I consider 2019 to be the year when many people stopped caring too much about what others thought about their bodies. We saw more body positivity and self-love going around social media, among our friends, family, and even ourselves. While I will say that all this positivity did help me accept some of my flaws, there are still some insecurities that I struggle with, one being my ‘chicken skin’ or Keratosis Pilaris (KP). I have had this skin condition since I was a child and have always tried to cover up my arms and legs because I hate the thought of others looking at my skin and forming their opinions about it.
I want to share more about my experience with Keratosis Pilaris and about what it is because it is important to let you all know that having a skin condition is not your fault and it is ok to feel better or worse about it on some days. Skin conditions also greatly affect the mental health of some people, and I want to tell you that you are not alone; you are beautiful the way you are.
(Photo by @ihopalvelushop on Instagram)
I remember being in elementary school and always wearing a hoodie, even on the hot days while running around during recess. I noticed I had little red bumps on my arms, but never questioned what they were; I thought they were normal, but still covered them because I did not like the look of them. During my middle school years I completely ignored them, no one pointed them out, so I felt better about wearing short sleeve t-shirts, but would still wear sweaters and hoodies occasionally. I would say my experience with KP in high school was most similar to my experience in middle school. No one pointed it out, and I would not really bother with it; I would not moisturize or exfoliate.
I believe a big contributor to my insecurities with KP was social media. During my elementary and middle school years, I did not have social media and beauty was not a big thing on those platforms. I first created my Instagram the summer before my sophomore year of high school, yet even then beauty standards were not on every post. Then, Instagram models and influencers surfaced on my recommendations. I began to follow some of them because they were what I wanted to look like. These people had the nice long hair, they had smooth arms and legs.
It was not until I got to college that my KP became a major insecurity, as more ‘perfect bodies’ came across my social media I began to hate my ‘chicken skin’. I began to pick at my arms and legs because I wanted these bumps to go away, but I was actually making them worse.
(Photo by @marcelailustra on Instagram)
You are probably wondering what Keratosis Pilaris is. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, KP is a common skin condition that appears as tiny bumps on the skin. Some describe them as looking similar to plucked chicken skin, goosebumps, or small pimples. These rough looking bumps are actually plugs of dead skin cells. If you have KP, that means that your body produces too much keratin, a protein that protects your skin from harmful substances and infection. Thus, your hair follicles become clogged and the bumps form.
There is no cure for KP, but the American Academy of Dermatology does recommend that you exfoliate regularly to remove dead skin cells. They also recommend that you moisturize after your shower or bath because KP gets worse when your skin is dry. A lotion or product that contains lactic acid, glycolic acid, alpha hydroxyl acid, salicylic acid, or urea is best, as recommended by dermatologists.
(Photo by Juan Camilo Navia on Unsplash)
There are days when I feel better about my KP, like when I go to the beach! I forget about my tiny red bumps because I am more excited about seeing and feeling the ocean than about the appearance of those pesky bumps. However, there are also days when they are extra red and bumpy and I feel self-conscious about them. Although no one else may notice them, I do and they bother me. Overall though, I am starting the journey of accepting the skin I was given; KP is a part of me and it is comforting knowing that many people also have this and are learning to love their bumps or whatever condition they have.
We really are more than our ‘flaws’ and it sucks that they can have so much power over our confidence and affect our mental health. Know that you are more than any condition you may have and that you are beautiful in your skin, in your home!