Dealing with Keratosis Pilaris (strawberry skin)?

I've dealt with tiny red bumps since I was a kid... I'm 13 now... and those bumps are all over my face and hands.... My dermatologist told me it's what they call keratosis pilaris... It clears up a little during the summer when we're at the beach... but it always comes back once winter hits... and winter is definitely the worst... I guess I was wondering if there's some kind of cream or lotion that might help ease this up a bit😕

Just slathering on cream isn't going to cut it. You have to tackle the root cause. I’m no expert on what triggers keratosis pilaris, but my guess is you might be low on certain vitamins or minerals, or maybe your diet just needs an upgrade. I’ve dealt with those tiny bumps on my arms since puberty, and if I'm being honest, I made it worse by constantly picking at them. It was pretty gross. Then, about two years ago, I accidentally started having this collagen breakfast—basically a mix of grains, dried fruit, and seeds—and within a few weeks, my skin cleared up completely. No more bumps.

Keratosis pilaris—or "chicken skin," if you want to be blunt—is usually something you're born with. I’ve dealt with it my whole life; it used to flare up all over my face when I was a kid, though that eventually cleared up. Now, it mostly just hangs out on my upper arms and forearms. If you're looking for something that actually works, I swear by the Johnson & Johnson lotion with 3% urea. Honestly, it isn't the end of the world—it usually starts to smooth out as you get older anyway. Hang in there 🙂

Angela Sullivan4 said:Just using a cream isn't going to cut it—you’ve gotta tackle the root cause. I'm not an expert on what triggers keratosis pilaris, but my guess? Maybe you're low on certain vitamins or minerals, or maybe your diet just needs a tweak. I dealt with those tiny bumps on my arms since I was a teenager—and honestly, I made it worse by constantly picking at them. It was awful. Then, about two years ago, I accidentally started having this collagen breakfast—it's basically grains, dried fruit, and seeds—and within a few weeks, my skin looked incredible. Not a single bump left.

Look, acne and "chicken skin" are two totally different issues. Your breakouts could be caused by a million different things—it's definitely not just about what you eat.

Well, since we're talking about a thirteen-year-old here, focusing on diet would be a great move—not just for this specific case, but because let’s face it, most kids today eat pretty terribly. Also, stress is a massive trigger for skin issues, but that’s a whole other conversation and I don't really have the energy to dive into it right now.

Stress has absolutely nothing to do with goosebumps. I’ve already said this—it's just genetic.