How to Get Rid of Strawberry Legs: Effective Solutions to Know

What are strawberry legs?

Strawberry legs are those mini black spots dotted up and down your calves and thighs. This makes your skin appear like a strawberry, giving way to the name. Despite the cute name, this skin problem can worsen if not treated. Hence you must know how they are caused and get rid of strawberry legs.

Also known as comedones, these little dark spots form on the legs in a pattern that matches your hair follicles. They resemble microscopic blackheads that are sometimes mistaken for dirt.

Because shaving exposes and opens pores or follicles, strawberry legs frequently appear more prominently after shaving. Unwanted substances or bacteria can enter the skin through open pores, causing various problems.

There is no single cause to make your legs appear like they are sprinkled with little poppy seeds. But it mostly boils down to an enlarged hair follicle or clogged pores that contain a trapped mixture of oil, bacteria, and dead skin.

What causes strawberry legs

Strawberry legs can be caused by dry skin, acne, and poor shaving habits. It’s a common condition in those with darker complexion more often, although it can affect anyone. Let’s look at the various causes of these clogged pores or hair follicles that lead to strawberry legs.

Dry Skin

When your skin is dehydrated, it’s a sign that your dermal barrier is compromised. You’re more prone to experience irritation during shaving if your skin is dry.

You may be at risk of developing razor burn and folliculitis due to this. Strawberry legs and other conditions that mimic the dotted or pitted appearance of legs can be caused or exacerbated by dry skin.

Clogged Pores

There are millions of pores on our skin. As a result, it’s only natural for them to become blocked from time to time with sebum, Filth, dead skin cells, bacteria, sweat, product buildup, and grime from pollution and dust.

It may be easy to see if you have larger clog pores on your legs owing to heredity or abundant body hair. Through hair removal, you open your pores. The oil inside these enlarged pores is exposed to the air and oxidizes, turning black. Strawberry legs are the shape of these black dots.

Shaving

Shaving your legs with old or blunt razors or shaving without a moisturizing skincare routine can cause razor burns and ingrown hair. Ingrown hairs may resemble strawberry skin in some people. People with a lot of body hair commonly experience symptoms of strawberry legs.

Folliculitis, which means inflamed hair follicles, can also be caused by dry shaving or a dull razor. In such circumstances, the infected hair follicles become irritated, aggravating the surrounding skin and causing black patches to form.

Ingrown hair

People with thicker body hair might resemble strawberry legs because of ingrown hair on their skin.

Ingrown hairs can cause painful lumps, blisters, and skin darkening in some circumstances. Ingrown hair is most commonly caused by improper body hair removal.

Keratosis pilaris

Keratosis pilaris is a benign skin condition that causes tiny red bumps to appear on the skin’s surface. This skin condition mainly affects the upper arms and thighs, known as “chicken skin.”

Keratosis pilaris causes red dots or pimples that are small clumps of the protein keratin and dead skin cells. These tiny red bumps might irritate and dry, although skincare moisturizers can help.

Keratosis pilaris¹ occurs more frequently in the dry winter months than in the summer. If you often swim, though, you may develop this chicken skin. The chemicals in swimming pools have a tendency to dry up the skin. The same applies if you’re from a low-humidity climate.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is a skin condition that leads to infected and irritated hair follicles. Usually, all hair removal treatments leave open pores and the hair follicle uncovered and vulnerable to infection. This can cause folliculitis.

Exposure to yeast, bacteria, or fungus can also lead to folliculitis. Folliculitis usually begins as little red pimples or blisters that progress to difficult scabs to heal.

Ingrown hairs trying to break through the skin can often cause folliculitis. This can also cause the darker skin that is characteristic of strawberry legs.

Strawberry legs: Symptoms and diagnosis

Strawberry legsopen pores

Sun damage, injury, underlying conditions, or inflammation can all create scattered, darker skin pigmentation or dark spots. Strawberry legs can be the result of these dark pores.

Strawberry legs typically do not require professional treatment. This is a fairly common condition that can usually be managed if you’re concerned about your skin’s appearance and believe something more serious is going on.

Your healthcare professional will then inspect your skin. They may request a full history and potentially request a skin sample to offer you professional medical advice and treatment options. This is a fairly common condition that can usually be managed at home.

Ways to treat strawberry legs

Focusing on the underlying cause can help you get rid of strawberry legs. Strawberry seeds like skin can be treated through home remedies or by getting your strawberry legs medically reviewed, depending on the cause and severity.

Home Remedies

You can rely on several home remedies when thinking about getting rid of strawberry legs.

Shaving properly

Shaving, waxing, threading, and plucking are all ways of hair removal that might cause irritation or inflammation. Changing your razor more frequently is an excellent way to start addressing the problem if you’ve been suffering from strawberry legs. Using a sharp razor is important to avoid skin irritation.

Shaving on dry skin should also be avoided. Before shaving, use a body wash or moisturizing shaving cream with a rich and creamy lather to soften your legs before shaving. This type of shaving cream will aid with the lost moisture in your legs. Using moisturizing shaving cream will also help avoid razor burn in sensitive skin.

To carefully treat your skin’s barrier, shave in the direction of hair growth rather than against it. This helps avoid razor burn and prevents irritation of hair follicles.

