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Lumps and bumps on the skin come in many forms, none of which are particularly aesthetically pleasing. Silhouette trainer and beauty expert Stacy Barnes, talks us through the most common reasons why your skin looks and feels bumpy and shares her top tips of how to reduce them forever!

As a beauty therapist for 16 years, I have come across many skin complaints that my clients would like to target. Through education and experience, I have been able to help solve many of these and prevent re-occurrence. Here are some of the most common complaints in regard to bumpy skin.

Why Your Skin Looks And Feels Bumpy

Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hairs can appear after hair removal such as shaving, plucking or waxing. They can appear as a single raised bump or clusters, sometimes presenting with the formation of puss if an infection has occurred. They are almost always itchy and/or sore, frequent attacks of ingrown hairs can lead to permanent scarring and in rare cases, ingrown hairs can cause cysts, which need medical treatment.

Causes

When hair is removed or shaved close to the skin, dead skin cells can build over the entrance to the follicle, making it difficult for the hair to push through to the surface. In this instance, the hair turns in on itself and either grows under the skin or back into the follicle.

Treatment

Prevention is certainly better then cure when it comes to ingrown hairs, as inflammation can make it hard to treat. Regular exfoliation and moisturising of the areas affected will prevent dead skin build up. I prefer to use a non abrasive or chemical exfoliation, such as a glycolic acid based treatment if ingrown hairs are already present (try skin doctors ‘Ingrow go’ Or Silhouette Dermalift AHA Active peel).

To truly prevent troublesome ingrown hairs, it may be worth considering a permanent hair reduction method, such as IPL. Hairs will not grow if they don’t grow at all!

Keratosis Pilaris

Rough skin commonly found on the backs of the arms, but also thighs and buttocks are regular hangouts for KP. This is a very common and harmless complaint which often feels like sandpaper to the touch. Tiny bumps form when keratin (a protective skin protein) builds up and forms plugs in the hair follicles. It often looks like small raised dots that can be white or red in colour.

Causes

Dr’s are still unsure what causes/ triggers the keratin build up, but observations show that dry skins are more susceptible.

Treatment

Once again exfoliation and keeping the skin hydrated is key for successful treatment. I like to treat KP with a course of Diamond Dermabrasion treatments, at weekly intervals, followed with Silhouette Dermalift Green Tea cream mask and moisturiser. I choose Diamond Dermabrasion for KP as there are no moisture absorbing aluminium oxide crystals and the vacuum suction action will gently lift the keratin ‘plugs’ from the follicle. Daily moisturisation is paramount to continue this treatment at home.

Congested Skin

Congested skin occurs when oil, dead skin cells, dust, dirt and make up accumulate within the pores, leading to the formation of blackheads and whiteheads. These lumps and bumps leave the skin looking and feeling uneven, often sufferers will pick or squeeze, leading to infection or permanent skin damage.

Causes

Congested skin is often accountable for excess oil production. However, many makeup products contain colourants in the form of C and D numbers in their ingredients, particularly in products like blushers and highlighters. The molecules in said C and D numbers often contribute to congestion in the application area, i.e. The cheeks. External particles such as dust, pollution and environmental dirt can also lead to congested skin.

Treatment

A multi phased approach will clear congestion in no time!  Be sure to cleanse your skin THOROUGHLY, day and night, exfoliate regularly (1-2 times per week) and seek professional exfoliation in the form of Microdermabrasion for a much deeper clearance. Using a regular kaolin-based mask will also help to reduce the accumulation of impurities, which may block your pores. Be sure to avoid C and D numbers, listed in makeup ingredients and opt for Mineral based cosmetics instead, as these have a non comedogenic effect (non pore clogging.) Finally, calm oil production within the skin, using a professional LED treatment such as Silhouette Genesis, will calm sebaceous glands reducing the amount of surplus oil produced.

Milia

Small hard cysts, usually around the eyes and on the cheek bones, they can appear tiny and grow over time.

Cause

Milk spots? Lack of calcium? These old wives’ tales are just a couple of reasons I’ve been told about in the past; however, the truth is much more straightforward. Milia are often a characteristic of dry skin, the pores intend to be smaller and can be quite restrictive to sebum (natural oil) secretions. This oil can become trapped, creating a little oil filled cyst which hardens overtime (keratinisation.) Another common cause for milia is the use of inappropriate products around the eye area, causing a similar blockage, for example, using a face or body cream around the delicate eye area.

Treatment

Removal by a qualified aesthetic therapist with an advanced electrolysis system (tiny sterile needle) is incredibly effective and not at all painful as the skin is already dead. However regular microdermabrasion treatments can be a superb way to remove and prevent reoccurrence of these little pests, so long as they are not too close to the eye! Be sure to only use products specifically designed for the eye area too.