This 3-Product Combo Helps Minimize Those Weird Bumps on Your Arms
Are you one of the lucky ladies blessed with weird white (or maybe slightly red) painless bumps on your arms that just won't go away?
Don't worry, you're not alone. While there are varying degrees of this relatively harmless condition, the average person's case usually takes over the outer sides of the upper arms, they aren't associated with acne or any other skin issue, and they don't affect your health—they're mainly just a nuisance.
This condition, known as keratosis pilaris (or "chicken skin"), is caused by a body's excess production of the skin protein keratin.
As someone who has had these annoying bumps for as long as I can remember, I've always wondered how to cure them (or at least lessen them greatly). I've been blessed with clear skin on my face (and trust me, I'm not taking that for granted), so why can't the rest of my body feel just as soft? Now, don't get me wrong—I don't have a horrible case of the condition. In fact, over the years, the appearance of the bumps has dissipated a great deal, really only making them noticeable to the touch (though there's still a considerable amount of red on my arm, albeit fairly smooth).
Sometimes I'll feel someone's silky smooth arms and think, what do I have to do to get skin like this? I firmly believe a lot of it is genetics. Like you can exfoliate and hydrate on the reg and some people just won't end up with those arms, ya know?
That said, following my recent armpit 101 chat with DERMAdoctor's Dr. Audrey Kunin, I informed her team about the bumps I was so gloriously born with, and they were kind enough to offer Dr. Kunin's three-product set that helps minimize said bumps. I've never used anything to specifically aid this issue (with the exception of the normal lotions and creams that we all use), so I was more than eager to give this set a whirl.
The Products
KP Duty Body Scrub
This $46 product combines the benefits of a chemical peel and microdermabrasion into a single, easy-to-use formulation. Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, it's recommended you use 1-2 times a week. You apply the product just before taking a bath or shower and remove it when you rinse. It's recommended to use anywhere on your body except for your face.
KP Duty High Potency Daily Body Peel Wipes
This $56, two-part attached set comes with a 30-day daily recommended application of a resurface wipe and a quench wipe. The resurface wipe chemically exfoliates the skin, while the quench wipe hydrates.
KP Duty Cream
This dense, $38 cream is dermatologist-formulated therapy for dry, rough, bumpy skin. You can use this product liberally, applying at least two times a day. Avoid putting it on your face.
The Experience
From the first day I used the combined products, I noticed a difference in my skin. The bumps most definitely subsided (or became easier to flick off), and the application of everything made my skin significantly smoother. I followed the plan pretty much to a T, but missed a few days here and there with the exfoliating and quench wipes. They're more time-consuming than the rest, and you can't really multitask with other things while holding the wipes onto your arms. That said, after watching an informative video, I realized that I didn't need to hold the wipes in place on my skin, but rather move them up and down my arms in a circular motion. Either way, you still can't multitask while using them.
I used excess solution from each wipe on other areas of my body, and found that they became instantly softer as well. As for the lotion, it's very rich, and rightfully so. That said, there's no need to go overboard with its application. Sometimes I would use it on my hands the way I'd use a Kiehl's lotion or something of that sort. But it was way too much and almost felt sticky. A little goes a long way with this product!
Another mistake I made (and this was a biggie) was applying the lotion before applying my daily skincare routine—and because it was "simply just lotion," I didn't think to wash my hands. Let's just say I thought I was having the allergic reaction of my nightmares. My whole face itched and my eyes were watery all day. I will not make that mistake again—nothing in this set of products should touch the face!
Bottom Line
Everyone's skin is different, so there's no way for me to tell you if this product will work for you—and if it does, I cannot say it will cure your condition or that the problem won't come back. I just know that, for me, the bumps have subsided immensely, though I do still experience naturally dry skin in those problem areas. Once I apply the product, it successfully hydrates those areas that aren't silky smooth. The great thing is you can use this combo even if you don't suffer from bumpy skin, and you simply just want it to be softer.
The price point for what you get in the set is pretty impressive. Although these are technically over-the-counter products, they're still formulated by a doctor and are medical-grade quality. The trio is around $150, and is meant to last you a month, if used as advised (though the body scrub can likely last longer). And as an added bonus, because the body scrub is an exfoliant, the instructions encourage you to also use it before a spray tan or before applying post-bathing treatments.
If your issue is an extreme circumstance or you have highly sensitive skin, we always advise consulting your doctor before giving this product (or any product) a try.
Because the above products should never be used on the face, if you want to exfoliate that part of your body, find out how to use the Dermaflash HERE!