Small bumps on back of arms? - Page 2

[BlueStateMama]

We cross posted Maybe I'll try the Kefir water too...actually really looking at the ingred. list skeeved me out a bit.

[DesireeH]

I get this too but only in the winter. In the spring/summer/fall when my arms are exposed to sunshine, they go away.

[dallaschildren]

Yes, it is keratosis pilaris. It is generally found to be hereditary, so if you have it, one or all of your children may get it. My mom has it...I have it. DH has it...his Dad had it. Our DS # 1 now has some very lightly on his upper arms. :
It is VERY common. MANY people have it and have never really thought to check out what it is.
Dermatologists will typically urge you to expose the affected area to the sun. A**backwards if you ask me considering the cancer risk with the sun but admittedly mine is lighter in summer.
The Lac-Hydrin cream did not work for me. He also prescribed tetracycline for it and I refused. What a crock. Long term antibiotic use for a skin condition that is not bacterial in composition? Uh, no thanks...not to mention the havoc it would wreck with the flora in the vagina and intestines. I read in a magazine recently that Eucerin Plus (has acids in it that help to exfoliate) works wonders. Bought it...been using it religiously for a month and no change. My arms are much softer though.
Pregnancy WILL make it WORSE. After three babies...mine is DEFINATELY worse. I now have a little on my thighs. Oh joy!
Last but not least the derm suggested laser treatments at a few hundred a pop with a minimum of 5 sessions. I am still searching for a natural remedy before considering lasering.

[xenabyte]

Originally Posted by mommyofone

We cross posted Maybe I'll try the Kefir water too...actually really looking at the ingred. list skeeved me out a bit.

eheh, Hey, no need to : yourself, If I thought letting a horse or dog pee on my arms would cure it, I think I might just try it...hahah

I have not worn short or sleeveless shirts since I was a young gal..../sniffs

So any real cure would be appreciated! I think I will do carrots, expose arms to sun and try rubbing kefir water in morning to exfoliate it....

[BlueStateMama]

Pregnancy WILL make it WORSE. After three babies...mine is DEFINATELY worse. I now have a little on my thighs. Oh joy!

It didn't worsen for me during the pgs, but after. I too noticed the migration to my thighs The cream is keeping it under control for me, and the sun does help, but ITA, I'm trying to stay OUT of the sun now that I'm a wiser woman (as compared to my reckess youth )

[lactationlady]

I have this too on the backs of my arms, my upper legs and my tummy. I had always been told that there was nothing to be done for it(except for one doc my mom took me to when I was about 6 who told her if they pulled out all of my hairs on my arms it would go away! ). However, after I began adding flaxseed to my diet (and generally changing to a healthier diet), I am beginning to have smooth areas on my arms for the fist time in my life. The skin actually feels soft! It was 2 or 3 months before I noticed a difference. I am fairly certain it is the flax, because if I go a week or more without having any the smooth areas begin getting bumpy again. My ds has this too, so I am trying to add flax to his diet as well (groud up and added to his oatmeal or in smoothies).

[willowsmom]

Another Bumpy Person

I've been bumpy all my life. My arms and legs mainly. I'm asked quite a bit if I'm cold....because they resemble goosebumps that just won't go away...sometimes they're red...sometimes they get dry and white...it's weird.


Edited to say...HUZZAH!!! I finally know what's wrong with me!!!! Now...to do something about it...
Bumpily yours,

[brookely ash]

I took my ds to a naturopath for the first time a few months ago, and she checked out his bumps. She diagnosed it as keratosis pilaris and said that an increase in essential fatty acids would help. I have been giving my ds flax oil, but not regularly, and it does help. I am planning on buying flax seeds to grind up myself next time I make it to the store. I also have them, as does my older ds and my dh. Were just abumpy little family.

[charmarty]

dh has this too

THANKS!!!

[threeforme2005]

Originally Posted by mommyofone

I've had KP forever and tried EVERYTHING for it (natural remedies, that expensive AM-lactin stuff, and spendy cream called "KP Duty" which came from that Dermadoctor site) and *finally* I found something that works....Eucerin Plus Intensive Repair Body Creme (at any drugstore.) I now clean out the shelves at my local store periodically. I'm excited b/c it's the first thing I've tried that's actually worked!

