Keratosis pilaris: How to treat rough skin on upper arms and legs

Keratosis pilaris on the arms or legs often poses an aesthetic challenge for those affected. Here you can find out how you can treat keratosis pilaris and prevent them from developing.

Keratosis pilaris or kerosis pilaris refers to a genetically caused keratinization disorder of the hair follicles – i.e. the structures that anchor the hair in the skin. It occurs most commonly on the outer sides of the upper arms and legs. The back, buttocks and face can also be affected. The appearance of Kerosis Pilaris is characterized by many small light to reddish-brown pimples covering the skin that are rough to the touch.

Keratosis pilaris is harmless in the sense that it is not contagious and does not cause any other symptoms. Only on rare occasions does she go with random itching along.

Nevertheless, those affected often perceive their keratosis pilaris as an aesthetic flaw. The good news: in most cases, keratosis pilaris disappear on their own. Until then, there are several ways you can use home remedies to mitigate their appearance and prevent them from developing.

Treat keratosis pilaris with home remedies

Even if no treatment method can permanently remove keratosis pilaris, consistent care of the affected skin areas can help to smooth the skin and thus improve its appearance. The following home remedies are good for this:

• Take regularly warm full bath. The warm water helps to soften the dead skin cells and thus unclog the pores.
• After bathing and also after a warm shower you can use the affected skin areas gently exfoliate. A loofah sponge or an exfoliating brush, for example, are suitable for this. Important: Don’t overdo the exfoliation or try to scrape the keratosis pimples by other methods. This would only leave permanent scars.
• Take care of the keratosis pilaris daily enough moisture. The best means for this are moisturizing creams, for example with the ingredient urea or lactic acid (Lactic Acid). The latter is not only moisturizing, but also slightly exfoliating. Tip: If you prefer minimalist skin care, we recommend that you first treat the keratosis pilaris with anti-inflammatory rose water spray and then with a skin oil, such as jojoba oilto rub in.

Good to know: There are some dermatological treatment options for keratosis pilaris, mostly based on mechanical or chemical peels. However, these treatments are usually expensive and are only covered by health insurance in exceptional cases. Since kerosis pilaris usually disappears on its own with age, you should think twice about investing your time and money elsewhere.

Prevent keratosis pilaris

The symptoms of keratosis pilaris intensify under dry and cold climatic conditions, such as those prevailing in the winter months. In addition to daily moisturizing, increasing the indoor humidity can also help at this time of year. tips for increasing humidity you can find it in another article.

In general, you should also avoid drying out your skin too much. Avoid long, hot showers or baths.

You can also prevent keratosis pilaris by not wearing tight clothing. This could irritate your skin with constant friction.

Does a change in diet help with keratosis pilaris?

Some sufferers report that avoiding certain foods has helped them improve the appearance of keratosis pilaris. This includes, for example, the omission of gluten, dairy products or hot spices. However, there are no scientific studies that show that your diet has an influence on the symptoms of keratosis pilaris.

A healthy diet with sufficient carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals can certainly not harm your skin health in general.

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