OT-red bumps on my arms

Ever since I've moved, I have been getting these tiny red bumps all over my upper arms. They don't hurt, and are not ichy. They are just there. Is it the water? Anyone else have this issue? If so, what do you do about it? Are there any creams? Now that it's getting warmer out, I am a little worried about showing my arms. Just wanted to ask before I call the skin doctor.

Fri. Apr 6, 11:57am

Do they look a little like goosebumps? Those bumps appeared on my upper arms when I gained weight a few years ago (I didn't actually gain that much weight either). I actually didn't pay much attention to them but my doctor noticed them and told me that this is normal if you are even just a little overweight. She said that I'd lose mine when I lose weight (which now at 10 pounds down, I'm working on!). My doctor said that the ones that I have are harmless. Of course, it's always good to talk to your own doctor about this to confirm!

Friday, April 6, 2007, 1:59 PM

If you've moved to a drier climate, it may be exacerbating a condition you already had called keratosis pilaris (more likely if you are under thirty). I have it myself. I put a link below, but googling will get you plenty more info. Hope this was helpful!

Link

Friday, April 6, 2007, 3:42 PM

If it is keratosis pilaris, there is a prescription lotion, Lachydrin I think it's called, but you have to use it pretty religiously for weeks or even months for the effect to kick in...I never lasted that long. The best non-Rx products I've found for this are Shea Body Butter from The Body Shop and Avon Moisture Therapy body lotion.

If that's not what it is...if it appears as fairly large circles, like the size of a dime, it could be an allergy to food or medication. My sister would get them when she drank too much beer in college - it was the yeast or the hops or something. I also got these bumps (occasionally itchy) on my limbs as a reaction/side effect to an antibiotic I was taking for an ear infection.

Friday, April 6, 2007, 6:21 PM

my children have had bumps similar to what you describe. A doctor once told me to try some cortisone cream on them for a week or so and see if that made a difference. It did. Now, they have it again (years later and after a move) but I haven't gotten out the cortisone yet.....

Saturday, April 7, 2007, 1:31 AM

I have never heard of those being related to weight?? Anyway I don't have red bumps but tiny white bumps, I notice I seem to get more of them in the winter and when summer comes around they start to disappear. I also notice that I have less of them if I exfoliate everyday for a few months. Now I just do it everyday and I have hardly any.

Saturday, April 7, 2007, 9:25 AM

OP here. Thanks for all of your comments! My little sister has keratosis pilaris, but here bumps are all over her body, and they're white. So, I thought that's what it may have been. I, did, also gain about 15 lbs. before I got them, but I did move, too. I just came back from a visit to my home town, and the bumps seem to get better when I'm there. It could be a combination of things? I am 25 and have never had this problem before. I am actually 10 lbs. within my goal weight-I'm not in the "overweight" category anymore. They also seem to get worse in the winter. I have tried putting lotion on them, but the bumps (like red goose-bumps) just get redder. I'm going to look for that other lotion! and check out that link!

Monday, April 9, 2007, 7:52 AM

keratosis pilaris treatment

I, too, have this problem. There is no cure for keratosis pilaris, but it can be treated. (It also seems to be connected to insulin resistance). I spent some time developing a product called "miracle serum" that works really well, but you have to use it every single day. OTC acne creams don't work because it isn't acne, and lotions don't work because it isn't dry skin. See the link below if you want to try it.

Link

Monday, January 17, 2011, 9:04 PM

You want to exfoliate really well, moisturizing lotion won't help. It's an excess of protein in the skin. Over the counter products like Glytone are great. Use it all over the body while you are at it, it's anti-aging.

Monday, January 17, 2011, 11:13 PM

My daughter has this problem and this is what she uses. Her derm says one in three people suffers from this.

It's expensive, but this works great.

Link

Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 8:58 AM

I had the same thing when I was younger. I had never heard of them being related to weight but now that I think of it when I lost weight they went away. I associated it more with my age though, after about 26-27 they were pretty much gone and now that I'm 30 I haven't had them at all.
My upper arms are always red though, no bumps but they still have a rosy tint to them.
They were worse for me in the Winter so I agree with the exfoliation and lotion suggestions. That seemed to help mine.

rachspen

Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 11:41 AM

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