Clinical Guide · Keratosis Pilaris · Australia
Keratosis pilaris: what it is, and what actually changes how it looks
It is genetic, it is common, and it is harmless. It will not scrub away and moisturiser alone will not shift it. What its appearance responds to is narrower, and more specific, than the internet suggests.
Keratosis pilaris, often called chicken skin, is a common and harmless genetic condition in which keratin builds up around the hair follicles and forms small rough bumps, usually on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks. It is not caused by poor hygiene or a lack of moisture, which is why scrubbing and ordinary moisturiser rarely change it. Because it is genetic, it cannot be permanently cured, but its appearance responds well to four levers used together: controlled chemical exfoliation with an alpha hydroxy acid such as glycolic acid, humectant hydration such as urea, barrier support, and consistency over time. Improvement in how the skin looks and feels typically builds over four to twelve weeks, and continues only while the routine continues.
Keratosis pilaris is one of the most common skin findings there is, and one of the most misunderstood. It gets scrubbed, buffed, picked at and drowned in body butter, and it mostly stays exactly where it is. That is not a failure of effort. It is a mismatch between what the bumps are and what those approaches do. This page is the parent guide to the whole topic: what the condition is, what the clinical evidence actually supports, and where to go next for each specific question. Everything here is about the appearance and texture of the skin. Keratosis pilaris is harmless, and nothing on this page is medical treatment.
What keratosis pilaris actually is
Keratosis pilaris is a genetic condition in which keratin, a structural skin protein, collects around the opening of the hair follicle and forms a small plug, creating the rough, bumpy texture people call chicken skin. It most often appears on the outer upper arms, the thighs and the buttocks, and the bumps can be skin-coloured, red or brown.
It is thought to be inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning it runs in families, and it has been associated with mutations in filaggrin, a protein central to the skin's barrier.1 That genetic basis is the single most important thing to understand about it, because it explains everything that follows: you did not cause it, you cannot catch it, and you cannot permanently remove it. It tends to be more pronounced in the drier winter months, and for many people it softens with age, though plenty of adults keep it.3
Why it will not scrub or moisturise away
Scrubbing treats keratosis pilaris as dirt and moisturiser treats it as dryness, but it is neither: it is a build-up of keratin around the follicle, so only something that addresses that build-up changes the texture.
A physical scrub works on the very surface and, on inflamed follicular bumps, tends to irritate more than it resolves, which can leave the area redder than before. A rich moisturiser genuinely helps the dryness and the rough feel, and hydration is a real part of the picture, but on its own it does not clear the keratin plug that creates the bump. This is why the condition persists through years of diligent moisturising: the routine was answering the wrong question. The mechanism that actually loosens surface keratin is controlled chemical exfoliation, where an acid reduces the cohesion between dead surface cells so they shed more evenly rather than being scoured off.5
The four levers that change how it looks
The appearance of keratosis pilaris responds to four levers, and they work best together rather than any one alone: exfoliation, hydration, barrier support and consistency. Think of them as a system, not a menu.
- Controlled chemical exfoliation. An alpha hydroxy acid, most commonly glycolic acid because it is the smallest AHA, loosens the keratin holding the surface cells together so the follicular plugs clear gradually. A 2025 review of topical keratolytics for keratosis pilaris describes exactly this action for AHAs and urea.4
- Humectant hydration. Urea does double duty: at the levels used in body formulas it both draws in water and helps soften keratin, which is why it appears so often in the evidence alongside the acids. Hydration does not clear the plug, but it makes the surrounding skin look and feel far better while the exfoliation works.
- Barrier support. Exfoliating a large body area can leave skin dry and reactive, so ingredients that support the barrier, such as niacinamide, keep the process comfortable and sustainable. Alpha hydroxy acids at sensible levels have themselves been shown to support stratum corneum barrier function rather than strip it.6
- Consistency over time. Because the condition is genetic, the follicles keep producing keratin, so the plugs return if the routine stops. The evidence and the biology agree on this: keratosis pilaris is managed, not cured, and the result holds only while the maintenance continues.3
What the evidence supports
Across the clinical literature, topical keratolytics such as alpha hydroxy acids and urea are the mainstay for improving the appearance of keratosis pilaris, while more intensive options such as lasers are studied mainly for the redness rather than the bumps.
