Gold Bond vs. CeraVe: Which Rough & Bumpy moisturizer works best?

Which option wins for treating keratosis pilaris (KP) in this head-to-head comparison?

Keratosis pilaris (KP) is a skin condition that causes small bumps on the surface of your skin. These bumps are dead skin cells and may be related to genetic factors. KP bumps are purely aesthetic (not harmful to your health). Some products are targeted specifically for those with “Rough and Bumpy Skin.” The two most popular ones I’ve seen are CeraVe and Gold Bond. This post will compare three products: one from Gold Bond and two from CeraVe.

Gold Bond vs Cerave rough and bumpy skin products

Product 1: Gold Bond Ultimate Rough & Bumpy Skin ingredients

Product 2: CeraVe SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin ingredients

purified water, glycerin, behentrimonium methosulfate and cetearyl alcohol, mineral oil, glyceryl stearate se, ammonium lactate, salicylic acid, triethanolamine, cetyl alcohol, niacinamide, peg-100 stearate, cholecalciferol (vitamin d3 in corn oil), ceramide 3, ceramide 6-ii, ceramide 1, cholesterol, phytosphingosine, hyaluronic acid, phenoxyethanol, dimethicone, methylparaben, edetate disodium, propylparaben, sodium lauroyl lactylate, carbomer, xanthan gum

Product 3: CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin ingredients

Treating keratosis pilaris (“rough & bumpy” skin)

All three of these products include the two key ingredients that are commonly used to treat keratosis pilaris: salicylic acid and lactic acid (in the form of ammonium lactate).

This Dermatology Research and Practice study compared the effectiveness of a 10% lactic acid cream and 5% salicylic acid cream in treating keratosis pilaris. It found that both products were effective when applied twice every day, with a lactic acid being a bit more effective than salicylic acid.

Gold Bond also lists gluconolactone as the second ingredient. Gluconolactone is a polyhydroxy acid (PHA) that could help protect against UV damage.

My Dad the Chemist’s review of Gold Bond vs. CeraVe Rough & Bumpy Skin products

My dad liked the CeraVe SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin, followed by the CeraVe SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin. He liked the Gold Bond Ultimate Rough & Bumpy Skin the least because it didn’t contain any ceramides to help protect the outermost layer of the skin. He thinks that ceramides (in the CeraVe products) and niacinamide (an ingredient that’s included in the CeraVe SA Cream but not in the CeraVe SA Lotion) can help smoothen and improve the appearance of the skin as well. That’s why he likes CeraVe SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin the best out of the three products mentioned.

He may be onto something. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you can treat keratosis pilaris by treating it like dry skin; moisturizing can help reduce the appearance of keratosis pilaris. So you should use products that contain ingredients that help restore the skin’s natural moisture barrier, like ceramides. Both CeraVe products include three ceramides: ceramide 1 (ceramide EOP), ceramide 3 (ceramide NP), and ceramide 6-ii (ceramide AP). They also contain hyaluronic acid, which can also provide further moisturizing benefits to the skin.

If you have rough and bumpy skin, CeraVe SA Cream for Rough & Bumpy Skin is a fine product to try. But if you can’t find it, anything that contains a mix of lactic acid (or ammonium lactate), salicylic acid, and moisturizing ingredients should also be effective.

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