14 Best Keratosis Pilaris Treatments and Products, Tested and Reviewed for 2024

If you feel like you’ve tried virtually everything (but, like, have you? Have you really tried all of my tried-and-true staples on this list?!) and nothing is working for your keratosis pilaris or redness/discoloration, then I highly recommend testing out azelaic acid. Azelaic acid has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that can accelerate skin turnover, says dermatologist Karan Lal, MD.

"So, for KP, it’s going to help reduce inflammation and hyperpigmentation from scratching or picking at your skin while also helping a bit with redness and texture," says Dr. Lal. We both (Dr. Lal and I are buds, no biggie) like this 10 percent azelaic acid from Naturium, which you can pat over your dry skin once a day before massaging on your regular body moisturizer.

(Note: You can try to use this one on your facial KP as well, but just know that the formula was too strong for my hypersensitive face!)

• Key ingredients: Azelaic acid (smooths and calms); niacinamide (brightens and soothes); vitamin C (brightens and protects)
• How often to use: Every day or every other day underneath moisturizer (and not at the same time as acids or retinoids)

Glowing Customer Review: "My first use of this product minimized the redness in my face and chest by 80% instantly. This product feels incredible, my skin wasn't irritated at all and works like a miracle. If you're hesitant and experiencing redness as I have, I highly recommend giving this a shot."

As a reminder, retinoids speed up your cellular turnover and help your skin shed faster, making it harder for keratin plugs to form in the first place, says Dr. Gohara. Is retinol the most effective treatment for keratosis pilaris? No—AHAs are (like lactic acid). But! This high-strength retinol cream definitely helped soften my bumps when I used it in place of my acid-based lotion twice a week. Just note that this stuff is strong and will also make your skin more prone to sunburns due to its added retinol. So slather up with a sunscreen of SPF 30+ every single day as long as this cream is in your routine.

• Key ingredients: Retinol (churns out smoother, fresher skin); shea butter (moisturizes); aloe vera (hydrates and soothes)
• How often to use: One night a week, slowly building up to every other night (and don't use on the same night as any other active product, including scrubs or acids)

Glowing Customer Review: "I really like the way this makes my skin feel. I have KP and very dry skin. Although it does not get rid of the bumps completely or the marks, it does make my skin feel a little smoother. I will buy this product again."

When you have KPRF (keratosis pilaris rubra faciei, i.e., KP on your face), it can feel like everything that touches your sensitive skin somehow makes your KP angrier—which is why I have a scary-intense obsession with this gentle face cream. It's incredibly moisturizing without any fragrance, harsh ingredients, common allergens, or known irritants, which is exactly what your face needs to handle the acid-based products you're throwing at it.

Just note that it is on the richer side, so on days when I'll be outside in the summer heat, I'll save this one for nighttime and instead use my other favorite, the lightweight Paula's Choice Rescue & Repair Moisturizer.

• Key ingredients: Squalane, shea butter (moisturizers); arginine (antioxidant)
• How often to use: Every day, twice a day

Glowing Customer Review: "Great for hypersensitive skin. I have rosacea and this is one of my standby products. No irritation whatsoever and I am VERY sensitive."

Reminder: Your keratosis pilaris is made of built-up keratin (i.e., the same stuff in your fingernails). And sulfur—the main ingredient in this bar soap—is a "keratolytic" agent, meaning it works to dissolve the bonds in your keratin plugs, helping them to shed faster. We <3 keratolytics, which is why I also love this soap: It's filled with 10 percent sulfur and 3 percent salicylic acid (another keratolytic agent with redness-reducing properties), making it a KP-kicking powerhouse.

Just note that this soap (and sulfur in general) is strong and can be pretty drying. So once or twice a week, gently rub it over your wet skin (body KP only!), wait five seconds, then rinse off.

• Key ingredients: Sulfur and salicylic acid (help dissolve bumps)
• How often to use: Once or twice a week (and don't use on the same day as your other scrubs or retinoids)

Glowing Customer Review: "Cleared my KP in two weeks," reads one review (though, remember, nothing can truly get rid of KP fully!). "If you have skin issues this soap will definitely help KP, acne, melasma, ingrown hairs, are all related skin issues."

The only thing more frustrating than KP on your body? KP on your face. It’s rare, especially for adults, and yet here I am, living my best bumpy-cheeked life. I’ve spent a lifetime (literally) trying to destroy my facial KP, and here’s what I’ve learned: Use only the gentlest of acids, never scrub, and keep your skin as moisturized as possible.

