Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flexitol is also very good for keratosis pilaris (red bumps on arms)

103 replies

otchayaniye · 11/04/2011 08:51

The hoof thread reminded me.

It basically contains a high percentage of urea which can dekeratinize the plugs.

A derm doctor friend told me this.

It's much cheaper and easier to get than lacHydrin, dermadoctor KP et al.

OP posts:
JaneS · 11/04/2011 22:53

Oh, you people are wonderful! Smile

I shall go and order some and if it works I will come back and sing your praises again.

otchayaniye · 12/04/2011 07:08

?Would flexitol be okay to use on a 3 year old's arms and cheeks with keratosis pilaris??

I would test it first, and I personally would be happy to use it on arms, but on the face I?d prefer to try something lighter first, say Eucerin 5% urea face cream ? the night one.

It?s one of these annoying, lifelong, incurable issues. No GP is really going to bother with/or know huge amounts about it and on most people it?s annoying, but not an issue that would cause deep distress. Plus in this country we don?t routinely pick dermatologists and see them, usually we?d be referred and usually for something more ?serious?. That said, it can be really bad on some people and they pick at it and it can then cause deep upset. Check out the kp boards and you?ll see the gamut.

Also, not everything works for lessening the symptoms for all people. Some don?t like what intense moisturisation does, they think it makes the redness look worse. Some people get on with natural oils and manual abrasion (pumice, etc)

?would this held my small psoriasis patches at all ? (elbows and knees)?
Psoriasis is a special and difficult to understand condition, but if you find intensive moisturisation helps during a flare up, feel free to try it, I think it might be too stinging though.
Mrs dumbledore, check out Paula?s Choice products or have a look at Bravura.co.uk for some of the more gentle anti-aging products (hyaluronics, BHAs, lower intensity glycolic creams). They are relatively cheap (15-25 quid) so you haven?t made a very expensive mistake.

Or take your existing retinoid and water it down a little in a base cream? But you say any amount causes irritation? Just dryness? Or redness. Dryness I can live with but inflammation, you?d be best to avoid it.

OP posts:
otchayaniye · 12/04/2011 07:10

End of the day, if you buy a tube of Flexitol and try it on bumps and dry patches and it doesn't work, you haven't wasted your money as everyone's feet will benefit from an application at night.

OP posts:
mrsbumbledosem · 12/04/2011 07:43

Thanks for the tips - very interesting. The irritation is that I get itchiness and my eyes hurt- I can't go through the pain barrier with it and also I am not so bothered by aging (yet- Im 34) and spend my ime and money on open pore treatment and cleansing but I do like the look of the Paula's choice and my sisters are v into glycolic treatments.

Flakes · 12/04/2011 15:02

Womma- just ordered tend skin but I'm not sure if it would be worth the trip to Northern Ireland for you (you're v welcome of course). Will report back on this and flexitol Grin

otchayaniye · 12/04/2011 17:09

by the way, don't be disheartened if at first flexitol makes the bumps appear more obvious, particularly if you had very dry skin. Because it moisturises it can make them plumper, as it were, bringing the plug to the surface.

Persist with it for more than a couple of days for results, and exfoliate with a towel after bathing.

OP posts:
OmShantiJack · 12/04/2011 17:14

Would this be safe to use on 3-year-old DS, do you think? He has it on his arms.

wondersofthestonersystem · 12/04/2011 21:47

I have this since my teens - I even used to pick & dig out the plugs with a needle Blush.
I only heard of keratosis pilaris by chance a couple of years ago, and was amazed to see a perfect description of what I'd always just thought of as my skanky arms & thighs. It had never even occurred to me to think of as a 'skin condition' let alone one that could be fixed - I was never particularly embarrassed by it, just a bit jealous of smooth-skinned people.
Mine also cleared up when I lived in the tropics for 6 months & gets better in sunshine.

I've exfoliated & used Eucerin religiously for the last couple of years (its a bit cheaper on ebay) and have had consistently smooth skin for the first time ever, though I still have little red dots where the plugs used to form, which you can see if you pull the skin taut.

I found hydralock was OK but not as good - it doesn't have as much urea, & I preferred the neutral smell of Eucerin as I like to wear perfume Smile.

The Flexitol heel balm is 25% urea - is that the one you mean?

12yo DD is starting to get it - it doesn't bother her & she doesn't pick it so I haven't drawn her attention to it, but I'm trying to get her to use the Eucerin cream to keep it in check.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 13/04/2011 09:02

Great thread - went to Boots yesterday and they do their own brand of 'Heel Balm', still 25% urea and 1/2 the price per 100ml compared to Flexitol so bought that instead, hope that doesn't matter!

womma · 13/04/2011 09:09

Flakes, hope you like it and you think it works well. Just don't get it near your eyes!

Will you put your naked run on youtube for me!?

Flakes · 13/04/2011 13:57

Certainly not!!! Local farmers only. Course I tell you I did it Grin

HollyBollyBooBoo · 15/04/2011 14:07

3 days in and results are amazing - on arms and feet. I've put up with this condition on my arms for as long as I can remember, am looking forward to going sleeveless this summer!

Mirage · 15/04/2011 14:09

Oh thankyou.DD2 has this and we were at our wits end as she got quite upset about it.We are trying Ponds Cocoa butter with AHAs after reading the other thread,but will bear Flexitol in mind.[I have some for my horrid feet].

cairnterrier · 15/04/2011 14:12

AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Can't get to Boots until Monday, I soooo want to try this, my arms are a mess from all the picking. Sorry if TMI, it's a real stress reaction!

HollyBollyBooBoo · 15/04/2011 14:27

It's life changing, actually feel really cross that the numerous Drs I've seen over the years couldn't/wouldn't help and yet it's such a bloody simple solution.

Flakes · 15/04/2011 18:52

I bought it too and it has helped the rough lumps on my arms very much Grin Tend skin arrived yesterday so have spend much time anointing myself(sounds more exciting than it is!) Legs still not great but trying to be patient. Anyone any suggestions for hairs growing flat just under skin?? Thank you so much for recommendations.

LeQueen · 18/04/2011 15:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thomasbodley · 18/04/2011 16:38

Flakes Try the tweezers on a Swiss Army knife.

I find them better for easing out ingrown hairs than those sharp-point Tweezermans (which are more scary looking than effective).

WhatsWrongWithYou · 18/04/2011 17:03

Don't think the own brand stuff works as well LeQ

Flakes · 18/04/2011 17:21

Thomas, thanks for tip. BTW how did you discover that??!

LeQueen · 18/04/2011 17:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thomasbodley · 18/04/2011 18:06

Flakes Went on holiday once having left tweezers behind. Moaned to DH. Turns out DH has a mini Swiss on his keyring. Tried the tweezers, and couldn't believe how effective they are. On everything.

HollyBollyBooBoo · 18/04/2011 19:57

I've only used the Boots one - I purely went on cost so I can't offer a comparison to Flexitol I'm afraid, I'm amazed by it though. If the active ingredient is Urea and it's 25% in both I just assumed they'd be as effective.

WhatsWrongWithYou · 18/04/2011 20:13

Oh well if it works....Blush

mcfee · 18/04/2011 20:13

I can't believe this! Straight to Boots tomorrow! This is only one of the reasons I love MN!