A short video by a dermatologist explaining keratosis pilaris (KP; “chicken skin”), its cause (abnormal shedding around hair follicles leading to small bumps on outer arms and legs), and treatment advice: avoid harsh physical scrubs/loofahs and picking; use hydrating keratolytics—urea creams—around 10% strength (brand examples: Isden) or stronger 20% Cetaphil for very thick/cracked feet. The speaker invites questions.
Chapters
This is keratosis pilaris, also known as chicken skin. I'm a dermatologist and I'm here to help. KP is a condition that often affects the outer arms and outer legs. It's a condition of our skin around our hair follicles, meaning the skin around the hair follicle does not shed correctly and therefore becomes thicker stuck together. And you get little bumps that you often feel before you see, but that become visible in the long run. And the answer are not the loofahs, are not the physical scrubs, and are not our nails. The more you scrub, the more you pick at it, the worse it gets. Yes, you want to exfoliate, but you want to exfoliate with something that's also going to hydrate. Urea is one of those ingredients that is a perfect two in one. It is not a chemical exfoliant. It is a keratolytic, meaning it's going to break down the keratin between the skin cells. But it's also going to keep our skin hydrated, which is key, so your skin can feel as smooth as a bowling ball. Bowling ball? I don't know. Most products on the market are at 10%. Isden has a perfect one that smells divine. If you want something stronger, Cetaphil has a 20% one that you can also use on your feet if they are really cracked and thick. Let me know if any questions below.
