The Best Chemical Peel and Treatment Cream for Strawberry Legs
Have you ever heard of the term strawberry legs? If so, then its probably because it is so very common. Strawberry legs are extremely common and affect women all over the world. The term comes from the appearance of strawberry and strawberry seeds, and how legs can suddenly have black dots on them that appear like strawberry seeds. This appearance is often due to poor shaving techniques or other issues that can be addressed. Keep reading to learn more about strawberry legs and how you can fix them.
What are Strawberry Legs?
Strawberry legs refers to the visible black dots and spots that may be found on your legs after shaving or removing the hair. Often, these dark dots are found in your pores and can leave your legs feeling rough with an uneven texture. Strawberry legs can be extremely difficult to get rid of, and often leave women covered up during the summer months out of fear of what others would think about their appearance. However, there is no reason to be embarrassed. Strawberry legs are extremely common and can be fixed with a few simple steps. Keep reading to learn how to finally get rid of your own strawberry legs.
What Causes Strawberry Legs?
Strawberry legs can be caused by a variety of things. The cause may vary from person to person, so it may be difficult to understand why you are getting strawberry legs. Since strawberry legs is a colloquial term, it can actually refer to many different things such as keratosis pilaris, folliculitis or even razor burn. Most people who suffer from strawberry legs actually have keratosis pilaris, which is very very common.
Keratosis pilaris is an issue in which you may develop tiny, raised bumps on your arms and legs. It is also often referred to as chicken skin, especially when found on the back of your arms. Keratosis pilaris may also produce dry and rough patches on your skin. It isn’t necessary considered a disease, instead it is just considered a variation of normal skin. The condition is typically more visible on people with farer skin, and may actually appear like small red dots instead of the typical black dots of strawberry skin.
Folliculitis may also cause strawberry legs. This condition is caused by bacteria or fungi which infect your pores. Folliculitis appear as raised bumps and even tiny pimples on your skin where the infection is located. Mild cases may clear up on their own within a few days, but more severe cases may require antibiotic creams or pills in order to completely get rid of them. Folliculitis may also be due to ingrown hairs in the affected area. If you have ingrown hair, then the hair follicle can become infected with bacteria or fungi and lead to reddened, painful bumps. If this is found all over your legs, then it may produce the blackish dots that are typical of strawberry legs.
Other causes of strawberry legs include large, open pores that are full of bacteria and skin cells. Some people have genetically larger pores than others, which can lead to buildup of bacteria and dead skin cells within their pores. This may lead to the appearance of strawberry legs.
Symptoms of Strawberry Legs
The most common symptoms of strawberry legs include tiny red or black bumps on your legs, clogged pores on your legs, and irritated legs, especially after you shave your legs. Having any of these symptoms may mean that you have strawberry legs. You may also experience itching and irritation in the affected areas.
The Best Chemical Peels and Creams for Strawberry Legs
The mainstay of treatment for strawberry legs is cleaning your legs appropriately and exfoliating them to get rid of dead skin cells and keep your pores clean and healthy. Try user a cleanser that has salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide included in their formulas.
These two compounds will gently exfoliate your skin and keep your pores healthy and clean. They are compounds that are typically used in acne prevention, but help to cleanse pores and keep your skin healthy. After using these products, find a gentle lotion or aloe vera to moisturize your legs in order to prevent excessive oil buildup and dryness. These two compounds may cause dryness in your skin. When your skin becomes dry, it will try to produce excess oil in order to maintain its barrier. This leads to oily skin, and can lead to buildup in your pores. For this reason, its essential to use these compounds in conjunction with a good moisturizer. One of my favorite moisturizers is this organic Aloe Vera Gel without Xanthan below. I swear by it!
If you don’t want to buy cleansers or creams with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide in them, then you could make your own creams and exfoliants. Brown sugar, aloe vera and lemon juice mixed together make a great scrub to gently remove excess dirt and oil from your pores. Another good scrub is milk and salt. Simply add equal parts milk and salt in a bowl and gently scrub the mixture onto your skin in small circular motions. Then rinse off thoroughly and apply a nice moisturizer to your skin.
If you’re not the DIY kind of lady, I can thoroughly recommend the products below for exfoliation on the body. I’ve really seen great results with Soap and Glory’s “The Scrub of Your Life”, Soap and Glory’s Smoothie Breakfast Scrub and my good old Konjac Sponge, which is similar to a loofah sponge.
My general recommendation for those with sensitive skin is to exfoliate on days when you’re not shaving to avoid over-irritation of the skin. If your skin isn’t sensitive, exfoliation right before a shave can be beneficial.
Tip: If you’re looking to exfoliate your face, please stay away from St. Yves and opt for a chemical exfoliant instead. I learned the hard way following the SkinCareAddiction Routine for Beginners and my skin has improved a lot!
Another cream to buy that works great for strawberry skin is any type of lotion with alpha hydroxy acid such as Amlactin lotion. This lotion contains alpha hydroxy acid, which gently exfoliates and breakdown your rough and bumpy skin, helps retain moisture in your skin, and keeps your skin’s natural barrier strong.
Amlactin is a great lotion and cream option for people struggling with strawberry legs, especially if it is due to keratosis pilaris.
If you are struggling with strawberry legs, then know that you aren’t alone. This condition is very common, and many women and men suffer from it. To treat it, simply add an exfoliant to your skin care routine, ensure that you are using proper razors and shaving cream, and add moisture to your skin care routine. Moisturizers and creams with exfoliants such as alpha hydroxy acid, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide can help remove excess dirt from your pores and reduce the appearance of strawberry legs.
