Keratosis Pilaris (Bumps on Skin)

Simple things you can do to help treat your keratosis pilaris and get healthier skin! Help get rid of those pesky bumps

Keratosis pilaris (or also called follicular keratosis or sometimes “chicken skin”) is very common among people. Keratosis pilaris is those bumps you get on your skin. They are small, hard bumps. The color can be white, red, skin tone…colors can vary. It is harmless and non-irritating so far as symptoms go. It is usually on your thighs, upper arms, cheeks, and bum.

What Is It?

I have had people who have this tell me that this was eczema–it isn’t. Anyone who has had (or had a child whose had) real eczema can quickly see the two are very different.

I have keratosis pilaris. So do Kaitlyn and Brinley. If you read up on this condition, you will read things like that it will eventually go away–typically by 30. I have not found this to be true in my case.

It really isn’t more than a cosmetic issue. I haven’t worried much about it. Kaitlyn has it on her forearms, and she has grown into an age where she is concerned about things like that. The forearms are definitely more noticeable than the upper arms or thighs. Because she wasn’t liking it, I did some consulting with her doctor and some reading up on it.

Keratosis pilaris is basically when your body has a build-up of kertin. This keratin blocks a hair follicle so it plugs up. Dry skin seems to make the problem worse.

How Do You Fix Keratosis Pilaris?

You can’t fix it, but you can improve it.

There are prescription creams your doctor can prescribe to you. I have opted to just do what we can to mitigate the problem with over-the-counter solutions.

I figured since it is worsened by dry skin, a good effort would be to alleviate the dry skin. Our pediatrician agreed. You can do that with (This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. This does not increase your cost):

  • Essential Oils (lavender is a good one)
  • Lotions (I think good lotion varies from skin to skin. I really like Jergens Ultra Healing. My kids have also used Vanicream and that works well).
  • Humidifier will help keep moisture in the air. This is super helpful if you live in a dry climate. We must use this in the winter for our skin where we live.

An essential step I have found is some form of exfoliation. I like to use a Pouf Bath Sponge. I use it with Dove body wash (again, I am sure exact brand varies from skin type to skin type. I love Dove for my dry skin).

You wash well using those two items. You then lotion up well afterward. Once I revisited this method (used it years ago, but let’s be honest. A pouf (loofah) just takes a longer time to rinse out than you want to spend as a mom), I quickly saw that it worked well.

Santa brought a loofa and some Dove body wash to each of my girls. Since then, they have been using this and their keratosis pilaris is noticeably improved.

Keratosis Pilaris bumps on skin fixes graphic

Conclusion

Keratosis pilaris is something you have to accept in life, but there are a few simple things you can do to help minimize the symptoms. Give it a try and I am sure you will see improvement!

Of course, always consult with your doctor on medical conditions. This is not a substitute for a doctor.

Do you have any tricks to help with keratosis pilaris?

12 thoughts on “Keratosis Pilaris (Bumps on Skin)”

  1. As a teenager I had it on my jaw line and the backs of my upper arms. What worked was using apricot scrub! It has since left my face (thankfully!) but will faithfully reappear on my arms and legs every winter. I pull out the apricot scrub and it doesn't go away completely, but it's definitely improved.

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  2. My daughter has had this on her upper arms. It started to get really bad when she was a little over a year. Took her in for an allergy test, came back with a mild egg allergy. We've cut them out of her diet and this has practically disappeared. Occasionally she gets slight flares, but maybe someone messed up on the egg along the way. Her ear infections cleared up too.

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  3. Retin-A cream, salicylic acid scrub, and salicylic cleanser(I use Mary Kay Clear Proof for my entire body) has helped me tremendously!I exfoliate with a salicylic acid scrub in the shower then right after I dry off I use the cream. I do this every other day. On the off days, I wash just with the Mary Kay Clear Proof cleanser as my body wash. On a scale from 1-10. Mine was an 8. Now it is a 2 out of 10!

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  4. 1 tablespoon of Udo’s Oil cleared up mine completely, for as long as I was taking it. Eventually I quit taking it, because I hate drinking oil, but it did work. I’ve tried other omega oil formulas, but nothing else seemed to do anything. BTW, I have no interest in the company. Just wanted to share something that worked for me.

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  5. Goldbond ultimate rough and bumpy skin lotion used daily worked for me. The back of my upper arms and thighs is where keratosis pilaras appeared on me.

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  6. This was really helpful. I’m a 15 year high-school girl and well I’m really self conscious of this and my parents told me it was eczema. But now that I know it’s not that. All I need to do is find something that works for me. And I hope to find it before volleyball starts again for I will be playing club and I fear they will make fun of me. So thank you very much for your help. Your a life save 🙂

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  7. You can heal this condition by changing your diet. Research Sally Norton and Oxalates/Oxalate Sensitivity. Also look into Salicylate Sensitivity. I used to have this on my arms and thighs. I made string changes in my diet and the condition has gone away…

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