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Keratosis pilaris is very common and produces small, benign white or red bumps on arms and legs. You may also notice small, red bumps on your facial area, but never in areas that are void of hair follicles such as the palms or soles of the feet.

Keratosis pilaris - KP or follicular keratosis - appears around the hair follicles. The bumps you see are actually waxy build-ups of keratin. This is caused when skin does not slough off at a consistent rate, allowing keratin and dead skin cells to clog the pores and form KP bumps.

Luckily, keratosis pilaris is not dangerous, however, some bumps may become infected and lead to further complications. If this does happen you can seek relief in products that are specially formulated to treat the problem.

How to Treat Keratosis Pilaris

Keratosis pilaris may subside with age, but who's willing to wait so long? If you want to take immediate action you can use a cream that contains Vitamin A, alpha hydroxy acids, and salicylic acid. Exfoliation is also a treatment option to improve the appearance of your skin.

Vitamin A (retinol or retinoids) works on KP because it makes the outer layer of the skin grow more rapidly. Therefore, it decreases the amount of keratin in the skin. As a result, the surface layer of the skin becomes thinner and pores are less likely to become blocked.

Another ingredient that should be in all keratosis pilaris lotions is alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs. This group of acids is gathered from different types of foods. Some of the most common AHAs are derived from sugar cane, milk, citrus fruits, and almonds.

AHAs help moderate the formation of a new stratum corneum through diminished cellular cohesion between corneocytes at the lowest levels of the stratum corneum. Simply put, this means that the stratum corneum can be sloughed off at a higher rate than before. It becomes less easier for keratin and dead skin cells to clog the hair follicles.

Another ingredient that causes the same effect as AHAs is salicylic acid. This beta hydroxy acid is capable of penetrating the hair follicle and regulating the rate of cell shedding within the pore. This is necessary to help loosen up clogged pores from within.

Exfoliating can also be an excellent keratosis pilaris treatment. This process can help promote cell turnover and remove existing skin bumps. You can use cotton or wool scrubbies, sugar or salt crystals as well as loofahs and facial scrub brushes.

If you have sensitive skin, stay away from mechanical abrasives. Instead, look for natural acids like milk or grapes to help you remove dead skin cells.

The main kp causes are excessive production of keratin. There is not a keratosis pilaris cure but there are good products, like BIOSKINTREATMENT, that can help dissolve skin bumps. Thanks to its natural ingredients, this cream can help make your skin smooth again.