What can I do about the red bumps on my arms?
Keratosis pilaris is incredibly common and affects all genders. It usually flares during childhood and adolescence but can continue into adulthood. Keratosis pilaris is benign (meaning that it isn’t bad for you) but can be annoying, especially during the warmer months when we show more of our arms.
There are a few things you can do to help keratosis pilaris.
First, gently exfoliate (using a loofah or exfoliating pad) a couple of times a week. Try not to exfoliate excessively as that can hurt your skin more than help.
Second, use a body soap that is unscented on your arms. Scented soaps can have alcohol and other chemicals that can irritate your skin.
Third, practice good shower hygiene. Try to keep your showers under 5 minutes and use warm (not hot) water.
Lastly, moisturize twice daily with a really good moisturizer. Again, try to stick with a thick lotion, cream or ointment that is minimally scented to avoid irritation. There are some moisturizers out there that have urea or ammonium lactate that are made especially for keratosis pilaris. However, these tend to be more expensive so it’s okay to start with a plain moisturizer and see how things go.
If any of the bumps on your arms become especially inflamed or painful, your doctor should take a look and make sure you don’t have an infection or need a steroid ointment to calm things down.
