How To Cover Strawberry Legs With Makeup

How to Become Rid of "Strawberry Legs," According to Derms

Medically reviewed by

Board-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST

DAHYEMBI JOI / 500PX / GETTY IMAGES / Design by Dion Mills

Do you always notice small, night spots on your legs after you shave? Turns out they're actually clogged pores, not unlike a blackhead. Sometimes mistaken equally dirt, these nighttime dots resemble the seeds on the skin of strawberries (hence the informal term "strawberry legs") and are more than noticeable on some skin types than others.

"Strawberry legs describes the appearance of dark spots in the skin occurring in a blueprint that corresponds to pilus follicles or pores," says dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, Physician. Causes vary simply include when shaven hairs are darker (and therefore, more visible) than skin colour, enlarged hair follicles, clogged pores, and keratosis pilaris, she adds.

Murphy-Rose compares the dark spots to a blackhead on the face or trunk. "Enlarged pores can get clogged with buildup (keratin debris, oil, and bacteria) that oxidizes and darkens when exposed to air. Dermatologists call blackheads 'open comedones' because they are open and exposed to the air, causing the black dot we encounter." Luckily you can help to prevent them from forming.

Meet the Expert

Blair Murphy-Rose MD, FAAD is a board-certified New York City dermatologist. She is also a clinical banana professor at New York Presbyterian Infirmary/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Ali Tobia is a licensed esthetician in New York City with over 20 years of professional experience. She is a leading expert at Only Ageless torso sculpting and dazzler lab.

Below, we've rounded upwardly all the tips that truly help prevent and treat strawberry legs. Keep reading to learn more than.

Michela Buttignol / Byrdie

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Dry-Brushing

Preventing strawberry legs starts a twenty-four hour period or 2 before you shave. To assistance with the exfoliation process, vigorously brush legs with a soft dry brush in round motions before your bath or shower. Then, soak skin in warm water for five to 10 minutes before y'all shave—this helps draw out impurities and loosen dead skin cells trapped inside the pores.

Wholesome Dazzler Dry Skin Body Brush 16" $12.00

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02 of 12

Physical Exfoliation

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Don't forget to exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. Regular exfoliation may aid keep these dark pores at bay as do proper shaving methods, shaving tools, and a practiced skin care regimen. It's recommended that you exfoliate your legs regularly with a glove or body scrub that polishes away expressionless skin cells.

"Exfoliation tin can exist very constructive in preventing strawberry legs because it helps to soften the peel and loosen up the dirt and oil that'southward already in your pores, which helps to prevent that dirt and oil from getting trapped in your pores when you shave," says licensed esthetician Tobia.

"If you are using a scrub to exfoliate, make sure to use a mild product, and use a gentle motility when you do the bodily scrubbing," advises Tobia. "Sometimes we think that scrubbing harder cleans amend, only the truth is that all information technology adds is irritation to the peak layer of pare."

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Chemical Exfoliation

Exfoliation tin too include chemical varieties, which Murphy-Rose says helps past "speeding upwards the shedding of expressionless skin cells...regular exfoliation will make someone less prone to clogged pores." Her favorite products contain AHAs and salicylic acid, "a beta-hydroxy acid that exfoliates dead skin cells to make it harder for pores to clog."

"About acid-containing body washes (Neutrogena Body Clear Body Wash, $7) and lotions (Cerave SA Lotion for Rough & Bumpy Skin, $12) can be used ane to two times daily," instructs Irish potato-Rose. If y'all're sensitive to salicylic acid, she suggests products containing lactic acid or glycolic acid equally an alternative. Tobia highly recommends Environ's Body Essentia Derma-Lac Lotion ($65), which has "lactic acid in the formulation to exfoliate your skin without abrasives."

