Strawberry Legs

If you have strawberry legs, also called “chicken skin,” don’t panic. Strawberry legs are more common than you might think, and they’re usually harmless as well. This skin condition gets its name by resembling the skin and seeds of strawberries – tiny dark dots or spots found all over your legs.

Strawberry legs may occur after you shave, but not necessarily.

These dots are hair follicles or pores that may contain bacteria, dead skin, dirt and oil, usually after shaving. In some cases, your pores may seem larger than normal due to this condition. Luckily, strawberry legs are treatable and can easily be prevented with the right care. So, what are some ways to get rid of strawberry legs?

  • Exfoliate your skin and moisturize properly.
  • Use shaving cream or target your hair from the roots.
  • Medicated creams with Glycolic or Salicylic acid.
  • Use a quality hair removal method.
  • Professional treatment.
brow tweezing

Exfoliate Your Skin and Moisturize

It’s important that you exfoliate your legs and body for that matter. If exfoliating daily is too much for you, you should aim to exfoliate at least a couple times per week. The most convenient time to exfoliate is during a shower, and you’ll want to invest in a good exfoliator that won’t irritate your skin. Here are some tips on how to exfoliate properly:

  • Always exfoliate with a body scrub, washcloth or dry brush to effectively eliminate all your dead skin cells.
  • Avoid exfoliating too aggressively or too softly, it should just be gentle enough on your skin.
  • Scrub in a circular motion and reach every part of your body, even your face!
  • Go with a chemical exfoliation that contains Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) and Salicylic acid to speed up the shedding of your dead skin cells and make it harder for your pores to clog.

After you’re done exfoliating your skin, you should always apply moisturizer. Without moisturizing, your skin may feel sensitive, parched and dry, so it’s essential that you properly hydrate your skin with a good moisturizer that doesn’t clog your pores, for example coconut oil. By moisturizing daily, it’ll help cause dead skin cells to fall off on their own, and as a result can help reduce and prevent the appearance of strawberry legs.

shaving rash strawberry

Use Shaving Cream for the Best Shave

If you use soap or even worse, nothing to shave your legs with, you’ll want to switch over or start using shaving cream instead. Shaving cream as you probably know is specifically designed for shaving. It adds a thin layer of protection for your legs so that there’s less friction when you go to shave. Having less friction minimizes the chances of nicks, pulls, cuts and burns – it makes shaving safer and easier. Find a shaving cream brand that doesn’t irritate your skin or have any negative reactions.

You can also use a hair removal method such as waxing or epilating that’ll get rid of your leg hair from the roots. If you’re afraid of the pain, don’t worry too much as there any many methods that are almost or completely painless.

Medicated Creams With Glycolic or Salicylic Acid

Another method to help get rid of strawberry legs is using creams that contain Glycolic or Salicylic acid. These acids work wonders to open up your pores by gently dissolving dead skin cells and dirt that are on your body. Not only does this help reduce the appearance of strawberry legs, it’ll make your legs look much smoother if applied regularly.

Glycolic acid creams not only help with strawberry legs, but it also helps with acne scars, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. The concentration level of this acid is usually between 5 and 30 percent, but for strawberry legs specifically, a less potent concentration level of around 15% should be enough. These creams are great for those who have dry or sun damaged skin.

Salicylic acid creams deeply penetrate your skin and targets your pores to flush them out. They work great for oily, inflamed and sensitive skin as they are usually less potent than Glycolic acid creams.

You can also find these acids in chemical exfoliators as mentioned earlier. Always make sure you apply sunscreen after applying either acid as your skin will have increased photosensitivity!

Use a Quality Hair Removal Method

Since strawberry legs is commonly caused by your hair removal method, you’ll want to choose quality products to get rid of the hair. It’s always a good investment to use high-quality shaving products that’ll do the job properly. This means never using an old and dull razor as it can be quite dangerous for obvious reasons. You’ll know you are using a quality product when you don’t have to repeatedly go over the same spot to remove your leg hair. Repeatedly shaving the same spots on your legs can cause inflammation and may clog your pores, therefore contributing to strawberry legs.

Instead, go for a razor that gets rid of the hair in one or two strokes, without causing your hair to pull back. This is a bad sign for any razor as this may lead to ingrown hairs – another problem you don’t want to deal. When using a razor, shave with the grain (the same direction your hair grows) as opposed to against the grain. Although most of us were told to shave against the grain to get a closer shave, you’re far more likely to receive nicks, cuts and irritation.

Professional Treatments

If you’ve been dealing with strawberry legs for a while, using the previous methods in this article should eventually treat the condition. However, if it seems like nothing is working after weeks or even months of trying to treat the condition, you could consider professional treatment that gets rid of your leg hair. It’s important to note that these treatment options can be pricey and that they may not be suitable for everyone. You should always consult with a healthcare professional before undergoing any professional treatment.

  • Laser therapy: One of the most common treatments for strawberry legs. This method works by using lasers to completely get rid of your hair at the roots so you no longer have to worry about shaving for a couple years. You’ll need to attend multiple sessions for the treatment to work effectively.
  • Electrolysis: Uses a hair removal device that is inserted into the skin to remove your hair and disrupt its growth using chemical or heat energy. After attending multiple sessions, you should see great and long-lasting results.
  • Bacterial or fungal infection treatment: In some cases, the cause of your strawberry legs may be from an underlying condition such as folliculitis that will require prescribed medication to treat. It could be as simple applying a specialized cream.

Conclusion

Having strawberry legs is nothing to be embarrassed about, so you shouldn’t let it affect whether you go to the beach or not. Not only is this skin condition difficult to see, you have to remember that it’s harmless and pretty common! If you use the methods listed in this article, we’re sure that you’ll finally be able to get rid of your strawberry legs.

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About the Author

Von Collins

Von Collins