small bumps on upper arms - a different possibility

I have had small bumps on my uppers arms ever since I can remember and so have a couple of my siblings.  I have started to cut down dramatically on dairy and I have found that it is almost completely cleared up.  One of my sons has it on his arms and the other has it on his face; has anyone ever tried removing dairy from their diet in order to effect a change in this condition?


This discussion is related to Arm Bumps.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
What your son seems to be having is keratosis pilaris. It is a common genetic follicular condition that is manifested by the appearance of rough bumps on the skin like goose bumps and hence colloquially referred to as "chicken skin".

Keratosis pilaris occurs when the human body produces excess keratin, a natural protein in the skin. There is currently no known cure for keratosis pilaris, however, there are effective treatments available which make its symptoms less apparent. Treatment includes tretinoin or Triamcinolone cream or Adapalene, a retinoid medication. Exfoliation, intensive moisturizing creams, creams and lotions containing alpha hydroxy acids and urea may be used to temporarily improve the appearance and texture of affected skin.

I hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how your son is doing or if you have any additional doubts. Kind regards.