Beauty Problem Solved: Chicken Skin

If you’re hiding your upper arms because of “chicken skin" (small bumps that make your arms look like you've got goose bumps even when you're not cold), rejoice. I have the solution; by spring your arms should be ready to come out of hiding—and to be touched.

What Are Those Things Anyway?

If those bumps are small, rough, white or red, and don’t itch or hurt, it's a condition called Keratosis Pilaris (KP). It can affect the thighs, cheeks, back and bum as well. They’re harmless, but not particularly attractive or nice to touch, so let’s work on getting rid of them, shall we?

How Do I Get Rid Of Them?

Exfoliate and moisturize. And repeat until they’re history. I used a two-step process:

Photo: Sephora

Physical exfoliation: Use a body scrub (whichever one works best for you, but I prefer a salt scrub as it feels more effective to me). Scrub your arms every morning in the shower.

Moisturize/Chemical exfoliation: Twice a day, apply a moisturizer with urea (super hydrator) and alpha-hydroxy acids. Make sure it is a moisturizer because intensive moisture is one of the keys to fighting KP.

Do You Have Any Product Recommendations?

Of course I do! Did you doubt it for a minute?

Luxury route: Dermadoctor KP Duty
$36 and Dermadoctor KP Duty Body Scrub
$44, both at Sephora.

Photo: Footsmart

Budget-friendly route: Use a mixture of coarse salt (sea salt or kosher) and plain sugar to scrub, then twice a day apply FootSmart NightTime Heel Treatment Cream $7.99 at Footsmart – it’s got alpha-hydroxy acids and urea. Plus, it works great on your feet too!

Be patient; it will take time to get rid of KP, but if you’re diligent you’ll win the battle. And once you do, you’ll need to do regular maintenance to make sure it doesn’t come back.

Finn exfoliates regularly to keep her skin silky smooth. To keep her writing skills silky smooth, she has a blog.