Skin issues affect over 85 million Americans. Rough and bumpy skin can either be a simple and easy fix or something more difficult to treat. The causes of rough and bumpy skin are practically endless, and the same goes for the treatments.
It's not uncommon to experience rough and bumpy skin after a quick shave, but if your skin is giving you trouble all the time, there may be an underlying issue to address.
Luckily, most cases are treatable and manageable.
MadeMan understands how rough skin can be uncomfortable, painful, and affect your self-esteem. There is no need for you to walk with your head down —- confidence starts with your skin, after all.
What Is Rough and Bumpy Skin?
If you've experienced rough and bumpy skin on any part of your body, it can be frustrating. Various reasons can cause rough and bumpy skin, but some are more common than others.
While rough and bumpy skin is usually harmless, that doesn't mean you want them on your skin 24/7. The first step to finding the right treatment for your rough, bumpy, or scaly skin is to find the cause.
What Causes Rough and Bumpy Skin?
Commonly, the appearance of bumps are small, while some are large. Others may be the same color of your skin or different colors. While you can expect your skin bumps to be harmless and don't necessarily need treatment, you should pay close attention to what is happening on your skin.
Your skin is exposed to toxins every day. Whether it be from the sun or things like free radicals, you should never overestimate the health of your skin. You wouldn't want a discolored patch that you thought was harmless to lead to something else.
Acne
Acne is a common skin condition that causes rough and bumpy blemishes all around the skin and face.
Acne is most common on the face and neck, but it is known to form on other body parts. Back acne and arm acne or not uncommon.
While there is no one cause for acne, there are a few prevalent causes as it develops with sebum (facial oil), builds up, and clogs pores.
Acne can show up in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, or pimples. Anyone can get acne at any point in their life, but it is most common in men and women, from the age of ten to their early twenties.
There are many effective methods to combat acne, but it can be persistent and sometimes hard to handle. If acne becomes severe and persistent, it can cause stress on the skin leading to more permanent damage like scarring.
Acne should never be taken lightly, which is why at MadeMan, we've taken the liberty to find out a few ways you can calm your breakouts down.
Acne Causes
It will be difficult to treat your acne unless you know what is causing it. Here are a few common causes of acne.
- Poor skincare routine (bacteria built-up)
- Allergy or sensitivity to certain products
- Hormonal acne
- Poor diet
- High sugar intake
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
Start By Understanding Your Skin
The list of acne treatments can seem extensive. The key to finding what treatment will work best is by finding the cause.
It's not rare for acne to be caused by a poor skincare routine. That doesn't mean you have bad hygiene overall; it means you might not be implementing the best routine for your skin. This starts with understanding your skin type.
Here are the five most common skin types.
Normal Skin
Normal skin is neither too dry nor oily. It has little to no imperfections with barely visible pores and a radiant complexion.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin often comes with a variety of triggers. It can appear red, itchy, dry, or even have a burning sensation. If you have sensitive skin, find out what your triggers are to help you avoid them.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is skin that doesn't have or retain enough moisture. Dry skin can be hereditary or caused by your environment, such as living in a severely dry or cold climate.
Oily Skin
Like dry skin, oily skin can be hereditary or dependent on the weather. If you live in a hot and humid climate, you may experience more oily skin.
Frequent breakouts are more common with oily skin as pores often get clogged.
Combination Skin
Combination skin is essentially when your skin has oily spots and dry, rough patches. This skin type can be frustrating since it's constantly changing.
Find The Right Skincare Routine
If you've never had a real skincare routine, you wouldn't be the first. It's not uncommon for men to grab the first soap they see and use that as an all-in-one soap — shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and facial cleanser.
Using bar soap or shampoo as a face wash is all fun and games until your skin gets hurt. That's right, to sustain youthful and healthy skin, you must be using the right products for your skin.
Formulating a skincare routine might seem daunting, but MadeMan has done all the hard work for you. It's as simple as two products, two minutes a day.
Establish a Healthy Diet
Drinking plenty of water and eating a healthy diet can help your skin in many ways.
