You’re not alone if you suffer from rough, bumpy skin due to keratosis pilaris: The Cleveland Clinic estimates that 40% of adults and 50% to 80% of teenagers will experience the skin disease at some point in their lives. Keratosis pilaris, commonly known as KP, is so prevalent that the majority of dermatologists do not view it as a disease or condition at all.
Dr. Michael Cameron, a board-certified dermatologist and the founder of Cameron Dermatology in New York City, says he prefers to think of it as more of a skin variation.
Although keratosis pilaris is a chronic and incurable condition, some over-the-counter remedies can help with roughness and bumps, according to specialists. I discussed the causes of keratosis pilaris and the components to seek for when treating its symptoms with dermatologists. In order to control KP, I also compiled a list of some of our experts’ preferred products.
GO Ahead and SkipWhat is Keratosis Pilaris? How did I choose the best therapies for Keratosis Pilaris? Best treatments for Keratosis Pilaris?How can keratosis pilaris be treated? Why should I trust NBC Select?
Selected.
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Best overallCeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin
$15.99$19.99Amazon
Learn more
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Most intensiveEbanel Urea Cream
$15.85$19.99Amazon
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Best scrubFirst Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
$25.00$28.00Amazon
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Best creamGold Bond Rough & Bumpy Daily Skin Therapy Cream
$8.99$11.97Amazon
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What is keratosis pilaris and what causes it?
According to specialists, keratosis pilaris results in small, rough, and scaly skin bumps that are sometimes referred to as goosebumps, strawberry skin, or chicken skin. The accumulation of dead skin cells obstructing hair follicles causes these bumps, which roughen the skin’s surface. According to dermatologists, they are usually found on the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks of both adults and children and can manifest as red, white, or skin-colored lumps. They frequently get worse around puberty.
According to Dr. Naveed Sami, a board-certified dermatologist and medical professor at the UCF College of Medicine, KP develops when there is an abnormally high amount of keratin within the hair follicle; this keratin builds up and creates those lumps. According to him, keratosis pilaris problems are typically aesthetic, and KP lumps are typically neither uncomfortable nor bothersome.
Keratosis pilaris does not always have a cause. Instead, according to physicians, it is primarily inherited and more common in those who are predisposed to eczema. Dr. Michele Farber, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group, says it typically appears when people are younger and occasionally fades away on its own.
According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lindsey Bordone, an assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center, keratosis pilaris can flare up for many people during hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy, adolescence, or during the menstrual cycle. According to Sami, symptoms also tend to worsen in the winter when the skin is the driest and the humidity is lowest.
How I picked the best treatments for keratosis pilaris
Dermatologists advise people with keratosis pilaris to adopt a well-balanced skin care regimen that includes regular moisturizing and products with exfoliating components. To control your rough skin, our specialists advise considering the following aspects while choosing body washes, lotions, and moisturizing creams:
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Product type:
The best way to manage your keratosis pilaris symptoms is to combine exfoliating and moisturizing products. Consider moisturizing creams,lotions
and
body washes
that prevent the skin from drying out or getting irritated, especially when you re exfoliating regularly.
-
Exfoliants:
Look for chemical exfoliants like lactic acid,salicylic acid
and urea, which help remove excess dead skin cells, according to our experts.
-
Hydrating ingredients:
Consider ingredients like glycerin,hyaluronic acid
and
ceramides
to hydrate the skin, manage KP symptoms and prevent bumps from getting irritated over time, especially with consistent exfoliation. Anti-inflammatory ingredients like
niacinamide
can also help reduce the appearance of bumps.
Related
31 million people in the U.S. have eczema here s how to treat it
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Best keratosis pilaris treatments
I’ve included a list of dermatologist-recommended products to treat KP symptoms below. Many of the remedies listed below for KP bumps and dry, itchy skin have also been tried by NBC Select editors.
Best overall:
Cerave SA Lotion For Rough & Bumpy Skin
CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin
Our specialists recommend the Cerave SA Lotion to help lessen the symptoms of keratosis pilaris. Because of this cream’s hydrating and exfoliating properties, Cameron frequently suggests it to his patients. According to Sami, it’s also a fantastic, easily accessible over-the-counter salicylic acid and lactic acid therapy.
