Red Bumps on Arms

If you take a general look around, you'll find that very few people will have even skin tones that have no scars or marks on them. There will be traces of scabs from a childhood fall, acne scars carried over from puberty or a fading mark of an accident wound. The point being, very few people have even skin tones.

So it should come as no surprise if you are to find someone with red bumps on arms, right? Wrong. Large or small red bumps are not a common sign and definitely not something that can be relegated to the same league as scars and spots.

They could, in fact, indicate something that is wrong with one's health and could thereby help in taking appropriate treatment forms for it.

Most commonly, the cause of red bumps is due to a skin disorder called keratosis pilaris. This condition is usually seen to affect the areas of the arms, but can be found anywhere on the body as well. Our body is constantly shedding off dead cells from the surface of the skin. This process happens throughout our life so that we aren't even aware of it.

When these dead skin cells (that are made up of a protein called keratin) are not discarded and get stuck in the hair follicles to form plugs, they lead to a gravely texture and appear in the form of red bumps on different parts of the body that have hair growth on it.

They resemble goose bumps in those who develop small red skin bumps on arms. The condition is made worse in dry weather because it dries out the skin and there is not enough moisture present. Even though this condition is harmless and most often painless, it makes for a very unsightly picture. Since the bumps are coarse to touch, it is not the most friendly of conditions. Keratosis pilaris is not contagious and is a hereditary condition.

Red bumps can appear due to varied other conditions that include those disorders that affect the appearance of the skin. Some of these conditions are:

• Eczema ~ It leaves raised red skin that has bumps on it. In case of this condition, these spots itch.
• Psoriasis ~ This leads to a skin rash that can be painful.

• Rosacea ~ A very common disorder that is usually characterized by a 'blush effect' with the skin turning red and sometimes also accompanied by red bumps.

Bumps on skin can also include conditions like chickenpox, scabies and scleroderma.

Allergies are one of the main causes of this condition. One can have an allergy to certain air borne material (pollen, dust), food (lactose intolerance), material (wool, tweed), animal by products (dander, fur) and others. And while there are several allergy symptoms, an eruption of red bumps is often a symptom. These also cause itching and swelling. Along with allergies, there can also be skin irritations that are brought on by shaving or waxing and lead to itchy bumps on skin.

Other conditions like a change in weather such that it is extremely dry and acrid can also give rise to dry skin bumps. So also, overexposure to the sun can cause this condition to come about.

Depending on the cause of the red bumps on arms, the treatment options are applied. And now that you know what causes this health problem, you can look into the condition with more clarity.