I had it ever since I was in middle school

These bumps started to appear the fall after my first period so it was the start of my 6th grade year. I remember just thinking it was back acne and not caring at first since it was just on the top of my shoulder. As it grew more stressful in school, I had started picking them and found they spread a little on my arms. I started to go to school in long sleeves, afraid of what people might think and say. I was truthfully scared of it and it only resulted in more picking on them and by the time of 8th grade having moved twice and extremely stressed out, I have to admit it calmed because I calmed down so I stopped picking. But now that I am in high school and my stress levels risen it has gotten worse, way worse. I wear long sleeves, I am suffering from a slight case of depression and I don't not ask to go out with friends of to dances, It has gotten to the point where I pick them to get through the day, it is an outlet that I want to stop because I know it would be for the best. I want to get rid of them, and not have them at all. I know that I might not be able to stop it but finding this condition and thinking about how most of my sister have it but my oldest had suffered from this and is understanding, I do believe it isn't acne and it is indeed Keratosis Pilaris but I am making it worse by stress.
Like many other people. I do notice it clears up in the summer, I love swimming and noticed that the water helps to clean and pull away the dead skin.
Recently I saw the best improvement from going to a Chena Hot springs here is Alaska and swimming in their pool since I am not not of age to go into the actually hot springs. I have a feeling it was the Sulfur in the water from the Volcano that makes the Hot springs and is used in the Pool. After reading up on it Sulfur is used to cure Keratosis Pilaris, I however am not a doctor. I am expressing my views on the situation. But after swimming in the pool I could seriously just take a nail and pull the scabs and dead skin off my arms and the bumps were dried out and not itchy, which is sometimes my problem after taking a shower.
What do you think I should do with dealing this problem? Firstly I plan to stop picking my arms!


This discussion is related to Arm Bumps.

[Caryopteris]

I had something like this, and it turned out to be related to food intolerance, actually Celiac disease.  You should be tested for Celiac disease.  It can cause many, many different symptoms because it first causes malabsorption, so you aren't absorbing the nutrients you eat because the small intestine is damaged.  

If the skin is oily, you might benefit from applying white vinegar to dry and clear your skin.  If it were your face, then I'd suggest you dilute it a little with water.  Another good treatment that might help is tea tree oil or tea tree oil soap.  These don't smell good, but they might be very effective.