Using an epilator

An epilator is a small electrical device that grabs and removes hair from the root. It is a wonderful alternative for those susceptible to strawberry legs because shaving and waxing can lead to infected hair follicles. Although it may appear to be unpleasant, it is normally well tolerated. As it reduces your hair’s growth, you only need to use an epilator every two to three weeks.

Stay hydrated and moisturize regularly

Skin that is hydrated and nurtured maintains a strong protective barrier and reduces the risk of strawberry legs.

Apply a light moisturizer after showering, especially if you’ve just shaved. This will aid in the retention of moisture. After the hair removal procedure, moisturize your legs regularly to give emollient properties, relieve irritation and redness, and encourage wound healing.

Internal hydration is just as vital as external hydration. Remember to drink water every hour and consume moisture-rich fruits and vegetables.

Dry brushing

Dry brushingdead skin

Brushing your teeth with a dry brush a couple of times a week has numerous advantages. It improves circulation and drainage, which helps to detoxify the body. It energizes the body by activating the neurological system and, most significantly, exfoliates dead skin cells.

Dry brushing also aids in the discharge of toxins from the body through sweat. The brush’s coarse bristles stimulate and open up the pores. This allows the body to sweat more efficiently, reducing the number of toxins that travel through the lymphatic system.

Exfoliating your skin

Exfoliating your skin regularly helps eliminate dead skin cells that clog pores and hair follicles. This can be done through the use of body scrub. You should use a gentle exfoliating approach such as a washcloth or a loofah, and moisturize after to help prevent strawberry legs.

Chemical exfoliation is another way to eliminate dead skin cells. Exfoliants like glycolic acid and salicylic acid ²break down dead skin cells on the skin’s surface and wash them away with water when rinsed.

Exfoliation raises the rate of cell turnover, which minimizes hyperpigmentation and spots. It improves the tone and texture of your skin by increasing blood circulation in your skin. Exfoliation regularly can also help prevent ingrown hairs.

Professional Treatment

Permanent hair removalhair follicles

Laser hair removal

Hair removalbody hair

Laser hair removal uses low-level radiation to damage hair follicles enough to slow down hair growth. Despite the effects enduring longer than home hair removal methods, it does not produce permanent results.

If you have ingrown hairs that irritate your skin and cause discoloration, laser therapy can help you eliminate them. It usually requires two to six sessions of laser therapy to get rid of hair, but it can vary depending on your biological background. Besides the hair removal part, there are many other advantages of laser hair removal.

Although new hairs will continue to develop, they will be finer and lighter in color than previously. Meaning regrown hair after this treatment will not appear as heavy as it may be earlier. This treatment works best if you have fair skin and dark hair.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is another kind of hair removal procedure that a dermatologist might perform. This procedure is done by inserting an epilator device into the skin. It also stops hair from growing.

Shortwave radio frequencies are used in hair follicles to prevent new hair from growing. As a result, existing hairs fall out and destroy your hair follicles, stopping new hair growth. However, you’ll need several follow-up sessions for the best results.

Electrolysis ³is incredibly adaptable, and it generates more permanent outcomes. For all skin and hair types, it can aid in preventing new hair growth. Electrolysis can be performed on any part of the body, including the brows.

When to seek medical help

Strawberry legs

However, strawberry legs may return more frequently and be more difficult to treat in those with thicker body hair, deeper skin pigmentation, and extra hair follicle issues. If this is the case, relying on professional treatment may be the most effective way to relieve long-term symptoms.

If you still suffer from symptoms of strawberry legs after trying these methods, visiting a healthcare giver is advised. They can quickly help identify the underlying cause of your physical symptoms.

For example, if your doctor finds that you have folliculitis, they may prescribe medications to treat inflamed hair follicles. You can use oral antibiotics and antibiotic creams or gels. Unless the infection recurs, your antibiotic therapy for folliculitis will likely be cosmetic.

FAQs:

Q. Can ice remove strawberry legs

• After shaving the legs, apply some moisturizer or body oil or simply go for icing on the legs to reduce inflammation and spots.

Q. Can aloe vera remove strawberry legs?

• Certain natural remedies for strawberry legs can help. These include using baking soda, exfoliating the skin, applying aloe vera, and scrubbing with sea salt and ground coffee beans.

Q. Can lemon get rid of strawberry legs?

• This can help remove excess oil and dirt, improving the overall appearance of strawberry legs.

1. Thomas, Mary, and Uday Sharadchandra Khopkar. “Keratosis pilaris revisited: is it more than just a follicular keratosis?.” International Journal of Trichology 4.4 (2012): 255-258. ↩︎
2. Raskin, Ilya. “Role of salicylic acid in plants.” Annual review of plant biology 43.1 (1992): 439-463. ↩︎
3. Hauch, Anne, et al. “Highly efficient high temperature electrolysis.” Journal of Materials Chemistry 18.20 (2008): 2331-2340. ↩︎
4. HIDANO, AKIRA, and SHINOBU NAKAJIMA. “Earliest features of the strawberry mark in the newborn.” British Journal of Dermatology 87.2 (1972): 138-144. ↩︎

Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Suchi

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Authors

Anushka Roy

Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology

• benefits
• causes and symptoms
• home remedies
• Laser treatment
• skin condition