis or follicular hyperkeratosis.
Treatments Usually Effective Though Not A Cure - Treatment often consists of topical medications, especially medications containing an acidic form of vitamin A. Benzoyl peroxide is another topical solution often used. Treatment also will involve the application of skin moisturizers in those cases where the skin is dry, and exfoliation can also be helpful. The disease often worsens during the winter months when the air is dry. As noted earlier, there is no cure for these follicular disorders. Although treatment is often quite effective, the disorder often reappears once treatment is halted. The objective on treatment therefore is to provide relief when needed, to lesson the impact on one's cosmetic appearance, and to simply try to keep the disease under reasonable control.