I had someone ask me the other day about the little bumps that many of us get on the back of our arms. For some, they appear as small white bumps that feel rough to the touch. For others, they are red and inflamed and can become rashy and irritating. This condition is called KERATOSIS PILARIS: keratosis as in the protein found within skin called keratin and pilaris as in the hair follicule that can become entrapped within. Physicians believe the condition is genetic and comes from an overproduction in keratin. It occurs most commonly on the back of the arms but can appear elsewhere including the face (and is sometimes mistaken for acne). Unfortunately it is something to be controlled rather than cured and from personal experience, I can tell you its incredibly annoying.
For those who have the inflamed/red kind (or the rubra variety), you need a two pronged approach: calm the inflammation, exfoliate the excess keratin. A topical hydrocortisone (of .5% over the counter or 1% as a prescription) will calm the redness. One product called UREMOL HC combines hydrocortisone with urea thus helping with the exfoliation without additional irritation. I have read elsewhere about using prescription vitamin A derivatives to help but be careful about not further irritating the area. Adapalene (one type of Vitamin A derivative, brand name Differin) is the least irritating version and could be worth a try. The idea is to apply something like the Uremol HC after a shower when you are still slightly damp. You should find as you go that during subsequent showers, the bumps will get softer and shed more easily. You can use a gentle physical exfoliator like a soft loofah or a salicylic acid based wash to help the process along. My final word of caution: many think that keratosis pillaris occurs due to dry skin. Beware of using thick, occlusive creams on the area as this can exacerbate the problem by hindering exfoliation.
For those with the simple bumpy kinds of bumps (i.e. not irritated), any kind of good chemical exfoliator should do the trick. I like glycolic acid (i.e. our Exfoliant and Moisturizer with 8% glycyolic acid) or you can try something with lactic acid or urea. If the area in question is your arms, you can afford to use a higher concentration, therefore at least an 8% of the acid in question.
The real trick with getting the bumps to is to be consistent in your regimen, otherwise, gasp, they’ll come back!
Hope that helps!
All the Beauty best,
Sara DudleyLabels: bumps on the back of arms, Keratosis Pilaris