You mean, besides thanking your parents? Those tiny bumps (they can be red or flesh-colored) are caused by a condition called Keratosis Pilaris, which is hereditary. The good news is that they don’t cause any damage except to your mood—they’re basically just plugs of dead skin cells that somehow forgot to slough off. The bad news is that no one knows quite why that happens, and there’s no real cure. But you can make them much less noticeable, says Kenneth Beer, M.D., a dermatologist in Palm Beach, Florida—and he should know, since everyone is legally required to go sleeveless in Palm Beach. First, they tend to be at their worst when your skin is dry, so stay away from extremely hot showers, since those are drying. Scrubbing with a loofah helps a little, but not as much as you’d hope. What works best, Dr. Beer says: Twice a day, smooth on an over-the-counter skin lotion that contains glycolic or lactic acid, like AmLactin or DERMADoctor’s KP Duty Moisturizing Therapy for Dry Skin. Be patient; it can take as long as two months for your chicken skin to get really smooth. Want something that works faster? Ask your dermatologist for a Retin-A prescription. Whichever type of lotion you choose, keep using it—those bumps will come back if you give them the chance.
Send your Embarrassing Questions to bestyoueditors@rd.com
I have the same thing and I hate it. I have tried everything under the sun and nothing works at least not for long. I have just figured out that there really is not much I can do except accept it and move on. Yes, it is embarrassing but I still wear sleeveless tops because it’s way too hot in Texas not to and I’m sure I’m not the only one with that problem.
Hi there, We just became aware of your blog through Google, and saw that it is really informative. We gonna watch out for your next post. I will appreciate if you continue this in the future. Many people will be benefited from your excellent posts. Cheers!