How To Get Rid Of Red Bumps On Arms

Do your upper arms look similar to this?

Skin, Shoulder, Joint, Muscle, Tattoo, Flesh,

If so, you've got keratosis pilaris. Before you panic, let's just say it isn't life-threatening or contagious – just really annoying when you want to wear a sleeveless top!

So what causes it? Well, it's basically a keratin problem. Keratin is the natural protein that makes up the outer layer of your skin (as well as your hair and nails). But if you're one of the 40% of the population with keratosis pilaris, you produce too much of it, which forms hard plugs inside the hair follicles on your body, creating those little bumps.

Keratosis pilaris doesn't play fair either: some people just have it (no matter how religiously they scrub and moisturise), and others have perfectly smooth skin without doing a thing. Annoyingly, you can't actually cure it and it's completely genetic – so you can probably blame your parents!

But before you consign yourself to a lifetime of long sleeves, there are things you can do to make it look a lot better.

Use the right kind of moisturiser

Look for a moisturiser with glycolic acid, lactic acid or urea in it – or a combination of these ingredients. Try DERMAdoctor KP Duty Moisturizing Therapy, Amlactin Alpha-Hydroxy Therapy Moisturizing Body Lotion, or La Roche-Posay Iso-Urea Smoothing Moisturising Body Milk. Use it religiously – at least once a day, and twice if you're really committed to being bump-free.

Get a bit of sunshine

Most people find their KP gets better in Summer because of the effect of sunlight and higher humidity. Make sure you always wear sunscreen, though, and don't overdo it – too much sun will make the KP worse (nobody said this was easy!)

Try gentle exfoliation
It's tempting to try and scrub off the bumps but, trust us, you can't. Exfoliating will help unclog the hair follicles and smooth the surface of your skin, but you need to do it gently and regularly (step away from the pan scourer).
If you're looking for bump-reduction, try DERMAdoctor KP Duty Dermatologist Formulated Body Scrub and Origins Modern Friction for the Body (you buff this one into dry skin and then rinse, but make sure you stand in the shower while you do it or things can get messy). If you don't want to invest in an expensive scrub, exfoliating gloves are more effective than most cheap body scrubs, but go easy – rubbing your skin raw won't improve the situation.

Eat the right foods

Omega-3 fatty acids are really important for the condition of your skin, so up your intake by eating more cold-water fish (like salmon, mackerel and anchovies), walnuts and flax seeds. KP has also been linked to a deficiency in vitamin A, so make sure you're getting enough of that too – cod liver oil and egg yolks are two of the best sources.

Try these tips and let us know how you get on at @GHmagazine!

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