Eryn G.

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Q&A

Ew! I have little bumps on my arms.

Check these out, too...

I have red bumps on the upper parts of my arms. What should I do? My guy pal put his arm around me and totally freaked.

What you probably have is a harmless condition called keratosis pilaris. It looks like little dots that are usually white but sometimes red. As your guy friend found out, the area feels bumpy, dry and sandpapery.

It strikes the upper arms, buttocks and thighs. Why? The genetic condition happens because dry skin doesn’t flake off like it should. Instead, it gets plugged up in hair follicles and forms little bumps, explains dermatologist Dr. Brandith Irwin. Moisturize your arms with Vaseline after you shower.

If it doesn’t clear up within a week, move on to stronger stuff. After bathing, slick on a glycolic acid lotion (Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion or any 10-percent solution at stores like Sephora) mixed with a dab of hydrocortisone (the .5-percent kind sold over-the-counter at drugstores). If that doesn’t do the trick, see a dermatologist for an Rx.

BY JIAE K. ON 10/16/2009 7:01:00 AM 78 COMMENTS

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Oh my gosh!! I have this too! None of my friends have ever noticed it though. I never knew anything about it. I knew it was generic because my mom has it and she told me my grandma had it too.
Thanks for clearing this up!

kittyofthewind on 1/17/2010 11:41:01 PM

eww! i used to have those when i was 10, but it went away when i kept moisturizing like crazyy! lol

alpha_girlie on 1/9/2010 9:46:15 PM

Mod, How do i know when to start to shave my legs cause whenever i touch my legs i can feel hairs on my leg but its not soo much . So do i start to shave or do i wait till i have alot of hair and its very visible till i start to shave. Also what do i use to shave.

You can start to shave whenever you want. Also you use a razor to shave. Ask your mom to help you get one from a grocery store. xoxo kerra

Kerra S.

hip_hop_hottie on 12/12/2009 6:01:49 PM

ingrown hairs, right?

[xganzxalleinx] on 12/12/2009 12:58:23 AM

I'm sorry you have little bumps.

sixteengirl93 on 12/9/2009 6:33:53 PM

Omg!!! i have that same problem!!!! its so icky!!

SportyGirl22 on 11/27/2009 6:36:48 PM

i have the same problem! it's awful! but this body scrub called "soap and glory" works pretty well. They sell it at target.

dancingkween220 on 11/22/2009 7:06:30 PM

I have those bumps on my upper arms, bottom of my cheeks, and lower legs. I'll try the vasaline cream. TY GL!!!!

ilovemypuddykat on 11/20/2009 10:35:18 PM

I have it on my upper arms too. My mom also has it and a few of my friends. I'll try the vaseline, hope it works!

BTIPT1 on 11/17/2009 7:42:42 PM

I had excema wen i was little and now Bcause i scratched my legs up so bad then i have horrible scars that r all over my legs-i try to rub cocoa butter lotion on them every night but i dont see many results. i am tired of hiding my legs all the time!what else can i do???

Buttercup Babe on 11/4/2009 4:52:23 PM

I think I have something like that on my arms... Vaseline eh? I'll try that.

futurestar786 on 11/1/2009 7:15:01 PM

MOD!*!*!*!
My face gets really oily in the middle of the school day and I wash my face every day! How can i get the oil out? It's really annoying. PS Thanks!

Hey babe,

Try getting some face wipes that you can use in between classes for touch ups.

xoxo Allie

Allie S.

☮Bubbly☮ on 10/28/2009 8:37:29 PM

OMG! i have the same thing! it's really annoying cause im always wearing t-shirts! lol.

greenluver12 on 10/28/2009 7:51:41 PM

cheytai, I have the exact same thing! They hurt huh. And it just happened recently too.
MOD,
Do you think it could possibly be because I switched the body wash that I normally use? I dont think its from shaving, because I have shaved for years and i never had them before.

Hey babe,

I think the body wash is a good guess. Go back to your usual kind and see if it helps.

xoxo Allie

Allie S.

