What You Need to Know About Those Annoying Bumps On Your Arms

Have you ever looked at that weird bumpy skin on your upper arms and thighs and thought WHAT THE HELL, GO AWAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ANYWAY!?

It’s called keratosis pilaris (colloquially known as “chicken skin”), and it’s easily recognisable as pinkish, rough skin that’s similar to permanent goosebumps.

A photo posted by Dermatiqueuk (@dermatiqueuk) on Jun 8, 2015 at 9:10am PDT

According to the NHS, KP affects up to 1 in 3 people in the UK, and it’s not a reflection of your general health – it regularly affects people who are otherwise completely healthy.

It's more likely to affect you if you're young, female and fair-skinned.

It's also hereditary so you can thank your parents for that! It's not contagious and you are 50% likely to inherit it from your parents.

It's completely harmless so DW! It typically appears during childhood, and gets worse during puberty – but it also gets better during adulthood, and often disappears completely.

According to the NHS, the condition is the result of an excessive build-up of keratin (a protein found in hair follicles) in the outer layer of your skin. The excess keratin blocks the hair follicles and, in turn, causes your skin’s pores to grow in size and become rough and bumpy.

While it’s most likely to affect the skin on your upper arms and thighs, in rarer cases it can be found on your forearms, buttocks and upper back.

It's symmetrical. KP will always appear on both arms, both legs, or both sides of your face.

It’s often more prevalent during winter, because of the colder, less humid weather.

It can’t be completely cured, but there are several measures that you can take to improve the appearance of your KP. It’s recommended that you regularly use a gentle exfoliator, use moisturisers that contain salicylic or lactic acid, and use non-soap cleansers instead of regular soap on the affected area.

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