Review: Products to help deal with keratosis pilaris

Neutrogena’s Body Clear Body Wash with Salicylic Acid and a sisal sponge from World Market

For those of us who suffer from keratosis pilaris, it’s often an annoying but thankfully benign condition. If a blocked follicle happens to produce an ingrown hair, then it can become a bit more complicated. I don’t have an issue with ingrown hairs myself, but I do have intermittent issues with keratosis pilaris on my legs. I’ve tried a number of solutions, such as prescription and over-the-counter lotions. Alas, none of these products worked very well for me. Eventually, through trial and error, I found that a combination of manual and chemical exfoliation was what I needed to keep my skin free of red bumps.

My favorite product for chemical exfoliation can be found at the drugstore: Neutrogena’s Body Clear Body Wash with salicylic acid. I’ve found that a low dosage of salicylic acid is gentle enough to help shed dead skin cells without drying out my skin. I apply the body wash onto the rough side of a sisal sponge from World Market ($2.99) and run it over the areas where I tend to experience keratosis pilaris. The sisal sponge works much better for me than a loofah ever has, but I will warn you that you shouldn’t scrub at your skin with it. The sisal sponge is rougher than a loofah so be careful not to over exfoliate, as that will likely lead to further irritation. Also, I don’t perform this level of exfoliation everyday. If I did, I would quickly strip my skin of its oils. Instead, I do this three times a week, staggering the days apart, and I always make sure to moisturize immediately after exfoliating.

So far, the combination has kept my skin clear for the last two years and after going through so many other solutions, I’m grateful to have found it. However, we all have different skin types and this level of exfoliation may be too harsh or too little for you. But no matter how irritating keratosis pilaris can be, especially in the summer when we tend to expose more of our arms and legs, make sure to be gentle with your skin. It may take time to find a solution that works for you, but try to avoid causing further irritation until you do.

And if you already have a solution for dealing with keratosis pilaris, please let me know in the comments!

Tips on the sisal sponge:

1.  Make sure to thoroughly rinse away any product you use with it and let it dry completely on a flat, clean surface after each use.
2. I do replace mine from time to time. Depending on the frequency of use, it may be as often as every 3-4 months. Because it is soaked in water and product regularly, I do find that it begins to wear. However, if properly handled it can last much longer. And I admit that my own mishandling at times might contribute to my replacement frequency.
3. It can leave your skin bright red, so make sure not to scrub too roughly with it or discontinue use if you find it to be too irritating. You may also want to perform a small test patch before exfoliating a large portion of your skin with it.
4. The sponge has two sides: one is made up of sisal fibers and the other of cotton. The cotton side works great for general cleansing and can be used as a washcloth, too!