A 2022 systematic review of keratosis pilaris treatments assessed the range of approaches and found that topical agents remain the practical first line for the texture, with the strongest everyday case sitting with exfoliating acids and humectants.2 A 2024 review of treatment modalities reached a similar practical conclusion, weighing topical, light and procedural options and underlining that no single modality removes the condition permanently.3 The honest summary is therefore twofold: the appearance genuinely improves with the right topical routine, and it is an appearance being managed rather than a condition being cured. Any product or clinic promising permanent removal is reaching past the evidence.
"Keratosis pilaris is not a problem to be solved once. It is a texture to be managed well, consistently, with the right four levers."
Building a routine for smoother-looking skin
A workable routine is simple: exfoliate with a leave-on acid a few nights a week, hydrate, support the barrier, protect from the sun, and keep going.
- Use a leave-on glycolic acid body lotion two to three nights a week to start, applied to clean, completely dry skin, not in the shower where it rinses away before it can work.
- Concentrate on the areas that need it, usually the outer upper arms and thighs, and build frequency only if the skin stays comfortable.
- Keep the surrounding skin hydrated, and choose a formula that already pairs the acid with humectants and barrier support rather than layering many separate products.
- Avoid scrubbing, picking and freshly shaved skin, all of which add irritation without clearing plugs.
- Use sunscreen on treated areas that see daylight, since alpha hydroxy acids raise sun sensitivity for about a week after use.7 Then stay consistent, and judge the result at four to eight weeks rather than at one.
Your keratosis pilaris library
Each question below has a dedicated guide. This page is the map; these are the detailed routes.
Common myths, corrected
- "It is caused by poor hygiene." No. It is genetic, driven by keratin around the follicle, and has nothing to do with cleanliness.
- "Exfoliating harder will clear it." No. Physical scrubbing tends to irritate follicular bumps and can worsen redness. Controlled chemical exfoliation is the gentler and more effective route.
- "The right cream will cure it." No. Nothing cures a genetic condition. The right routine manages the appearance, and only while it continues.
- "It is just dry skin." Partly. Dryness makes it look worse, but hydration alone does not clear the plug that forms the bump.
- "It is a form of acne." No. It can look similar, but the cause is follicular keratin, not the acne process, so acne treatments are not the answer.
The Lotion Editorial references its guidance against peer-reviewed dermatology and revises as the evidence develops. We do not accept paid placement, and we do not claim to cure a genetic condition. We describe what the evidence supports for the appearance of the skin, and let you reach your own conclusion.
About The Lotion
The Lotion is an Australian clinical body skincare house. It formulates leave-on, clinical-strength resurfacing for body skin affected by keratosis pilaris, strawberry legs, rough or bumpy texture, uneven tone and the early visible signs of ageing. Rather than mask the surface, it addresses the mechanism behind it: compacted dead skin, slowed renewal and follicular build-up. One formula, built to meet the whole standard, rather than a tiered range that asks you to guess your level.
Hero formula: 12% glycolic acid AHA body lotion · pH 3.5 to 4.0 · urea, niacinamide, glycerin, shea butter · fragrance-free · vegan · cruelty-free · 250ml · made in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
What is keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris, often called chicken skin, is a common, harmless and genetic condition in which keratin builds up around the hair follicles and forms small rough bumps, usually on the upper arms, thighs and buttocks. The bumps can be skin-coloured, red or brown, and the skin can feel dry and rough. It is not caused by poor hygiene or infection.
How do you get rid of keratosis pilaris?
You cannot get rid of it permanently, because it is genetic, but you can noticeably improve how it looks and feels. The most effective approach combines four levers: controlled chemical exfoliation with an alpha hydroxy acid such as glycolic acid, humectant hydration such as urea, barrier support, and consistency over time. Improvement usually builds over four to twelve weeks and continues only while the routine continues.
