Common skin bumps and their treatment

Bumps on the skin can be due to several causes. Inflammatory conditions such as acne, infections such as warts and folliculitis and other skin growths can give rise to bumps on the skin.

Below are discussed some conditions causing bumps on the skin and common remedies, narrated by Dr Sneha Ghunawat, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist, Director, and Co-Founder of Meraki Skin Clinic, Gurugram, India. 

Acne: It is an inflammatory condition of the skin's oil glands. Under the effect of hormonal changes, the skin's oil glands become inflamed and infected with acne bacteria. Acne is the most common cause of bumpy skin on adolescents' faces. 

Acne treatment consists of alpha and beta hydroxy acids containing cleansers and serums. Other ingredients, such as benzoyl peroxide and adapalene, are also effective in acne treatment. 

Milia: Milia are small pin heads and pinpoint yellowish papules commonly placed around the eyes and face. Milia may result due to genetic predisposition or photodamage of the skin. 

Treatment consists of needle extirpation followed by proper sun protection and retinoid use to reduce recurrence. 

Viral warts: Viral warts are infections commonly seen on the face, hands, and feet. They are acquired through cross-contamination with infected articles and objects. Often skin-coloured or mildly pigmented, they have a variegated surface. 

Treatment of viral warts involves removal with a laser or electrocautery. 

Keratosis Pilaris: Skin-colored tiny pinpoint bumps on the arms and back are commonly seen in this condition. Its causes include xerosis, hypothyroidism, and vitamin A deficiency. 

Treatment includes good moisturization using exfoliating agents such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, urea, and retinol. 

Skin tags: These are skin-coloured outgrowths of the skin present most commonly on some individuals' necks, armpits, and groins. They start to appear after middle age. Common causes of skin tags are insulin resistance, obesity, family history of diabetes or hypothyroidism. 

Treatment of skin tags is removal with laser or electrocautery. 

Folliculitis: These are tiny pus-filled lesions, often painful, present on the scalp and often on the beard and other sites. It is a bacterial infection of the follicular opening of the hair follicles. Uncontrolled diabetes and other comorbidities are predisposing factors for follicular infection by the bacteria.

Topical antibiotics such as mupirocin and fusidic acid are useful in resolution. 

Molluscum Contagiosum: It is a viral infection of the skin. Lesions present as pearly white papular lesions. Commonly seen in children on the face. Adults may also contract the infection via cross-contamination. 

Treatment includes needle extirpation of the lesions. Oral zinc supplements can help to reduce recurrence.