GymnastDancer on 10/28/2009 7:03:37 PM

I have that ! I didn't know you could use vaseline though... I'll try that.

olivia13 on 10/28/2009 6:19:16 PM

i have tons of those on my arms and thighs. and i thought it was natural!

suzywatusey10 on 10/28/2009 5:36:19 PM

MOD MOD MOD! I have these little bumps that look like pimples on my thighs. What are they and how do I get rid of them? It's so embarassing when I go to my dance classes because I wear shorts!

Hey girl, mhmmm, I'm not sure what those pimples are. But just to be on the safe side, ask your 'rents to scheldue an appointment with the doctors to get you checked out. They'll defintely know what it is, although I'm ssure it's nothing serious.

Lynae P.

cheytai on 10/23/2009 9:32:57 PM

MOD MOD MOD MOD MOD
how do i get rid of my acne? i have some on my chest, a LOT on my back, and some on my face. when i eat chocolate, i like have a pimple somewhere on my face the next day! help?, please?

Hey girl! You could talk to your parents about seeing a dermatologist! Or try using an oil-free acne clearing face-wash, and a spot-treatment at night.

Megan R.

valeriiiex3 on 10/23/2009 7:19:12 PM

i used to get that all the time, but i didn't do anything about it, and it cleared up in a couple of months.

Twilighter134 on 10/23/2009 12:03:39 AM

I have the little bumps on my arms also! I have never tried vasaline, but I will now! I have a lot of anoying black and white heads mostly on my chin! Does anyone know how to get them to go away?

orangekisses on 10/20/2009 11:19:53 AM

i have had the same problem, and when i put vaseline after my shower it cleared up... ALOT. its still not totally clear but MUCH better

baby_girl567 on 10/19/2009 1:01:14 AM

MOD I have a ton of blackheads and they wolnt go away! I've tried a ton of different face washes,even that Wave thing, but nothing works! My mom said that she would take me to the dermatologist last year, but she never did.

Hey chica, follow this link to our article about banishing blackheads.

http://www.girlslife.com/post/2008/11/07/buh-bye-blackheads.aspx

Lynae P.

LSUqueen21 on 10/18/2009 2:48:36 PM

Ugh! I had those red bumps for awhile but yeah putting Vasaline does help.

Check out my profile girls, and please leave a comment, thanks!

SportyGal on 10/17/2009 9:20:00 AM

MOD MOD I have thos bumps on the tops of my legs and i don't shave the tops of my legs cuz there is no need ;) is this normal

Hey chicky, mhmm I'm not sure, but just to be on the safe side, ask a doctor about it. They'll tell you if those bumps are normal or not.

Lynae P.

itsxmonica130 on 10/16/2009 11:46:07 PM

MOD
hey are those bumps contagious? cuz i know this girl who is always like nudging me and stuff and she has those bumps. so i was wondering if i can get them if she keeps touching me?

Hey babe,

No, they're not contagious.

xoxo Allie

Allie S.

punkprincess19 on 10/16/2009 8:07:30 PM

Omg! it's so good to know other ppl have it too! it's so embarassing i have it on my thighs and arms it freaks my friends out!! Thanks i'll try that

iLoVeYoU!! on 7/25/2009 10:13:27 AM

I have those bumps all over my arms and even on my face. actually on my face its just pimples!!. I've just gotten used to it

kitty<3fan23 on 12/19/2008 7:59:10 PM

MOD*MOD*MOD*MOD*MOD
Hey I have these super teeny tiny little black dots on my nose. Are these blackheads or something? One time I tried poking them with a tweeser and it sorta kinda poped. What are they?

Hey babes, they are blackheads, dont pick at them. xo JANA

frostybunny9 on 11/30/2008 9:29:41 PM

MODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMODMOD
ok like i went to the other page about periods and the comment section was closed so ill ask my question here i guess.... ok im 14 and still havnt had my period! my mom got it when she was 12 and keeps asking me about it! Ok so anyway for like 2 years now i have been getting this yellow-white discharge and its kinda creeping me out cuz arent you suposed to get that right b4 you get your period?? im just wondering cuz sometimes it gets so bad i have to wear a pad! Thanks So Much!!!

marvin61994 on 8/29/2008 11:28:16 AM

MOD*
can u do anything about razor burn??

they sell creams in your local pharmacy for it. Laura

mauigirl1015jd on 8/29/2008 10:55:58 AM

i think i have that but does it matter what lotion we use?

