Other Names:
Sharkskin

Symptoms:
This is the rough "goose bump" skin you will find on your elbows, and also on the backs of your arms, thighs, and buttocks. It feels like a sandpaper surface.

Cause:
This is a sebaceous and keratinized build up of hard granular plugs in the openings of hair follicles. Many physicians claim that this is a normal condition, but it is actually a deficiency of vitamin A and zinc.

Treatment:
• Take vitamin A supplementation. This should be 25,000 units per day, for children, or 30,000 units per day, for adults. However, keep in mind that vitamin A can be dangerous; since it is an oil-soluble vitamin, it is normally stored quite well by the body. Many experts recommend never taking over 50,000 units a day, and only for a limited period of time.

• Increase zinc to 50 mg, three times a day, and essential fatty acids to 5 gm, three times a day.