Dr. Robyn Gmyrek, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City, says, “I like this product because it has lactic acid and salicylic acid to smooth; niacinamide to decrease inflammation and help the skin barrier; and glycerin and ceramides to hydrate and seal in moisture.” CeraVe claims that the noncomedogenic solution can subtly improve the texture and appearance of the skin.
Consistency: Lotion| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components include niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, ceramides, lactic acid, and salicylic acid.
Most intensive:
Ebanel 40% Urea Cream
Ebanel Urea Cream
According to our specialists, urea cream is a fantastic choice for treating and preventing dry, rough, and scaly skin. According to Sami, urea can be added to a patient’s regimen if they wish to take their treatment a little more aggressively. According to our experts, this Ebanel cream contains 2% salicylic acid, which exfoliates skin while simultaneously hydrating, softening, and smoothing it out, and 40% urea, which has the most effectiveness but works just as effectively at lower concentrations, according to Sami. According to the firm, the cream has components like aloe vera, coconut oil, and green tea leaf extract that can decrease redness and inflammation while also being hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.
Consistency: Cream| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components: coconut oil, aloe vera, urea, salicylic acid, and green tea
Best scrub:
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
According to Farber, if you would rather use a physical exfoliator to remove dead skin cells, this First Aid Beauty product contains 10% alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), such as glycolic acid, which help smooth out rough spots and bumps on the skin. First Aid Beauty suggests applying the product one to two times a week, as tolerated, and gently massaging it into damp skin.
Regularity: Scrub| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components: bisabolol, pumice buffing beads, lactic acid, and glycolic acid
Best cream:
Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy Skin Daily Therapy Cream
Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy Daily Skin Therapy Cream
Cameron has suggested this Gold Bond cream. The brand claims that its formulation includes moisturizing ingredients like shea butter to keep the skin hydrated and salicylic acid, lactic acid, and gluconolactone (a type of polyhydroxy acid, a gentler category of chemical exfoliants) to gently remove dead skin cells and smooth rough skin. Gold Bond advises using this hypoallergenic, fragrance-free cream as needed or as prescribed by your physician.
Consistency: Cream| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components include shea butter, gluconolactone, lactic acid, and salicylic acid.
Most gentle:
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Cerave Moisturizing Cream
In milder climes, you can lessen the symptoms of dryness and itching by moisturizing your skin with a non-exfoliating lotion, such as this CeraVe choice, according to Sami. The brand claims that this gentle, fragrance-free moisturizer is appropriate for all skin types and contains ceramides to keep the skin nourished for up to 24 hours.
Consistency: Cream| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components: hyaluronic acid and ceramides
Best exfoliating:
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion
AmLactin Daily Moisturizing Lotion for Dry Skin
The 12% lactic acid in this AmLactin moisturizing lotion gently exfoliates the skin. Dr. Marisa Garshick, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City, says it has the advantage of being an exfoliant as well as a daily moisturizer. By promoting skin cell turnover, which replaces old skin cells and keeps the skin smooth, it can lessen the spiky roughness linked to keratosis pilaris, according to Bordone. According to the brand, the lotion’s non-greasy, fragrance-free consistency can be used as a body lotion, hand lotion, or face moisturizer. Applying this lotion twice a day, or as prescribed by your dermatologist, is what AmLactin advises.
Consistency: Lotion| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components: glycerin and lactic acid
Best for very dry skin:
Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream
Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream
According to Cameron, the Eucerin Roughness Relief Cream’s blend of urea, ceramides, and sunflower seed oil helps reduce the visibility of bumps and smooth out texture. According to the brand, the fragrance-free cream helps seal in moisture for up to 48 hours and is safe for regular use on sensitive skin.
Consistency: Cream| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components:Ceramides, sunflower seed oil, and urea
Best for reducing redness:
DERMAdoctor KP Duty Lotion
DERMAdoctor KP Duty Lotion
According to Gmyrek, this lotion has a combination of lactic acid, glycolic acid, urea, glycerin, and ceramides that exfoliate and hydrate. According to the manufacturer, it also contains PHAs such gluconolactone and lactobionic acid that exfoliate without being overly abrasive on the face, as well as squalene to help the skin feel smooth and hydrated. According to Dermadoctor, a combination consisting of white tea, licorice, boswellia serrata, and superoxide dismutase is also used to address redness.