This 5 percent lactic-acid-based serum is the gentlest AHA I’ve found, and its hyaluronic-acid base helps keep KP hydrated. I dab it on clean, dry skin every other night, wait 60 seconds, then layer on a rich, gentle moisturizer.

• Key ingredients: Lactic acid (gently exfoliates), hyaluronic acid (draws water into skin)
• How often to use: Every three days or every other day (and don't use on the same night as retinoids)
  

Glowing Customer Review: "It is one of the best skincare products that I own. This is a great product if you are just starting to use AHA/BHA and have sensitive skin. It did not irritate my skin at all."

You can’t talk about keratosis pilaris without mentioning this O.G. hall-of-fame staple. Amlactin is pretty much the only answer I’ve ever gotten to “how to get rid of keratosis pilaris” and I've had a bottle of it in my bathroom since middle school (I'm serious). The lotion is filled with 12 percent lactic acid that helps dissolve your keratin plugs while also moisturizing your skin.

It really, truly works, but only if you use it every day (on your body only!) for...the rest of your life. The only downside? Its high percentage of lactic acid makes it kinda sticky, so during humid months, I only slather this one on at night.

• Key ingredients: lactic acid (to break down bumps); mineral oil (to moisturize and lock in hydration)
• How often to use: Once or twice a day (but don't use on the same day as retinol)

Glowing Customer Review: "I’m in my late twenties and I got this product to help with the keratosis pilaris I have on my arms and legs. It took about a week using the product as directed and applying it twice a day when I started seeing fantastic results. The bumps went away, my skin has never felt this smooth."

I've been using the Elta MD moisturizer on my facial KP for six straight years now (ahem, that's more than 2,000 freakin' days), and it was a huge game-changer for my bumps. It’s not really a moisturizer—it’s an occlusive, i.e., something that traps hydration into your skin and makes the products underneath it (like your regular moisture) way more effective. It doesn't sound exciting, especially since it can't burn or scrub your skin off, but moisture is the true key to soothing keratosis pilaris.

After slathering on a thick layer of my regular face cream, I smooth a dab of this occlusive over my KP while my skin is still "damp." It’s incredibly shiny and almost greasy-looking (think: slugging-level shiny), so I only use it at night, but trust me—this stuff helps.

• Key ingredients: Petrolatum (retains moisture)
• How often to use: Every night (or day, if you can handle the shine) at the end of your skincare routine

Glowing Customer Review: "I have extremely sensitive and reactive skin with rosacea that occasionally flares. This is one of the only products I can slather everywhere, including my eyelids and around my eyes. It works best on damp skin to seal in moisture. Yes, it’s greasy, but it absorbs well and I also like a dewy look."

Glycolic and lactic acids are the gold standard for treating KP, and for good reason: Both AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) break down your keratosis pilaris bumps to leave your skin smoother. The only difference? Glycolic acid—like the 10 percent found in this body lotion—is stronger than lactic acid, so it's more effective, but it also tends to be more irritating on sensitive skin.

Still, I've been using this lotion for a full year now—I usually alternate with Amlactin depending on the weather—and I can tolerate it on my arms and legs every single night, as long as I layer it on top of my body moisturizer (which I prefer to do anyway, since it isn't very moisturizing on its own).

• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid (breaks down and smooths KP bumps); shea butter and grapeseed oil (moisturize); green tea extract (soothes)
• How often to use: Every day or night (but may be too strong to use on the same day as a scrub)

Glowing Customer Review: "Since I was 12 years old, I've had rough, bumpy 'chicken skin' on my chest that was redder than the rest of my skin. I wish I had taken before and after photos, because I kid you not, the first night I used this lotion, 10 years of redness vanished overnight. My chest is now a healthy color and is much less bumpy."

This body scrub from Skinfix has two powerhouse acids: 7 percent glycolic acid and 6 percent lactic acid to help break down KP bumps while buffing away the surface layer of your skin. This one is super-popular among my friend group for smoothing bumps (especially butt bumps), but I found it a bit too strong for my ultra-sensitive and allergic skin.

That being said, it's legitimately effective, so I still recommend it as a gold-star option for anyone with not-too-sensitive skin who hasn't had great success with the other scrubs on this list (and remember: I truly do not recommend anything that I don't believe in for KP).

• Key ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid (AHA exfoliators); willow bark extract (BHA exfoliator); grapeseed oil, coconut oil (moisturizers)
• How often to use: Once or twice a week (and not on the same day as other retinol or acid-based products)
  

Glowing Customer Review: "This is the best! It leaves my skin so smooth and actually gets rid of bumpy skin after 1-2 uses."