Skin
Keratosis Pilaris
A harmless but persistent skin condition causing rough, sandpaper-like 'goose bump' bumps on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and elbows — linked to vitamin A and zinc deficiency.
Also known as: Keratosis, Sharkskin, Chicken skin, Goose bump skin
📝 At a glance
Likely root causes: Vitamin A deficiency — vitamin A is essential for normal skin cell turnover; Zinc deficiency — zinc supports skin repair and follicle health; A buildup of keratin plugging hair follicles (the body's protein that forms skin, hair, and nails).
First thing to try: Add zinc — 15 mg three times daily supports skin and follicle health.
See a doctor if: See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🔎 Start with the cause
Lasting relief rarely comes from covering a symptom. First find what is feeding the problem, change what you can, and then help the body do what it was designed to do — heal.
Likely root causes
- Vitamin A deficiency — vitamin A is essential for normal skin cell turnover
- Zinc deficiency — zinc supports skin repair and follicle health
- A buildup of keratin plugging hair follicles (the body's protein that forms skin, hair, and nails)
- Genetic tendency (it runs in families)
- Essential fatty acid deficiency may also contribute
Change what you can
- Add zinc — 15 mg three times daily supports skin and follicle health.
- Supplement with essential fatty acids — 5 grams three times daily (flaxseed oil, fish oil, or evening primrose oil are good sources).
- Eat foods naturally rich in vitamin A: dark orange and yellow vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, squash), dark leafy greens, and eggs.
- Moisturize regularly with gentle, fragrance-free lotions to reduce the rough texture.
- Use a gentle loofah or dry brush on affected areas to exfoliate softly — don't scrub harshly.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support skin hydrationGiving your body enough water to work well. More →.
🌿 Then assist nature: remedies & protocols
With the cause being addressed, these are the actual things people do for this — ranked by the community. Vote ▲ on what helped you and ▼ on what didn't, and open How to do it for the steps. Each shows two quick signals: Evidence (how much science backs it) and Gentleness (how safe and in keeping with whole, natural health).
★ Start here — our first-line pick, pinned for safety
This is the gentlest and safest starting point — regular moisturizing alone often noticeably softens the rough patches.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Keeping the skin well hydrated softens the keratin plugs that cause the rough, bumpy texture, making patches feel smoother over time.
- Wash affected areas with a mild, fragrance-free soap and lukewarm (not hot) water.
- Pat the skin nearly dry, leaving it slightly damp.
- Apply a thick, fragrance-free moisturizer while the skin is still damp to lock in moisture.
- Repeat morning and night, especially in dry winter months.
ongoing daily habit · twice daily
Caution: Very hot water and harsh soaps can dry the skin further and worsen the rough texture. Results build gradually over weeks — this is not a quick fix.
When to get help: See a dermatologist if the bumps become inflamed, painful, or widespread, to rule out other skin conditions.
Source: standard dermatology self-care references
Comments & experiences ▾
Also helps — ranked by the community (vote to reorder)
Add this a few times a week alongside daily moisturizing for extra smoothing.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Gently removing the outer layer of built-up dead skin cells can help unclog the follicles that cause the bumpy texture of keratosis, especially when paired with moisturizer afterward.
- During a shower or bath, gently rub affected areas with a soft washcloth or loofah for 30-60 seconds.
- Avoid scrubbing hard or using rough brushes, which can irritate the skin.
- Rinse well and pat nearly dry.
- Follow immediately with a fragrance-free moisturizer.
1-2 minutes per session · 2-3 times a week
Caution: Over-exfoliating can irritate the skin and make redness worse — a few times a week is plenty. Stop if the skin becomes raw, painful, or more inflamed.
When to get help: See a dermatologist if the bumps become inflamed, painful, or widespread, to rule out other skin conditions.
Source: standard dermatology self-care references
Comments & experiences ▾
This dietary habit is a slow-and-steady support alongside the moisturizing routine above.
How to do it ▾
Why it works: Vitamin A supports healthy skin cell turnover and zinc supports skin repair, so eating foods naturally rich in these nutrients gives the skin useful building blocks over time.
- Include a serving of dark orange or yellow vegetables — sweet potato, carrot, or squash — most days.
- Add dark leafy greens like spinach or kale to meals a few times a week.
- Include eggs, nuts, or seeds for natural zinc content.
- Aim for variety and balance rather than any single 'superfood.'
ongoing · daily
Caution: Pregnant women should not take high-dose vitamin A supplements — this diet approach using food sources is the safer route. Food changes alone will not eliminate keratosis pilaris, which is a harmless, genetic-leaning condition — expect modest improvement, not a cure.
When to get help: See a dermatologist if the bumps become inflamed, painful, or widespread, to rule out other skin conditions.
Source: traditional nutrition references
Comments & experiences ▾
How the numbers work: a weighted voting system — trusted published sources cast endorsement votes for each protocol, and your ▲/▼ adds to them. Not medical advice.
