qUESTION REGARDING BLOODWORK AND POSSIBLE KERATOSIS PILARIS

Hello Doctor,
   My teenage daughter with down syndrome has Keratosis Pilaris. She has been skin tested for allergies and is negative on those. Can Keratosis Pilaris cause a bit of an elevated eosonophil count in your blood work? Her count was about 3-4 % out of range and because she doesn't have allergies the skin condition is the only thing I could think of. I know that eczema can casue the count to be high, so I was wondering if Pilaris could. Also can what the dermo. thinks in Pilaris sometimes be mild eczema?  She gets red looking skin, really dry hand and feet, and the tiny bumps on her face and upper arms.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

No, keratosis pilaris can be associated with allergies and eczema, but it doesn't increase the eosinophil count.  Usually, a doctor can tell keratosis pilaris from eczema pretty easily.  By the way, that elevation of eosinophils doesn't sound too impressive and may not mean anything at all.  Ask your doctor about this.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff