Keratosis pilaris
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What are the symptoms of keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a harmless skin condition that causes small, rough bumps, often appearing on the upper arms, thighs or buttocks. These tiny, dry bumps develop when excess keratin (the protein that protects the skin) builds up and blocks hair follicles. The skin may feel rough, like sandpaper or permanent goosebumps, and in some cases, it can become itchy.
What does keratosis pilaris look like?
The appearance of KP can vary depending on skin tone. On lighter skin, the bumps may look red or pink, while on brown or black skin, they can appear darker than the surrounding area. KP is more common in childhood and the teenage years, but it can continue into adulthood.
Although KP is harmless, some people may not like how it looks. If you’re unsure whether you or your child has keratosis pilaris, speaking to a GP can help confirm the diagnosis and explore ways to manage the symptoms.
What causes keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris (KP) happens when hair follicles become blocked with a build-up of keratin, the protein that helps protect skin, hair and nails. While it’s not completely understood why this happens, KP is thought to run in families, so if your parents have it, you may develop it too.
It’s important to know that KP is completely harmless and not contagious. You can’t catch it or pass it on to others.
Some people find that their symptoms often become more noticeable in winter when the skin is drier and less exposed to sunlight.
Although there’s no cure, KP is a common skin condition that many people experience. If it’s something that bothers you, skincare changes, like regular moisturising and gentle exfoliation, can help keep your skin feeling smoother and more comfortable.
How is keratosis pilaris diagnosed?
Keratosis pilaris is usually diagnosed by its typical appearance, so there’s no need for specific tests. Your doctor or pharmacist can usually recognise it by looking at your skin. If there’s any uncertainty, especially if the symptoms look like another skin condition, your doctor might suggest further examination.
In rare cases, a skin biopsy may be done to rule out other conditions, but this is usually not necessary. Because keratosis pilaris is harmless, treatment is not always needed. However, if you’re unsure whether you have keratosis pilaris or if your symptoms are bothering you, your GP can help.
Treatment & management of keratosis pilaris
How is keratosis pilaris treated?
There’s no cure for keratosis pilaris, but treatments can help improve the skin’s texture and appearance. Because KP is harmless, treatment isn’t always necessary. However, if the condition is bothering you, a pharmacist can recommend creams and lotions to help moisturise, soften the bumps and smooth the skin.
In some cases, your GP may prescribe stronger treatments, like topical retinoids, which can help reduce redness and improve texture.
Other treatments, like steroid creams and laser therapy, are available privately, but they aren’t usually offered through the NHS as they haven’t been proven to be very effective.
In many cases, KP improves naturally over time, so if it’s not causing discomfort, the best approach may be to focus on gentle skincare and wait for it to improve on its own. If your skin becomes inflamed or itchy, or if you’re unsure whether you need to see your GP, a pharmacist can offer advice and guide you on options for managing your symptoms.
Managing keratosis pilaris
Keratosis pilaris is a harmless skin condition, and while there’s no cure or way to directly treat it, there are ways to help smooth and hydrate your skin so it feels more comfortable.
Moisturising regularly is one of the best ways to help with KP. Emollients, deeply hydrating creams, can soften rough, dry skin and keep it feeling smoother.
Emollients, creams, lotions and ointments contain oils that help keep skin soft and hydrated. However, when these products come into contact with clothing, bedding or dressings, they can make the fabric more flammable. Even when the product has dried, there is still a risk that the material could catch fire more easily.
If you use emollients or other skincare products, it’s important to be extra careful around naked flames, open fires, and lit cigarettes. To help reduce the risk, wash clothing and bedding regularly, ideally daily if they’ve been in contact with emollients. While washing can help, it may not remove the risk completely, even at high temperatures, so caution is still needed.
Some moisturisers also contain ingredients like salicylic acid, lactic acid or urea, which gently exfoliate while locking in moisture. Applying a moisturiser at least twice a day, especially after showering when your skin is still damp, can help prevent dryness from making KP more noticeable.
KP happens when keratin builds up and blocks hair follicles. As such, gentle exfoliation can help smooth things out. Using a soft washcloth, loofah or gentle scrub in the shower can help, but it’s important not to scrub too hard, this can make your skin more irritated.
Another option is chemical exfoliation, which can help to break down the excess keratin in the hair follicles. Products with skincare ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid or urea work to loosen dead skin cells and improve texture over time. If you’re trying one of these products, start slowly and always follow the instructions – using too much can dry out your skin.
It's important to know that gentle exfoliation won’t treat KP, but it can help with the appearance or the feel of the bumps associated with it.
Little changes to your routine can make a big difference in keeping your skin happy. Take warm (not hot) showers, as hot water can dry out your skin. Swap bar soaps for a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser to help protect your skin’s moisture barrier. If the air in your home feels dry in the winter, using a humidifier can help prevent your skin from drying out further.
If you prefer to remove hair in areas affected by KP, be mindful that shaving and waxing can sometimes make bumps more noticeable. If this happens, switching to laser hair removal may be an option, as it can reduce hair growth without irritating the skin.
KP often improves over time, but keeping up with a simple skincare routine can help manage symptoms and keep your skin feeling smoother. While these steps won’t make KP disappear completely, they can make a noticeable difference.
If you ever feel unsure or want to explore more options, your pharmacist or GP can offer advice to help you find what works for your skin.
Related products
Smooth skin with the Naturium KP Scrub & Mask, a 3-in-1 exfoliating lotion that helps transform dry, bumpy, dull or rough skin from top to toe.
Designed to be used in a bath and body routine once or twice a week, this scrub and mask hybrid performs a thorough exfoliating action. Formulated with jojoba esters and pumice, it works to loosen and slough away dead skin cells.
A body scrub that sweeps away dry, rough bumps associated with KP (Keratosis pilaris), strawberry skin and booty bumps to reveal healthier-looking skin.
Safe for sensitive skin, this fast-acting body scrub uses glycolic & lactic acids, at a combined level of 10% AHAs, to help resurface skin’s top layer + pumice to physically exfoliate, helping improve skin’s texture.
Boots Dermacare KP Exfoliating Cream exfoliates dead skin cells and helps improve the appearance of rough and bumpy skin. KP Exfoliating cream contains 10% glycolic acid which is an alpha-hydroxy-acid or AHA.
AHAs are chemical exfoliants, which are proven to help smooth rough and bumpy skin and improve skin texture. This cream will help loosen the skin's top layer and decongest pores, revealing smoother and more radiant skin.
A multitasking body lotion with 10% AHA that combines the benefits of a chemical exfoliant and moisturiser to banish bumps and hydrate skin.
This lotion contains 10% lactic acid (AHA) to resurface the top layer of skin, helping to reduce the appearance of hard, rough bumps often associated with KP. With urea, colloidal oatmeal and ceramides, the deeply hydrating formula reveals skin that is healthier-looking, supple and smooth.
Can I prevent keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris isn’t preventable, but a gentle skincare routine can help keep your skin smooth and reduce the appearance of bumps. Keeping your skin well-hydrated with a moisturiser, cream or ointment can help prevent dryness and minimise the keratin buildup that causes those tiny bumps.
Using an oil-free moisturiser regularly, especially after showering when your skin is still damp, can help keep pores clear and improve the appearance of KP over time.
While KP tends to come and go, simple daily skincare habits can make a noticeable difference in how your skin looks and feels. If you ever need extra support, a pharmacist or GP can recommend options for your skin.
We’ve covered more on managing KP in the ‘Managing keratosis pilaris’ section of the page.
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Frequently asked questions
Keratosis pilaris happens when hair follicles become blocked with a build-up of keratin, a natural protein found in skin, hair and nails. While the exact cause of this build-up isn't fully understood, it's believed to have a genetic component, meaning it can run in families. It’s important to know that keratosis pilaris is harmless and not infectious, you can’t spread or catch it.
Keratosis pilaris is a common and harmless skin condition that often improves with time. While there's no cure, several at-home treatments can help manage and reduce its appearance.
- Taking short, warm baths can help unclog and loosen pores. Be mindful to limit your time in the bath, being in the water for a long time can strip the skin of natural oils
- Regular, gentle exfoliation can improve skin texture. Using a loofah or soft washcloth, gently remove dead skin cells without scrubbing too hard to avoid irritation
- Applying hydrating lotions containing alpha hydroxy acids, like lactic acid, can help hydrate dry skin and encourage cell turnover. This can help soften the bumps
Remember, while these methods can help manage KP, it's important to be patient, as improvements may take time. If your KP continues or you’re worried about your skin, make sure to speak to a pharmacist or your GP.
- Folliculitis looks like red or white-headed pimples around hair follicles, but unlike KP, it’s often caused by an infection and can feel tender or itchy.
- Eczema (atopic dermatitis) tends to cause red, inflamed and itchy patches of skin. While KP bumps are usually painless and dry, eczema can be more widespread, sometimes with oozing or crusting.
- Seborrheic keratosis appears as raised, wart-like or waxy growths. Unlike KP, these tend to be larger, with a stuck-on look, and aren’t linked to hair follicles.
- Psoriasis can cause thick, scaly patches of skin that can be itchy or sore. The plaques are well-defined and covered with silvery scales, whereas KP bumps are much finer and rougher to the touch.
Keratosis pilaris is a common skin condition that causes tiny, rough bumps, but other skin conditions can sometimes look similar. Here are a few conditions that could be mistaken for it.
If you’re not sure whether you have KP, a pharmacist or GP can help confirm the diagnosis and suggest suitable ways to manage your skin.
While KP can be associated with other skin conditions like atopic eczema, it is not a form of eczema itself. Eczema typically presents with inflamed, red, and itchy patches, whereas KP can show up as tiny, painless bumps. Both conditions can coexist, but they are different.
While KP is generally harmless, certain factors can make its appearance more noticeable. During the winter months, lower humidity levels can lead to drier skin, which may exacerbate KP.
Additionally, taking hot baths or showers can strip the skin of its natural oils, potentially worsening the condition. To help manage KP, you should keep your skin moisturised, use mild soaps and choose lukewarm water when bathing.
You might have come across suggestions that certain foods can make KP worse, however, there's no scientific or medical evidence to support the idea that specific foods cause or make keratosis pilaris worse.
Maintaining a healthy balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates can help to support overall health, including skin health. If you're worried about your diet affecting your KP, make sure to speak to your GP.
It can be reassuring to know that, for most people, KP tends to improve with age. Keratosis pilaris often begins in late childhood or teenage years and typically clears up in your mid-20s, with most cases completely gone by age 30.
However, it's important to remember that everyone's circumstances are different. If you have concerns about your skin or if keratosis pilaris is causing you discomfort, it's important to speak with your GP.
Products containing glycolic acid can gently exfoliate the skin, helping to remove the excess keratin that leads to these bumps. Including a glycolic acid-based lotion or cream in your daily skincare routine may improve your skin's texture over time.
However, it's important to remember that everyone's skin is unique. If you have any concerns or if your KP gets worse, make sure to speak to your GP.
Keratosis pilaris happens when hair follicles become blocked with a build-up of keratin. Therefore, laser hair removal can help reduce the bumps and improve skin texture by targeting hair follicles.
1Eligibility criteria and charges apply. Subject to availability.
