Strawberry Legs – What is it and how to prevent it?
For the people who shave their legs, it is common to see a few black spots that start to appear on the skin. These black spots that look like the seeds on the strawberry are caused due to skin conditions that are together given the name, strawberry legs.
The spots are the pores clogged with oil, dirt, dead skin, and bacteria. Fortunately, strawberry legs are easily treatable. They are not harmful and do not cause any pain or discomfort. However, they can be embarrassing and can lower a person’s confidence.
What causes strawberry legs?
A mixture of reasons can cause black spots to appear on your legs:
Shaving
Using old razors, not shaving properly, or shaving without applying a cream or moisturizer can cause bumps that cause harm to your skin, leading to strawberry legs.
Clogged Pores
You may also get strawberry legs when your pores get clogged with dirt, oil, bacteria, or dead skin. Our skin has thousands of pores responsible for releasing oil and sweat that help us stay cool and combat the heat. When the oil in these pores comes in contact with the air, it oxidizes and becomes darker, thus causing black spots.
Keratosis Pilaris
Keratosis pilaris is a common skin condition wherein you can feel tiny bumps on your skin that are hard and rough to touch. They have a goosebump-like texture. These bumps are dead skin cells and have keratin protein accumulated inside. Keratosis pilaris can be embarrassing but it is treatable with exfoliation and moisturizing.
Dry Skin
Overly dry skin can also lead to the development of strawberry legs as well as other skin conditions.
Folliculitis
Hair removal methods or exposure to bacteria, yeast, and fungus can sometimes cause hair follicles to get inflamed and infected. This condition is known as folliculitis. When you have folliculitis, your hair follicles get swollen and appear like red bumps or pimples.
How can you prevent strawberry legs?
Although strawberry legs are embarrassing, they are treatable. A few preventive ways are:
Change your razor and use shaving cream
Using an old and dull razor can cause strawberry legs. One of the most inexpensive and easy ways of treating the skin condition is by regularly changing your razor after every 4-6 uses. Also, make sure that you are using enough shaving cream to avoid any skin irritation. Furthermore, it is crucial to clean your razor every time you use it, as it will keep the chances of catching skin infections at bay.
Exfoliate and moisturize frequently
Exfoliation is the key to getting rid of any dead skin cells and dirt that clog the pores and cause be causing the skin condition. By exfoliating and moisturizing your legs regularly, you are helping new hair to grow which might otherwise clog the pore. This way, you can drastically improve the symptoms of strawberry legs.
Permanent Hair Removal
Shaving or waxing can worsen the symptoms of strawberry legs. Consequently, permanent hair removal methods can help deal with the condition. You can switch to:
Electrolysis: A permanent hair removal method wherein low electrical currents are used to remove hair permanently.
Laser Treatment: A laser is used to remove hair from the follicles. Usually, this treatment takes around two to six sittings to get rid of hair.
Use an Epilator
An epilator is an electrical device that tweezes hair out from the root. Waxing and shaving might not be reliable options for many due to the skin irritation that they cause. In such a case, you can try using an epilator to lower the symptoms of strawberry legs. However, epilators can also cause a little discomfort as they pull out your hair.
Salicylic or glycolic acid could be beneficial
Salicylic and glycolic acids are the ingredients in most acne products and can help reduce acne that might be leading to strawberry legs.
If none of the above-mentioned ways help you with the skin condition, you can take assistance from a professional dermatologist to help treat the condition. Some doctors also recommend chemical exfoliants that allow the removal of dead skin cells without the discomfort of regular exfoliation, which might prove to provide aid.
Do you know any other ways to treat strawberry legs? Let us know in the comments section below.