Key ingredients: urea, glycerin, ceramides, lactic acid, glycolic acid, and capuaca seed butter; consistency: lotion; fragrance-free: yes;
Best splurge:
Skinfix KP+ Psoriasis Smoothing Treatment Body Lotion
Skinfix KP+ Psoriasis Smoothing Treatment Body Lotion
This lotion has a blend of chemical exfoliants like AHAs, BHAs and urea, as well as soothing ingredients like niacinamide that improve symptoms of keratosis pilaris and psoriasis, according to the brand. It has a 4.7-star average rating from more than 200 reviews on Sephora and is free of essential oils and fragrances.
Consistency: Lotion| Absence of fragrance: Yes| Important components: urea, lactic acid, glycerin, squalene, and glycolic acid
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How to treat keratosis pilaris
Though it may naturally go away as you get older, keratosis pilaris isn t a curable skin condition, experts say. However, you can reduce the appearance of bumps and smooth out the skin s texture with the right treatments.
According to Garshick, we view [keratosis pilaris] as manageable rather than cured. Because some people are genetically predisposed to it, they may be more likely to always experience it at a baseline level.
The best way to reduce symptoms of keratosis pilaris is a balanced combination of exfoliating and moisturizing the skin, says Garshick. The most effective treatment is using keratolytics also known as chemical exfoliators that remove the build up of dead skin cells. Consider the following primary categories of keratolytic agents:
-
Alpha hydroxy acids:
The most popular AHAs to reduce keratosis pilaris symptoms include lactic acid and glycolic acid. They gently dissolve dead skin cells and lead to cell turnover, which creates smoother, more even-toned skin, according to our experts. -
Beta hydroxy acids:
You ll often come across salicylic acid in skin care products. It s the most common BHA that, like AHAs, helps buff away dead skin cells and unclogs pores. -
Urea:
This ingredient is both a humectant (which draws moisture to the skin) and an exfoliator, which means it can moisturize the skin while also reducing dead skin buildup at the same time. Urea is available in various strengths ranging from 20% and 40%, though you don t really need that high of a strength to reduce KP symptoms, according to Sami.
These ingredients are usually found incleansers,body washesand daily moisturizers, says Garshick. Many of these exfoliants also have a combination of hydrating ingredients, which makes them more tolerable to use on a daily basis. When you re using other ingredients that moisturize and hydrate [the skin], you re protecting it from becoming damaged or irritated, says Garshick.
To keep symptoms at bay, consistency is key: You can apply exfoliating keratosis pilaris treatments once or twice per day, as long as your skin tolerates, and pair it with a gentle moisturizer, according to our experts. If you have very sensitive skin, you can limit your exfoliation to one or two times per week. But once you step out of that routine, keratosis pilaris symptoms usually come back, says Bordone.
You can also opt for a gentle physical exfoliant to help remove the dead skin, but make sure to not overdo it: You should limit your physical exfoliation to once or twice per week, says Garshick. Also, avoid using harsh scrubs with beads, which can actually exacerbate the issue, according to our experts.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
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Dr. Michael Cameron
is a board-certified dermatologist, founder of Cameron Dermatology and assistant professor at Mount Sinai in New York City.
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Dr. Naveed Sami
is a board-certified dermatologist and professor of medicine at the UCF College of Medicine.
-
Dr. Lindsey Bordone
is a board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center.
-
Dr. Michele Farber
is a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in Philadelphia. Dr. Farber specializes in skin cancer treatments, as well as general, cosmetic and procedural dermatology.
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Dr. Marisa Garshick
is a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology in New York City and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
-
Dr. Robyn Gmyrek
is a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m anupdates editor at NBC Selectwho has written several skin care stories, including treatments forcystic acne,rosaceaanddark under-eye circles. For this article, I spoke to six dermatologists about how to treat keratosis pilaris and highlighted their recommendations for the best products to consider.
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