Cold Sores
If you're experiencing raised uncomfortable bumps around your lips and mouth, you may have cold sores. It may be hard to differentiate cold sores from pre-existing acne, but they should feel much different.
Cold sores can be much more uncomfortable and leave a constant stinging sensation. Unlike acne that doesn't appear oozy or red unless popped, a cold sore will appear blister-like from the moment it appears. Just be cautious and try not to scrub your skin hard like sandpaper with a loofah or rough washcloth.
Temporary Cold Sore Relief
Cold sores can be a drag on your appearance but also very uncomfortable. Once one appears, it should subside within a week or so, but in the meantime, here are ways to help support the treatment process.
Cold Press
Icing your cold sore won't change the appearance, but it will deter the pain. If your flare-up is causing you discomfort, grab an ice pack and apply it to the cold sore breakout.
This will numb the area giving temporary relief.
Over-the-Counter Creams
There are creams and ointments you can purchase at your local drugstore to help manage the pain and prominence of your cold sores.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen can be seen as a preventer against your cold sores. Getting sunburned can be a serious trigger for these unwanted blisters to appear. When you apply your sunscreen, avoid missing places where your cold sores are notorious for popping up.
Razor Burn
Razor burn is a common cause of rough and bumpy skin, especially on the face. It can be hard to have a good day at work when your razor burn affects your confidence levels.
Razor burn happens to everyone, and while we've probably been shaving for quite some time, that's not to say it won't happen every once and a while.
Razor Burn Causes
Razor burn or razor bumps appear after you shave with a razor that is too dull or if a hair grows back into your skin (ingrown hair).
Avoiding razor burn or bumps can be impossible sometimes, as you can control how your hair grows, but you can make efforts to avoid razor burn from occurring.
How To Avoid Razor Burn
Razor burn is avoidable (sometimes); you just need to have the right shaving routine.
Prep Skin
Before shaving, prep your skin with high-quality shaving cream or gel.
After-Shave Care
After shaving, apply an after-shave and moisturizer to your skin.
Use a Sharp Razor
If you are using a dull razor when shaving, it could be the worst thing you can do for your skin. Ensure a close and proper shave by using a sharp blade during every shave.
Calluses
Calluses form in a circle and are an area of thickened skin. They can be very uncomfortable. They are usually found on the tops of your toes and the bottom of your feet and heels.
Causes of Calluses
Calluses are common in avid walkers, runners, or gym-goers. If you are currently or used to playing sports, you've probably experienced calluses before. Calluses are commonly found on hands and fingertips.
Calluses are caused by friction and pressure. They first appear as blisters but, over time, become hardest and become calluses. Calluses will form in an area prone to blistering and blisters often.
Where To Find Temporary Relief
You want to be sure they aren't warts or cysts. Once you do so, you can begin your treatment process. Here’s how to find temporary relief.
Avoid Certain Activities
The best way to treat these uncomfortable bumpy patches is by avoiding the activities that cause them. If your calluses are caused by heavy-lifting or long miles, we suggest taking a week or two off or finding alternative ways to workout.
Soak Hands or Feet
Depending on where your calluses are, soak the area in warm, soapy water. This water allows your skin to soften, making the removal process much easier.
Flea Bites
If you have a family pet or two, they may have fleas. It's nothing to worry about as fleas are very common in pets. However, if your pet is an inside-outside dog, they may track these unwanted pests into the house.
Flea bites appear as tiny red bumps all over the surface of your skin. At first, you may think you have an allergic reaction or that you got bit by a small spider.
Flea Bite Relief
Before you begin treating your flea bites, you want to be sure that that's what they are. If you're certain that your little red bumps are flea bites, you can begin your treatment process.
Clean The Pets
It's pointless to start treating your flea bites before getting rid of your flea infestation. The first step should be cleaning all the pets and vacuuming up any fleas or bugs.
Apply Topical Cream
The worst part about flea bites is the itching. Flea bites will itch from the second they bite you until you find a treatment that works for your skin.
