Arm Acne?

It is probably keratosis pilaris. My son and I have it, too. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do. We have tried prescription lotions and they do help a little, but once you stop using the lotion, the bumps come right back.

We use scrub on them every other day and try to get a little sun to them, as they seem to be less noticeable in the summer.

If it seems benign and doesn't itch or spread, it is probably something pretty common and simple called keratosis pilaris. I think caused by a build of of skin protein

It sounds like keratosis pilaris. It can be treated with a prescription retinoid or steroid cream. Google it and if it seems right, see your doctor for a prescription.

Yup, sounds like Keratosis Pilaris. Almost look like little pimples, but the skin is kind of hard? My son has it on his upper arms, chest, and face. Swimming in a chlorinated pool seems to help him. You can try exfoliating, but it can irritate their skin. May be worse for your son to shower everyday, because that could make the skin even drier. Definitely not a hygiene issue. :)

I have this as an adult on my upper arms and my son has a little of this on his cheeks. My ped told me it is a response to the skin making too much protein? Something like that! She said it would decrease as he got older, but never completely go away. However since my 5 years old has this on his face, I plan to take him to a dermatologist when he is a little older.

i get it too, on the back of my upper arm and discovered my sister and mom did too. we use a buffing cream, like st, ives peach scrub once a week or so and then use a super moisturizing body was like dove. Also lotion as needed. it works for us, so good luck!!

Hi M.,
Just so you know.....acne is not about cleanliness. This link explains:
http://healthlibrary.brighamandwomens.org/RelatedItems/20...

Definitely sounds like KP. It's typically worse in winter when it's dry, and gets better in the summer. It can't be "cured" but there are moisturizers that can help.

Arm acne sounds like more of a sweat problem. Your son could be showering to much drying his skin out. Either way, I would get a good cream with aloe vera in it and have each of them put it on their under arms. You don't want something greasy. You want something that will sink in and dry, even an unscented baby powder. Don't use scented as it can cause inflammation as well. If you have changed laundry detergent (or if they use deodorant) this could be a problem as well. Anything with a heavy scent, and used in a sweat gland area can cause a problem. I don't like to say use alcohol but you could mix half/half of vinegar and water mixture. Let them dab it on in morning and night with eithe a cloth or cotton batten. See if that works.
Good luck, hope the pimples go away. Dermatologist could be another option as well.

I've had that before and exposing my arms to the sun made it go away.

I have keratosis pilaris and that's what it sounds like to me. Unfortunately the more your son showers, the more dried out his skin can get and plug up the hair folicles even more. Eucerin cream works the best for me, although there is no true cure. I've had it all my life and unfortunately I have passed it on to my daughter. I try not to make a big deal out of it for her b/c I don't want her to become self conscious. She probably will during adolescence on her own anyway...I just don't want to make it worse. Good luck!

They may just need to exfoliate with a wash cloth and use a lotion. But since it "spread" to your daughter you may want to ask the doc about it just in case.

I took my son to a dermatologist because he had a rash on his arms when he was probably around 9 or 10 years old. The doctor told me that this was eczema (I hope I spelled it right) and that it was actually asthma trying to escape his body!!! He had never had asthma to my knowledge but, by the time he was 11 years old, he started having asthma. A dermatologist will be able to determine what it is and how to best treat it.

My daughter, son and I all had it (and yes, it's called keratosis pilaris) -- we discovered that's it's evidence of a sensitivity to wheat gluten. Wheat gluten is in everything since it is used as a thickener (even soy sauce!) Once we greatly reduced our wheat intake--the bumps have disappeared. :-)

I am now a holistic nutrition coach--inspired by this and other health issues disappearing with improvements in our diet. I've coached others on this and many other conditions related to gluten sensitivity. I have tons of recipes and can guide you and your family if you're interested in pursuing a solution.

Feel free to email me directly, or visit my website at www.tcreighton.com.

Best to you!

T.

M.,
Do they take a vitamin? Sometimes a zinc deficiency can cause this.
I can recommend a good one if you are interested.
Victoria

I have bumps on my upper arms sometimes. Exfoliating usually helps.

M.

It may be Keratosis Pilaris. I would google some pics to determine if that is what you are looking at. A dermatologist can help.

If its raised bumps I used to get them alot... I used exfoliating soap and it went away. :)

It's not acne. It's keratosis pilaris and I have had it for years. It is an inherited condition; found mostly on the upper arms & legs. I went to a dermatologist and he diagnosed it. It is caused by dry skin (some call the bumps "dry skin bumps") and is helped by using really good moisturizers. I used to get them on my face, mostly on my cheeks (my daughter gets them, too), but I have none when I use a daily moisturizer. You can look it up online. Hope this helped.

Yeah, ask your doctor. Also measles can show up on the upper back or chest area. Not common now but just make sure. :)

Are you sure it's acne? It could be keratosis pilaris. I have it and have been trying for years to get rid of it. Here's a link to information on it.
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-118314/Keratosis-...