Q Every winter the bumps on my arms get much worse, and they seem to flare up more after scrubbing. Why is that?
A Dry seasons and harsh physical exfoliation are classic aggravating factors for keratosis pilaris. Lowered humidity in winter draws moisture out of the skin, and scrubbing with abrasive towels damages the skin barrier, which actually causes keratin to build up faster.
Detailed Answer
In keratosis pilaris, the lower the skin's moisture, the harder the keratin becomes and the more the follicular plugs stand out. The low humidity of winter pulls moisture from the skin and is the most common seasonal factor in worsening the condition. In addition, rubbing hard with a scrubbing towel or coarse exfoliant may appear to remove dead skin temporarily, but it damages the skin barrier and leads to a vicious cycle in which keratin accumulates even faster during recovery. A gentle cleanser and ample moisturizing are the fundamental approach to management.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, winter aggravation is interpreted as external dryness intensifying blood-deficiency wind-dryness (hyeolheo-pungjo). When the outside of the skin becomes dry, the body's internal fluid deficiency reveals itself more quickly. Strong physical irritation further damages an already weak skin barrier, so the key to management in this season is to strengthen moisturizing in line with seasonal change and to replenish fluids (jin-aek) internally.
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