Keratosis Pilaris Treatment (Upper Arms)

… Continued …

1. Microdermabrasion. It is a cosmetic exfoliation therapy. In some health spas, this therapy is sometimes offered.
2. Retinol creams. Retinol itself is derived from vitamin A.
3. Topical exfoliants. These are usually available in creams and contain some active ingredients, especially such as vitamin D, urea, lactic acid, or alpha-hydroxy. You can purchase them without prescription or some requires prescription, depending on the strength of the cream.
4. Chemical peels.
5. The use of laser therapy. Typically, you need to take it several times over the course of a few months.
6. Steroid creams. It is usually used to ease redness.
7. The use of combination between salicylic acid, petroleum jelly water, or/and cold cream. This option may help flatten the acne-like bumps of keratosis pilaris. Salicylic acid itself can remove the top layer of the skin.

Many of these treatment options have not been officially approved for keratosis pilaris on the upper arms.

There is no adequate scientific evidence that these treatments work effectively. Even you may need to pay for some privately!

Some people use them because these treatments have helped in the past. And the treatment may carry the risk of side effects such as skin irritation, redness, or stinging. For more advice, it’s suggested to talk to your doctor!

Some lifestyle approaches may help, too. These include:

1. Taking hot baths can help provide stress relief. But be careful, the same thing doesn’t go for your skin. Hot water can make your skin dry out, especially when you take a bath too long. Therefore, it is much better to make your shower as short as possible, and use lukewarm water!
2. Choose the best soap for your skin! Wrong choice can make the skin dry even more, making your keratosis pilaris get worse. Avoid harsh, drying soaps because they can cause damage to the natural barrier of the skin! Instead, use non-soap cleansers!
3. It’s better to allow your skin dry off naturally after washing. If you want to make it dry faster, gently pat the skin with a towel to make some moisture remain.
4. After washing the skin, apply moisturizer immediately to prevent water from escaping and keep the skin moist. Moisturizers or creams containing urea, salicylic acid, or lactic acid are thought to be most effective to help reduce dryness.