🩺 When to see a doctor
- See a doctor if symptoms are severe, persistent, or worsening, or if you are unsure — natural supports are meant to complement, not replace, professional care.
🌿 The seven pathways to health
Seven pathways for your keratosis pilaris — tap the circle to check one off (saved on your device), or ask Remy for help.
“Disease is an effort of nature to free the system from conditions that result from a violation of the laws of health... In case of sickness 1cause should be ascertained, 2go to work intelligently to remove the disease. 3Unhealthful conditions should be changed, 4wrong habits corrected. 5Then nature is to be assisted in her effort 6to expel impurities and 7to re-establish right conditions in the system.”
🌿 Overview
Keratosis (often called 'sharkskin' or keratosis pilaris) is a very common skin condition where keratin and sebaceous material plug the hair follicle openings, creating a rough, bumpy texture that looks and feels like permanent goose bumps or sandpaper. Most commonly found on the backs of the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and elbows. Many physicians consider it normal variation, but it is strongly associated with vitamin A and zinc deficiency. It tends to run in families, worsens in cold dry weather, and often improves with age. It is harmless — but annoying — and typically responds well to nutritional support.
Keratosis pilaris is a very common, completely harmless skin condition that produces small, rough, goose-bump-like bumps, usually on the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, and sometimes cheeks. The bumps form when keratin, a normal skin protein, builds up and plugs the hair follicles, giving the skin a sandpapery feel; it is often more noticeable in dry weather and tends to run in families.
There is no need to 'fix' it medically, and it frequently improves with age, so the approach is gentle skin care to soften the bumps and reduce roughness: regular moisturizing, gentle exfoliation (without harsh scrubbing, which irritates), and not over-drying the skin with hot water or strong soaps. Patience and consistency matter more than aggressive treatment. Reassurance is usually all that is needed, though a dermatologist can suggest more if it is bothersome or unusually inflamed.
Common signs
- Rough, bumpy 'goose bump' texture on the backs of the upper arms, thighs, buttocks, or elbows
- Skin that feels like sandpaper
- Small, hard bumps that may be skin-colored, reddish, or whitish
- Dryness in the affected areas
- Symptoms typically worse in cold, dry weather and winter months
🍃 Supporting foods & habits
The gentle, everyday foods and supports that help in the background — secondary to the active remedies above. Vote on what helped you.
Good hydration supports the skin (a growth that changes, bleeds, or thickens should be checked by a dermatologist).1000
How the numbers work: this is a weighted voting system — every published book or article recommending a remedy counts as an endorsement vote, and your ▲/▼ counts too. Not medical advice. *Ties are broken by our editor score (sources, safety, simplicity, cost, lifestyle fit, eight-laws alignment).
🍽️ Eating to help
Food is one of the gentlest medicines — small, steady changes help most.
Favor these
- Sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and pumpkin (beta-carotene for vitamin A)
- Dark leafy greens: kale, spinach, Swiss chard
- Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (zinc)
- Ground flaxseed, walnuts, and chia seeds (essential fatty acids)
- Eggs and legumes
Go easy on
- Refined and processed foods that deplete nutrients
- Excessive alcohol, which depletes zinc and B vitamins
A whole-food diet rich in vitamin A, zinc, and essential fatty acids addresses the root nutritional causes of keratosis pilaris.
⚖️ Good to know
- Pregnant women should not take high-dose vitamin A supplements — it is a known teratogen at high doses; use food sources instead.
- Keratosis pilaris is harmless — it does not need harsh or expensive treatments.
- If the condition is widespread, inflamed, or painful, see a dermatologist to rule out other skin conditions.
⚕️ What a doctor may offerConventional treatments for this condition — for your information.Show ▾
RemedyRank's heart is natural healing — and honest information. Here is what conventional medical care commonly involves for this condition, listed to inform, never to promote. Decisions about treatment belong with you and your own physician.
Keratosis pilaris is a harmless, common skin condition; treatment (if wanted) is purely for comfort or appearance, never urgent.
Commonly offered
- Moisturizers with lactic acid, urea, or salicylic acid to soften rough bumps–
- Topical retinoids for stubborn cases (by prescription)–
- Gentle exfoliation; avoiding harsh scrubbing–
- Laser treatment for associated redness, if desired (cosmetic)–
Worth knowing
- Keratosis pilaris itself is harmless and not precancerous — it's unrelated to actinic or seborrheic keratosis, which are different skin-growth conditions seen mostly in older adults.
- See a doctor if a spot changes, bleeds, or looks irregular, since that points to a different, unrelated skin issue — not classic keratosis pilaris.
👍/👎 shares whether a treatment helped you — community experience, not medical advice. For full professional details, see the sources under “Learn more” below.
📜 A note from history
vitamin A and zinc deficiency as the primary causes of keratosis, prescribing targeted supplementation with these nutrients alongside essential fatty acids for the rough, plugged-follicle skin texture.
📚 Learn more
Sources for further reading. These open in a new tab.
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