Keratosis Pilaris: How to Treat the Bumps on Your Arms

What it actually is

Keratin is the protein your skin and hair are made of. In keratosis pilaris, it builds up and plugs the opening of the hair follicle, creating a small rough bump. Around one in three people have it, most commonly on the backs of the upper arms, the fronts of the thighs, and sometimes the cheeks and buttocks.

It is not acne, it is not caused by poor hygiene, and it is not contagious. It usually shows up in childhood, is often worse in the teens and twenties, and frequently improves with age.

It also often runs in families and is more common in people with eczema or dry skin generally.

What works

The goal is chemical exfoliation to dissolve the keratin plug, plus enough moisture that the skin stops overproducing in the first place.

Approach	Examples	Notes
Lactic acid	AmLactin 12%, Alpha Skin Care	The workhorse. Strong, can sting on freshly shaved skin
Salicylic acid	CeraVe SA Lotion, Naturium Perfector body wash	Gentler on the barrier, good if AHAs sting
Urea	Eucerin Roughness Relief, Gold Bond Rough and Bumpy	Softens the plug rather than burning it off. Gentlest option
Leave on BHA	Paula's Choice Weightless Body Treatment	Most effective single product if you also get body acne
Physical scrub with AHA	First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser	Works, but stop if you get red

Whichever you pick, use it three or four times a week and moisturise on damp skin within three minutes of the shower. That timing does more than which cream you use.

What makes it worse

Scrubbing hard. The bumps are inside the follicle, not on the surface. Scrubbing adds redness on top of texture and does not remove the plug.
Picking. Turns a harmless bump into a mark that lasts months, especially on deeper skin.
Hot showers and harsh soap. Both strip the barrier and increase the dryness that drives it.
Stopping when it improves. It comes back. This is maintenance, not a cure.

If the bumps are red, inflamed and pus filled rather than rough and skin coloured, that may be folliculitis rather than KP, and it is treated differently. Worth a look from a doctor if it is not settling.

Realistic expectations

Nobody is going to tell you this in an advert, so here it is plainly. Keratosis pilaris is genetic and there is no cure. What consistent treatment does is make it dramatically less visible, smoother to the touch, and less red.

It flares in winter when the air is dry and often improves in summer. If you stop treating it, it returns within a few weeks.

That is not a failure of the product. That is what managing a genetic skin condition looks like, and the results are genuinely worth the four minutes a week.

Get a body routine for KP

Questions people also ask

How do I get rid of keratosis pilaris?

You manage it rather than cure it. A lactic acid, salicylic acid or urea body lotion three or four times a week plus daily moisturiser makes it much less visible. It is genetic, so it returns if you stop.

Should I scrub keratosis pilaris?

No. The keratin plug is inside the follicle, so scrubbing does not remove it and adds redness on top of the bumps. Chemical exfoliation with lactic or salicylic acid works far better.

Is keratosis pilaris the same as acne?

No. KP is keratin plugging the follicle and produces rough, skin coloured bumps. Acne involves bacteria and inflammation and produces red, sometimes pus filled spots. They need different treatments.

Does keratosis pilaris go away with age?

It often improves. Many people find it is worst in their teens and twenties and gradually settles later. It also flares in winter and improves in summer.

The bumps on the backs of your arms, and what actually helps