A Full Guide To Keratosis Pilaris: Misconceptions, Treatments & Product Recs

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 an 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. 

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. 

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 recommends PHAs for average KP and urea or salicylic acid for super stubborn cases.

"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. 

As mentioned earlier, KP bumps can be caused by inactive sebaceous glands, which is why moisturizing these areas is critical to achieving a smooth canvas. 

"While most people are now familiar with repairing the skin barrier, not everyone is familiar with repairing the lipid barrier of the skin," Mikailov says. 

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 nonirritating 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. 

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. 

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.