Keratosis pilaris should i pop

People often mistake these bumps for pimples, but they're caused by keratin, and they're totally harmless. If the dry, rough patches of skin which sometimes feel sandpaper-like become bothersome, contact your doctor, who can easily treat keratosis pilaris.

Milia are another kind of bump not related to acne. These bumps are typically tiny and white, and they often affect babies. According to the Mayo Clinic , "Milia develop when tiny skin flakes become trapped in small pockets near the surface of the skin.

Milia usually disappear on their own within weeks or months, so trying to "pop" them can just irritate the skin and cause more problems. Cold sores , which are small blisters that form around the lips, can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which infects more than half the population of the US by the time they're in their 20s. Cold sores have many available home treatments, but popping them is not recommended. Because the sores are fluid-filled blisters, some people think they should release the fluid, but that's not the case.

Instead, try using over-the-counter ointments and applying cool compresses. Lipomas, which are fatty lumps, grow between the muscle and skin. Since they grow slowly, they are usually found around middle age. Lipomas are generally harmless, but many people don't like the appearance of them.

Since these bumps are located under the skin layer, they're far too deep to be "popped. Ingrown hairs occur when a hair gets trapped under the skin and causes irritation and inflammation. When the hair gets trapped or reenters the skin, the skin reacts to the hair as if it were a foreign body and tries to fight it.

Often, ingrown hairs become red and fill with pus. Because these look like pimples, people assume they should try to pop them — but this can cause even more problems. The best thing to do is let the ingrown hair just grow out on its own. If you feel like you absolutely need to do something about your ingrown hair, gently wash the area with a washcloth, then use a sterile needle to remove the embedded tip of the hair from the skin.

Whiteheads are the types of acne most people feel inclined to pop — and it always seems fine to squeeze out the contents and get on with your life.

Unfortunately, whiteheads contain acne bacteria, and when you squeeze the blemish, all the bacteria is released on your face. This can spread the bacteria to other places on your skin. The best thing to do is just leave the whitehead alone, but if you have to do something, try using a spot treatment.

Doing so may only cause irritation. You can help get rid of dead skin cells that may be trapped with keratin in these bumps by using gentle exfoliation methods. You can exfoliate with gentle acids, such as peels or topicals with lactic , salicylic, or glycolic acid. Over-the-counter options include Eucerin or Am-Lactin.

Physical exfoliants are other options, which include soft facial brushes and washcloths. While it may be difficult to prevent keratin plugs entirely, you can help get rid of them and prevent others from occurring by:. This is why keratin plugs are sometimes confused with other types of pore plugs, including pimples.

A sebum plug is an infrequently used term for acne. These plugs occur when sebum oil from your sebaceous glands become trapped in your hair follicles. Dead skin cells and then inflammation creates acne lesions. Sebum plugs may come in the form of inflammatory acne, such as pustules and papules. More severe inflammatory acne plugs include cysts and nodules, which are painful bumps that are much larger.

Noninflammatory sebum plugs include blackheads and whiteheads. Keratin plugs in keratosis pilaris are commonly on the upper arms, although they can also be in acne areas as well.

Furthermore, while sebum plugs may have noticeable heads filled with pus or other debris, keratin plugs tend to be hard and rough along the surface. Keratin plugs are also sometimes mistaken for blackheads. A blackhead is one type of sebum plug that occurs when your pore is clogged with sebum and dead skin cells. Blackheads are more prominent in acne-prone areas. When the pore is clogged, a soft plug forms, which can also make your pore more prominent.

As blackheads continue to stretch out your pores, the plugs may also harden. This can make your skin slightly bumpy to the touch. Keratin plugs can be treated at home.

The hallmark of KP is patches of small, rough, pimple-like bumps on the skin, according to Lee. It's caused by excessive production of a protein called keratin, which builds up until it plugs hair follicles a. It's often called chicken skin because the condition resembles the skin of a plucked chicken.

What causes KP is unknown, but some reports suggest it's an autosomal dominant disorder, which means you only need to inherit one copy of the gene to get it. According to Lee, KP starts early—sometimes before a child is even 2—and flares up during adolescence.

Thankfully, most KP fades by adulthood. But that's not the only place it appears: KP can also be found on the front of the thighs, back, butt, or face. It can range in severity from just a few bumps to the majority of a particular area of the body.

KP bumps tend to be lighter and redder on fair skin, according to Lee. But they can also be white, pink, light purple, brown, or black—it all depends on the person's skin tone.