Keratosis pilaris, also referred to as “chicken skin”, is the fancy name for those pesky small red bumps that can form along your upper arms or thighs and keep you from living your best skin-baring life. For me, those bumps are the reason I never bared my upper arms in high school or my twenties; those bumps made me so self conscious about my skin and to this day, I still prefer long sleeves to tank tops, even though my condition has greatly improved.
While there’s no permanent cure for keratosis pilaris (although sometimes it fades as you get older, fingers crossed…), there are definitely steps you can take to minimize these bumps and keep them from forming – because you always have the right to bare arms! Find out how to remove and reduce keratosis pilaris from your body for silky, smooth skin in three easy steps. Plus, I share a number of products to get you started in each section!
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What Is Keratosis Pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris (KP), a.k.a. “chicken skin,” is a totally common skin condition that can cause small red or brown bumps to form on the skin. Keratosis pilaris can also cause skin to feel rough and itchy.
These tiny bumps, that can look like little pimples, are actually hair follicles that are clogged with keratin. Once the growing hair follicles become clogged and blocked, a small bump forms over where a hair should be.
Keratosis pilaris is commonly found on the upper arms, thighs, cheeks and even your bum and is a skin condition that can worsen in the winter months when the skin gets dryer and we wear heavier clothing. Again, there’s no cure for this annoying skin condition, but there easy ways to treat it.
3 Must-Do Steps To Get Rid Of Keratosis Pilaris
1 . Exfoliate Skin To De-Clog Follicles
The first step to reduce keratosis pilaris is to regularly exfoliate the affected areas. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells that can clog pores and create bumpy skin.
There are two ways to exfoliate the skin: through mechanical exfoliation using body scrubs or abrasive tools, or chemical exfoliation, which involves applying alpha and/or beta hydroxy acids that break down dead skin cells.
Methods of mechanical exfoliation include:
-using exfoliating scrubs on the affected areas (I’ve heard on Instagram that this scrub from First Aid Beauty is amazing for KP!)
-using a dry brush before showering (I love using the Prana dry brush! It’s copper bristles are crazy effective for removing bumps!)
-using a loofah or pumice stone (soak skin in warm water first for best results)
-using an exfoliating glove – these gloves are amazing at removing dead skin; old skin literally comes off in clumps!
Personally, I find dry brushing or using a good set of exfoliating gloves has made the biggest difference in the appearance of my keratosis pilaris and leaves my skin crazy soft. Don’t believe me? You can see the exfoliating power of these gloves in the Instagram reel below – they’re awesome! And yes, the extra dry parts of your body will slough off like in the reel below.
View this post on Instagram
Chemical exfoliation options include exfoliating liquids or peels that include acids like glycolic acid, lactic acid, or salicylic acid. Leave-on exfoliating toners and wash-off chemical peels to consider include:
–The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
-The Ordinary Lactic Acid Solution (5% or 10%) – reviewed here
–The Ordinary AHA+BHA Peel – reviewed here, it’s strong!
-Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment
-Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Exfoliating Body Treatment
-SkinFix Resurface + Glycolic Renewing Scrub
2. Moisturize Always
Once you’ve made sure to remove all that skin-clogging dead skin through exfoliation, it’s important to keep your bumpy areas moisturized and hydrated, as dry skin makes keratosis pilaris worse.
Emollient moisturizers made with glycerin or urea can help seal in moisture, especially in the winter, while moisturizers that contain acids can exfoliate to help to keep pores clog free.
Tip: Moisturize your body after a shower while your skin is still damp and add on a body oil to seal in your moisturizer all day.
Some great moisturizers that can moisturize and exfoliate include:
-Eucerin Roughness Relief Lotion
-Urea Cream 40% Plus Salicylic Acid
-Cerave SA (salicylic acid) Cream For Rough & Bumpy Skin
-SkinFix Resurface + Glycolic Renewing Body Cream
-Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy Skin Daily Skin Therapy
3. Be Consistent
Since keratosis pilaris isn’t curable, you’ll need to be consistent in your exfoliation and moisturizing to keep those bumps away. Incorporate regular exfoliation and moisturizing of your body into your regular skin care routine and I promise you those bumps will start to fade and improve!
And that’s how you can get rid of keratosis pilaris! Easy, right?!