Really? I'm so getting some of that stuff. I went to a derm for the first time last year and he gave me a sample of the Amlactin so I bought a bottle for *gasp* 16 dollars! Sheesh what is it made out of...gold? Needless to say it didn't work I've had KP my whole life and would love to find something that actually works. Thanks for the heads up.

[chellemarie]

My friend's son has this and has from a very young age. Her doctor told her that they could try creams and things to make it better, but that it couldn't be cured (which we all know too well, don't we?) AND that you're more likely to have it if you are German.

My friend and I are both mostly German. I have the bumps, too.

[calpurnia]

You're more likely to have it if you're German?!

I had this when I was a child, on my cheeks - I HATED it. It cleared up though, certainly by the time I was 13 or 14. I just put moisturiser on it every night, I wonder if there was a magic ingredient in it now! Or maybe my diet changed, I don't know. I didn't know what it was at the time, just that it looked bad.

I hope it doesn't come back.

[xenabyte]

I'd heard people of Celtic origins...mmm, maybe those 'northern euro' type descendents have specific diets or 'genetic factors' that lend the skin to build up the excess 'keretins' or proteins.

I never got it on my legs, but I do have it on the backs of my upper arms. It's gotten very light lately, but the scarring from the old ones still makes me not want to wear short sleeves.

I bought one of those 'dr. scholls' pedicare 'files' that looks like a wide 'emery' board and used that on them once. Made them smooth, but man, you can take a layer of skin off is you are not super careful...

[chellemarie]

(I want to say that I can't tell you how good or bad that doctor is. :LOL I'm just sharing what I was told.)

[Indigomama]

i have this too Glad to see i'm not the only freak.

Someone posted that exfoliation is bad? hmmm....

I actually exfoliate daily with a very light exfoliation cream and use cetaphil lotion daily. If I don't exfoliate, the problem just gets worse until they're absolutely hideous. Once it gets "hideous" I no longer will exfoliate but will apply a topical antibacterial cream (I use a tea tree oil combo) until the redness goes away and then back to my exfoliation treatments. If they're very red, exfoliation does indeed make it worse, but I try to stay one ahead of the game.


I've found the following to be helpful in minimizing : primrose oil (As several posters mentioned- pregnancy and cycle seem to affect), omega 3 intake, and probiotics. All 3 in general help my ezema (as well as avoiding milk.. but during hotchocolate season it's so hard ) so I guess if the two are related.. makes sense.

[kaydee]

So that's what's going on with my arms--good to know!

I have a really nice Alpha Hydroxy Acid lotion that I am going to try--I hope it sloughs off the bumps. It's by Nonie of Beverly Hills and has much nicer ingredients than the Eucerin AHA cream, is vegan and not tested on animals, and smells yummy:

AHA! Body Lotion

Ingredients: Distilled Water, Wheatgerm Oil, COconut Oil, ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS, Coconut Emulsifiers, Lemon Oil, Orchid Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar & Oil of Grapefruit Seed.

[HRC121799]

I have this and for the last year have been using Neutrogena Skin Smoothing Lotion, with awesome results. Will go check out that natural version above though! Both my little guys have unfortunately inheritated this from me! I need to add EFA's & some flaxseed to our diets I think!

[LunaMom]

I developed this while I was pregnant and it never went away. What's weird is that it is only on the back of my left arm, but not my right!

I've treid a lot of things, none of which worked well enough to satisfy me. I can get the area smoother but the redness stays. It is better in the summer when my skin gets a little sun, but I don't want to increase my sun exposure for obvious reasons!

I will try to find that Eucerin cream or the Neutrogena lotion, and I'm going to try adding more Vitamin A. Does anyone know how much Vitamin A is recommended? I know it's possible to overdose on it, so I just want to be safe.

[GruppieGirl]

I developed the same thing after my ds was born.

It generally appears on the upper arms, upper thighs and bum. Every doctor I have seen says it occurs in people with Celtic heriage and is genetic. There is no cure.

The only thing that I have found that lessens the bumps is swimming in the ocean. Maybe something to do with the salt water. This summer I meant to ottle some ocean water and soak in it. Oh welll...July will be here some day.

I'm interested to hear what has worked for others.

[kewb]

My dd has this. I have found that daily gentle exfoliation in the shower followed by Kiss My Face Peaches and Cream Moisturizer has been very effective in minimizing her bumps. I have just started adding flax seed oil to her snacks. I want to get some actual seeds to grind up, too. I am hoping it helps.