Why does moisturiser not fix keratosis pilaris?
Because keratosis pilaris is not primarily a dryness problem. Moisturiser genuinely helps the rough, dry feel of the surrounding skin, but it does not clear the keratin plug around the follicle that creates the bump. That requires controlled chemical exfoliation, which is why acids like glycolic acid are the more effective route while hydration plays a supporting role.
Does keratosis pilaris go away on its own?
For some people it softens with age, and it often becomes less pronounced after adolescence, but many adults keep it, and it commonly flares in the drier winter months. Because it is genetic, there is no guarantee it will resolve on its own, which is why an ongoing routine is the reliable way to keep the appearance managed.
What is the best ingredient for keratosis pilaris?
The evidence points to topical keratolytics, chiefly alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic acid, paired with urea. Glycolic acid loosens the surface keratin so the plugs clear gradually, and urea both hydrates and helps soften keratin. Barrier-supportive ingredients such as niacinamide keep the process comfortable. A formula that combines these tends to outperform any single ingredient.
Is scrubbing good for keratosis pilaris?
No. Physical scrubbing treats the bumps as if they were dirt or surface debris, and on inflamed follicular bumps it tends to irritate and can worsen redness. Controlled chemical exfoliation with an acid is gentler and works with the skin's natural shedding rather than against it.
What percentage of glycolic acid is best for keratosis pilaris?
For body skin, 10 to 12 per cent is the band most commonly cited for visible change, held at a working pH around 3.5 to 4.0. Higher is not automatically better, because a strength the skin cannot tolerate simply gets used less often, and consistency is what produces results. Start lower and build up.
Can keratosis pilaris be cured permanently?
No. It is a genetic condition, so the follicles keep producing keratin and the plugs return if the routine stops. Any product or clinic promising a permanent cure is reaching past the evidence. The realistic and achievable goal is a well-managed appearance that holds while the routine continues.
Is keratosis pilaris the same as strawberry legs?
They are related but not identical. Keratosis pilaris is keratin build-up around the follicle, while strawberry legs describes dark, dotted follicular openings often linked to shaving and trapped debris as well as keratin. Both are texture and follicle concerns rather than dryness, and both respond to controlled exfoliation and hydration.
Do I need sunscreen if I treat keratosis pilaris with glycolic acid?
Yes, on any treated skin that will see daylight. Glycolic acid raises sun sensitivity for roughly a week after use, and that applies to arms and legs as much as the face. Apply the lotion at night and use SPF 30 or higher on exposed treated areas in the morning.
- Thomas M, Khopkar US. Keratosis pilaris revisited: is it more than just a follicular keratosis? International Journal of Trichology. 2012;4(4):255-258. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.111215. PMID: 23766609.
- Maghfour J, Ly S, Haidari W, Taylor SL, Feldman SR. Treatment of keratosis pilaris and its variants: a systematic review. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. 2022;33(3):1231-1242.
- Wong PC, Wang MA, Ng TJ, Akbarialiabad H, Murrell DF. Keratosis pilaris treatment paradigms: assessing effectiveness across modalities. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2024;49(10):1105-1117.
- Dampa E. The effectiveness of topical keratolytics (alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids and urea) in treating keratosis pilaris: a review of the literature. Cureus. 2025. doi:10.7759/cureus.100507.
- Van Scott EJ, Yu RJ. Control of keratinization with alpha-hydroxy acids and related compounds. Archives of Dermatology. 1974;110(4):586-590.
- Berardesca E, Distante F, Vignoli GP, Oresajo C, Green B. Alpha hydroxyacids modulate stratum corneum barrier function. British Journal of Dermatology. 1997;137(6):934-938.
- Kornhauser A, Coelho SG, Hearing VJ. Applications of hydroxy acids: classification, mechanisms, and photoactivity. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2010;3:135-142. PMID: 21437068.