Getting your flea bite to stop itching is knowing what products to use. Here are some that may work for you.
- Hydrocortisone
- Aloe Vera
- Chamomile Tea
- Oatmeal
Pre-Existing Skin Conditions
Many pre-existing skin conditions often leave your skin feeling dry, bumpy, and rough. Sometimes eczema breakouts can be so bad that they resemble a healed-up burn.
Pre-existing skin conditions can be uncomfortable as it's usually itchy, raw, and oozy around the knees, elbows, thighs, cheeks, and buttocks. Some flare-ups can even look and feel like they're blistering over
Eczema can be painful and hard to deal with. But there are many ways you can manage the pain and re-moisturize your skin.
Temporary Dry Skin Relief
The best way to support dry skin is by keeping your skin ultra-moisturized. You can use specific products as moisturizers daily, which we will get into. However, even your everyday products that aren't meant to be moisturizers should have nourishing properties.
Bathing and Moisturizing Routine
When it comes to treating any skin condition, routines are your best friend. When you have a daily routine using the same products, your skin will thank you.
Just as your facial skin needs a routine to look and feel its best, the rest of your skin is the same.
Eczema feels worse when the skin lacks moisture, so ensuring you're using a deeply moisturizing daily moisturizer is key.
Avoid Your Triggers
Like most skin conditions, eczema can worsen or flare up if it's exposed to a "trigger." A trigger is essentially a product, change in the environment, or substance that touches the skin and causes irritation.
If you're familiar with your skin, then you may know all of its triggers. However, we wanted to list the most common eczema triggers so you know for next time.
- Certain soaps: detergents, body washes, or bubble baths.
- Environmental changes: Very dry or cold climates, dampness
- Allergens: house dust mites, pet fur, pollen, and molds
- Pool water or chlorine
- Too much sun exposure or sunburn
Living with rough and bumpy skin can be frustrating, especially during the winter and summer months, but it's all about balance. Managing your skin health well and giving your skin the correct care all year round will make everything much easier.
Consult Your Doctor
If you have severe eczema, you can talk to your doctor or dermatologist about prescribing you medications that can help.
Some home-remedy can help, but your doctor will be able to provide you with the best knowledge and care.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an immune disorder that causes the skin to regenerate quicker than normal. This rapid turnover of dead skin cells causes red and flaky patches on the skin.
Psoriasis can appear all over the body. Psoriasis can be passed down through genetics or caused by the environment — there is no definite answer on what causes this immune system malfunction.
Psoriasis Triggers
As the exact cause of psoriasis is technically unknown, we want to inform you of what may be triggering your psoriasis. You may not know you have psoriasis for years until suddenly it is woken up by an environmental or health change.
Strep Throat or Skin Infections
It's not uncommon for people to be unaware of their psoriasis until an infection of some kind triggers it.
Weather Changes
A change in the weather or certain climate changes can trigger your psoriasis. If you've lived in a warm and more humid environment your whole life and noticed your psoriasis after a move, you're not the only one.
Like eczema, psoriasis doesn't do well in cold or dry climates. And these climates may trigger your psoriasis to appear suddenly.
Smoking or Smoke Exposure
If you smoke, you are around smoke often; you may notice psoriasis patches appearing on your body.
Temporary Psoriasis Relief
Like eczema, there are ways you can lessen the frequency and severity of your flare-ups.
Prescription Steroid Creams
Steroid creams may help slow the immune cells in your skin. You can purchase mild steroid creams over the counter, but you can also contact your doctor if your condition requires a stronger cream.
Steroid creams and lotions can be used on your arms, legs, and stomach. However, avoid your face. Steroid creams can be intense, so you don't want them on your face or near your eyes.
In Conclusion
Many factors can cause rough and bumpy patches, but for the most part, manageable. Dealing with skin issues is no fun, but it’s simply a part of life. Everyone has them, and some are worse than others.
At MadeMen, we believe it starts with your skin. You should prioritize your skin just as you prioritize a healthy diet or exercise regime. Even if a proper skincare regimen has never been on your radar before, we say now's the time!
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