The legs strawberry are unsightly black spots or dark bumps that often appear on the legs after hair removal. The appearance of dark spots on your legs can make you feel insecure about wearing shorts or a bikini. The tiny black dots that appear after shaving, or plucking your legs, are actually small blocked pores that look like a dark rash. In this article, you will discover some of the various reasons for dark leg spots that are associated with strawberry legs. You will also discover how to prevent them from appearing in the first place.
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What are strawberry legs?
They are called strawberry legs because they resemble the skin of a strawberry that is covered in tiny dots. Usually, red or black dots appear on the skin after waxing due to a reaction in the hair follicles. Sometimes the dark spots that are characteristic of strawberry legs are blocked pores that turn black, or an increase in the dark pigment, melanin, in the pores.
Many people say that dark spots on the legs after waxing are more common among women who have dark skin. People with darker skin have more melanin pigments in their skin. This can mean that blackheads, spots, and small bumps appear more easily.
Symptoms of strawberry legs
The main concern of women who have strawberry legs is to get rid of the dark spots that appear after shaving or waxing. Other skin problems that can appear after shaving the legs or another area of the body can include:
- Small red bumps that can become infected
- Large itchy and swollen red bumps
- Ingrown hairs that become infected and start to itch
Causes of strawberry legs
The removal of leg hair by shaving or waxing can affect the skin in several ways. There are some skin conditions that can cause dark pores and other strawberry leg symptoms. Let’s look at the most common in more detail.
Folliculitis
Folliculitis is a common reason for the appearance of strawberry legs and it occurs when the follicles become inflamed after shaving or waxing. Irritant folliculitis often affects women’s legs after shaving. This can cause an itchy rash on the legs caused by irritation from waxing or shaving with a razor blade.
Strawberry legs can be open comedones
The dark spots on the legs that are characteristic of strawberry legs could be due to clogged pores or hair follicles. Strawberry legs could be a type of open comedo that causes black spots on the legs. Doctors say that open comedones are another name for blackheads or sebaceous pimples. The dark spots that look like a black rash are actually sebum and oil that get clogged in the pore. Since the pore is open, the substance turns black when oxidized in air.
Bad hair removal techniques
Bad or violent hair removal techniques could leave your legs like strawberries. Some mistakes that can lead to strawberry skin on the legs include shaving against hair growth, not exfoliating beforehand, or using a rake.
However, strawberry skin on the legs can also be the result of waxing on the legs. A 2015 report found that waxing or shaving can lead to comedones. This can cause blackheads in the affected area. Doctors also reported that pigmentary changes (dark or light spots) are common after waxing.
Keratosis pilaris
One condition that can cause a strawberry type of skin on the legs is keratosis pilaris. This causes small red or tan-colored bumps on the legs, upper arms, buttocks, or cheeks. Due to the uneven appearance of the skin, some people refer to this as “goose bumps.” No one is really sure what causes keratosis pilaris. It could be due to hereditary conditions, dry skin, intolerances and / or allergies.
Self-tanning creams
Some dermatologists say that strawberry legs can be caused by tanning creams that result in dark spots on the legs. Tanning creams stain the top layer of skin to give it a darker appearance. In some women, the open pores on their legs may react more to the cream and give the appearance of blackheads on the legs.
Home remedies for strawberry legs
In order to get rid of strawberry legs, you must prepare your skin properly before shaving or plucking your legs. It’s also important to take good care of your legs after waxing to prevent ingrown hairs or dead skin cells from clogging your pores or causing an infection.
Baking soda for strawberry legs
- Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to create a thick exfoliating paste.
- Gently massage the baking soda remedy where you have dark spots on your legs and leave it for a few minutes.
- Rinse with lukewarm water.
- Repeat once or twice a week to help keep your leg skin healthy and reduce the appearance of strawberry legs.
If you have sensitive skin, you will need to add more coconut oil to prevent the baking soda from irritating your skin.
Sugar scrub for legs
- Combine 2 tablespoons of raw organic sugar, 2 tablespoons of raw honey, and the juice of half a lemon.
- Mix well until the sugar is as fine as possible.
- Apply the content gently on the dark bumps on your legs in circular motions.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes to help nourish and protect your skin.
- Rinse with lukewarm water to help unclog dark pores on your legs.
Aloe vera to treat lumps after shaving the legs
- Add 2-3 drops of tea tree oil to a tablespoon of aloe vera gel and mix well.
- After waxing or shaving your legs, apply the aloe vera remedy.
- Use the home remedy 2-3 times a day to help reduce irritation and prevent folliculitis that produces dark pigmented spots on the legs.
Oatmeal to help remove dark lumps on the legs
- Fill a bathtub with warm water and add 2 cups of colloidal (ground) oatmeal to the water.
- Mix in the oatmeal to release the therapeutic properties.
- Get in the bathtub for 20 minutes.
- While soaking, take a handful of oatmeal and make a thick paste out of it.
- Press the paste on shaved or shaved skin that is irritated or itchy and leave it for 5 minutes to avoid the formation of bumps on the legs.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- Take this oatmeal bath for the first 2-3 days after waxing your legs to help prevent strawberry skin and dark spots.
Scotch elm or witch hazel
- Soak a cotton ball in pure scotch elm extract.
- Apply the remedy to your legs to help shrink pores, prevent them from clogging, and reduce inflammation.
- Repeat 2-3 times a day to make sure no dark spots appear on your legs after shaving or waxing.
How to prevent pimples on the legs
After removing the hair on the legs, you should take care of the skin on the legs to prevent dark spots from appearing. Using correct techniques for shaving or waxing can help prevent follicle inflammation as these result in strawberry legs.
Doctors recommend some ways to prevent skin irritation and complications after shaving. Some of these include:
- Always exfoliate your skin before shaving to loosen hairs and prevent dead skin cells that cause folliculitis.
- Use shaving oil, foam, or shaving gel instead of soap to prevent dry skin conditions.
- Always shave in the direction of hair growth. For a smoother shave, you should shave the way your hair grows, although you could end up with ingrown hairs.
- After shaving your legs, rinse with lukewarm water to remove soap and dead skin cells. Then rinse with cold water to close your pores.
- Apply your favorite natural moisturizer to protect your skin from drying out.
When waxing your legs, you should avoid using harsh soaps on the areas you waxed for the first few days after waxing. Soap can irritate sensitive skin even more and cause a lot of irritation and hinder the healing process.