TimidGurl1996 on 8/27/2008 9:00:33 PM

i have those bumps too!, except there only on the back part of my upper arms and they arent that noticable...but my friends always ask me why i have bumps on my arms and i'm like i dont know!

hockeychic101 on 8/27/2008 5:31:02 PM

Hey, ya'll I have this too, and it really stinks, like there's this dude that likes me, and he was rubbing arms with me and i'm really nervous that he'll be freaked when he finds out, any ideas what to say?

Ballroomgirl on 8/27/2008 9:41:06 AM

i've got those and my uncle is a pharmacist and told me to get AmLactin Moisturizing Body Cream. you can get it at Walgreens. it really works you just put it on the bumps twice a day. it's really good to use it after you shower. i'm surprised these bumps are so common. i thought i was the only one with them.

chikaD13 on 8/26/2008 8:16:26 PM

I've had keratosis pilaris pretty much my entire life. I went to the dermatologist once, and got this one lotion but it didn't work. I'll be trying the vaseline.

fade2black on 8/26/2008 8:13:30 PM

i have like 1 or 2 bumps under my arm and they are really sore.it is really swollen and filled with puss. what is it?

Hi Babes, is it an ingrown hair? If its a big bump of pus see a doc. xoxo JANA

gina_parrillo on 8/26/2008 7:55:34 PM

MOD!!!

Okay my legs have like bumps and redness all over them! I have shingaurd rash and when I itch, it starts to bleed and then gets worse. I've started to like hate the way my legs look because it's kinda gross. Please help me!

Thank You<3

SmileyKylie17 on 8/26/2008 1:20:33 PM

i have them and that's what my doc said they where i just have to remember to use the vasiline and lotion

eenwat on 8/24/2008 7:16:59 PM

Me and my mom have those. And we've been wondering what it was for the longest time. Thank you so much!

all-smiles02 on 8/24/2008 11:36:43 AM

yeah i have this condition too!
KP DermaDoctor lotion from Sephora works reallly well, but it's kind of expensive. I think it's worth it!

GlamRock928 on 8/23/2008 6:38:39 PM

*****MOD*****
My friend said that u would get cancer if u wore ur bra 2 bed is that true?

Al Iksandariyah on 8/23/2008 6:25:42 PM

nickjonasrox on 8/21/2008 8:23:45 PM

nickjonasrox on 8/21/2008 8:23:29 PM

no!!i wear my bra to bed and have 4 3 years and nuthin has happened 2 me its ok if u do or dont

nickjonasrox on 8/21/2008 8:23:14 PM

is it true that if u wear a bra to bed will you get
cancer?

kaleb-lover on 8/21/2008 6:58:02 PM

I think I have these, but I didn't really know that it was a condition... Thanks! I'll try the Vaseline.

petite.chica on 8/21/2008 2:22:09 PM

I have the same problem on my arms. They bug me like crazy. You can go the store and get a lotion called DERMA DOCTOR. Its amazing. You can get the scrub, and/or the lotion but the lotion works fine. It gets rid of the bumps in like a week or two but if you keep putting it on everyday, it works.

skdadl on 8/19/2008 9:08:42 PM

MOD i have these bumps on my arms they're like misquito bites and they're itchy but i havent got a misqutio bite all summer and the bumps spread one day there's only one on my arm the next day there's two! help?!

Hey babes, maybe its a rash or poison ivy? Have a doctor check it out! xoxo JANA

-aqua on 8/19/2008 5:49:05 PM

dear bumpy arms,

I have the same problem. I went to the derm and got this amazing cream called Amlactin you can get it at places like Costco or Sam's. It takes a few months to clear up but it works magic!

starbuck'scoffeegals on 8/19/2008 4:59:33 PM