How To Actually Treat Bumps On The Arms, From A Derm Who Has Them

I’ve had rough red bumps on the back of my upper arms since I can remember. When I was younger, all I knew for sure was that my mom had it, as did my best friend in elementary school—so I figured there was probably nothing wrong with it. 

But as I grew older, I started to become intensely insecure about this blotchy, textured area of my body. So self conscious, that I’d always find a way to incorporate a shawl into my outfit or layer self tanner on my skin in attempt to minimize the redness (to be honest, I still do the latter). 

I spent much of high school searching for a cure of sorts, both online and at the derm, just to find out there is none. After much back and fourth, I settled on the decision to just let it be and accept that it’s really not that big of a deal. 

Now that I’m a beauty journalist, I’ve taken a particular interest in this common skin concern. While I don’t find myself in despair over my KP anymore, I know I definitely did at one point. Hence, why I’ve consulted experts to deliver the most up-to-date, realistic remedies to help ease your KP, even a little bit.

This first fact might make you feel better: “KP, or keratosis pilaris, is one of the top five skin disorders globally, affecting at least 50% of all adolescents1,” says board-certified dermatologist, founder of KP Away and Co-Founder of Skintensive Anar Mikailov, M.D., FAAD. 

That number goes up to 75% when you factor in anyone with eczema or ichthyosis vulgaris—a genetic skin condition leading to super dry skin. 

“Keratosis pilaris is a harmless skin condition that consists of small red, brown, or pink painless bumps caused by an accumulation of dead skin cells and proteins that fills the hair follicular openings,” board-certified dermatologist ​​Nava Greenfield, M.D., FAAD explains. 

This creates a rough texture where every hair follicle is accompanied by a bump. KP is also referred to as “chicken skin” or “strawberry legs.” 

You’ll most often find KP on the back of the arms, thighs, butt, legs, and cheeks. Most of the time the bumps are accompanied by redness or dryness, but it ranges from person to person.

“For over 50 years, the medical community has treated KP as a problem of excess keratin and incorrect hair maturation, but newer evidence shows that those are symptoms, not the underlying cause,” Mikailov says. 

KP actually has more to do with your sebaceous, or oil-producing glands. 

“When sebaceous glands are not functional or are completely missing, the oils, fats, and acids naturally required to promote healthy hair follicle growth and skin turnover are lacking. That ultimately leads to the follicles becoming ‘plugged,’ followed by the bumps, along with redness and inflammation,” Mikailov explains. 

1.

Exfoliate gently but regularly

As mentioned earlier, you have a few different options for exfoliation. You can reach for gentle exfoliating scrubs that contain smooth exfoliant beads, or try a gentle chemical exfoliant. 

If you want to go the chemical route, Camp recommends body washes with glycolic or salicylic acid. If you want a leave-on exfoliant, Mikailov recommneds PHAs for average KP and urea or salicylic acid for super stubborn cases.

As for dry brushing, it’s neither recommended nor discouraged. “Some people say anecdotally swear by dry brushing, but I have not seen any good reports of dry brushing improving KP. In fact, I have seen more adverse effects from dry brushing,” Mikailov says. Personally, dry brushing helps to ease my KP. But I know for many people it can cause irritation, so just keep it in your routine if you notice a positive change. 

“We all love a long, hot shower on a cold day or after a stressful day, but that strips the skin of its natural oils, even for people without KP,” Mikailov says. 

“Keep showers to as short as possible using lukewarm water,” he recommends, especially if you’re prepping for a big event where your KP will be on display. This way, any redness will be minimized rather than exacerbated. 

3.

Always moisturize after the shower

Self-tanners won’t work for everyone with KP, and may even make some bumps more pronounced. However, I recommend giving it a shot if you're curious. When I use natural and non-irritating self tanners, I find the redness is masked almost completely.

“If you'd like to integrate a self-tan product into your routine, unscented self tanning drops are the best option,” Greenfield says. 

This is a steep order, but I’ve done the legwork here. Two worthy picks include the Saltyface Tanning Water for face and the Beauty By Earth Self Tanning Lotion for body—both of which apply clear so your fresh white sheets aren’t ruined either (a pet peeve of mine). 

5.

Skip the fragrance-rich products

Instead of shaving with a manual razor, greenfield recommends electric options. Her go-to pick: The Philips Shaver 6000 Series. 

“A cover over the blades keeps them from touching your skin too closely to irritate or cut it. This shields you from nicks, helps prevent ingrown hairs, and can lessen the chance of razor bumps in turn, not irritating your keratosis pilaris,” she explains. 

In addition, try not to shave every single day if you can help it—the less irritation in this area, the better. 

7.

Treat your KP with kindness

I’ve been through the picking, scrubbing, and waxing and let me tell you—treating your skin like a punching bag is not going to make your KP go away. Instead, nourish it with high-quality lotions and gently slough away dead skin when needed.

If you’re in the habit of picking off your KP bumps, consult your dermatologist. This can lead to scarring, and may stem from other stressors in your life. Skin picking is super common, especially with fodder like KP bumps to tug on.

The 5 products to try

Best moisturizer: KP Away Keratosis Pilaris Lipid Repair Emollient

Features

Acid-freePlant-based fatty acidsFragrance-freeSafe for everyoneCost effective

Developed by Mikailov himself, this product is seriously a game changer. I've been using it for the past two weeks and I can already say it's the best KP product I've ever tried. Not to mention, the container is huge so you definitely get a bang for your buck. The formula is rich, yet fast absorbing. Fragrance-free, yet doesn't have a weird natural scent. And finally—you can even use it on KP facial bumps, so you don't have to buy two different products if you don't want to.

Best scrub: Skinfix Glycolic Renewing Scrub

Features

Made by dermsContains AHAs & BHAsFragrance-freeHelps with crepey skin

This scrub is one in a million: It contains AHAs, BHAs, and gentle physical exfoliants for a 3-in-1 action. It's a dream for anyone with KP bumps, but serves as a general grade-A body scrub for anywhere you need a pick me up. The formula is packed with hydrating butters and oils to buffer the powerful exfoliants too.

Best splurge: U Beauty Resurfacing Body Compound

Features

AHAs & BHAsEnzymesPostbioticsPeptidesShea butterFragrance-free

I know this one is a bit pricey, but it's a worthy splurge. This resurfacing body compound has endless benefits: It contains a unique blend of AHAs, BHAs, and flower acids for gentle yet effective exfoliation, paired with nourishing peptides and shea butter to restore the barrier. It can be used anywhere you notice uneven bumps or texture on the body, KP included.

Best affordable serum: Oui The People Resurfacing Body Serum

Features

Contains AHAs, BHAs, & PHAsAmino acids support collagenSea kelp supports the skin barrier

Now if you want an extra step between shower and moisturizer, this serum is worth the added time. A blend of lactic and salicylic acids are joined by gluconolacctone—a super gentle PHA. It absorbs within seconds, which is ideal for anyone who hates a sticky residue. This one is quite powerful, so it may not be the best for sensitive skin types, but will provide noticeable results for those stubborn KP bumps.

Best bar: Soft Services Buffing Bar

Features

Powerful microcrystals Shea butterAloe veraFragrance-freeUse once or twice weekly

This buffing bar is a mindbodygreen beauty team favorite for many reasons from shaving prep to glowy legs and yes, even smoothing KP. The creamy bar is filled with gentle microcrystals that help to slough off dead skin without tearing apart your barrier. It's budget-friendly, sustainable, and it lasts for so long. It's a powerful bar, though, so stick with weekly or twice weekly use on KP bumps.