Alba Botanica Acnedote Maximum Force Face & Trunk Scrub, 8 oz. $6.00

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04 of 12

Moisturizing

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Following exfoliation, you should ever moisturize, emphasizes Murphy-Rose. "Keeping your peel well-hydrated will help dead peel cells to shed off naturally and appropriately," she explains. For those with dry out skin, she recommends using products with rich moisturizers like shea butter and ceramides. She tells us, "Many swear by Gold Bond Rough & Bumpy Skin ($10), which is great for dry skin and gentle plenty to be used—and should exist used—twice a day. Glytone's Kp Kit ($68) includes an AHA body wash and balm. You can likewise endeavor chemical peels at your board-certified dermatologist's office."

05 of 12

Shaving With a Quality Razor

Since the appearance of dark pores might be because of your shaving technique, make sure you are properly shaving your legs and investing in quality products. "A cheap, low-quality razor usually dulls much more quickly, gets nicks on the edge of the bract, and is oftentimes not as sharp to begin with," says Tobia. "What all of that means is that you're more than likely to echo the same razor strokes multiple times, which inflames your skin and makes the clogged pores more visible due to surrounding redness."

Employ a razor that provides a closer shave without forcing the pilus to snap back and cause ingrown hairs. Nosotros recommend Billie Razor Starter Kit ($10) or Oui the People Rose Gold Safety Razor ($75). And don't forget: Even before you shave, soak in warm (not hot) water to soften the hair on your legs and open upward pores.

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Moisturizing Shaving Cream

While gel and cream may be standard when it comes to shaving products, Tobia tells us, "I utilise hair conditioner on my legs earlier shaving, which provides a clean, smooth shave with much less irritation because it softens the pilus before shaving information technology and provides a thin layer of lubricant to the surface of the skin."

Regardless of what production you apply to prep your legs earlier shaving, "Make sure to not get h2o on your legs while y'all're shaving because that will rinse off whichever product before it can protect your skin from the razor," says Tobia. "I switch my showerhead off and just let the bathtub faucet run to rinse my blade, but if that'due south non an pick for you, just make sure that you lot're out of the direct path of the shower."

Billie Shave Cream $8.00

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07 of 12

Shaving With the Grain

To avoid strawberry legs, try shaving in the direction of pilus growth. Avoid passing over the aforementioned area too many times, which volition irritate the skin. Also, be conscientious not to stretch your skin tight while shaving. When done, Tobia adds, "Pat your legs dry—rubbing can irritate your peel—and apply a moisturizer or oil. This is a good idea whether you lot only shaved or not, simply one bit of advice: If you're using an oil, try to avoid coconut oil, which has some comedogenic properties."

Side by side, utilize a fragrance-free cream, moisturizer, or lotion made for aftershave to reduce redness.

Fur Ingrown Concentrate $32.00

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08 of 12

Waxing

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Waxing is one of the almost common and constructive hair removal techniques. Information technology's also a viable solution for nipping strawberry legs in the bud. "Waxing removes the pilus by the root so the hair follicle is completely removed whereas shaving just cuts the hair right at the edge of the skin's surface. [It] also removes the dead top layer of dry pare along with the hair, which provides an exfoliation at the same fourth dimension," says Tobia. "Over time, waxed hairs grow back softer and thinner, which can help you spread out the time between pilus removal and minimize the strawberry legs event."

When it comes to waxing, phone call a professional. "It's a big project for a DIY apprentice, and if you lot're prone to irritation already, you lot may exacerbate that if you wax yourself improperly," Tobia says.

09 of 12

TCA Multi-Acid Body Peel

If you're looking for an all-over brighter and more fifty-fifty peel tone, body peels might be your best bet. According to Tobia, "TCA multi-acid body peel contains a combination of salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, phytic acid, and TCA (trichloroacetic acid) that is powerful against clogged pores of the body."

"Utilise a thin coat of product with a fan castor (or a cotton pad if you don't have the brush) to clean dry skin. This peel does not need to be rinsed off," she says. "You will likely come across smoother and brighter skin within one to two weeks of your first treatment and with continued weekly employ the results will go along getting better as the appearance of pores continues to noticeably fade."

Stacked Skincare TCA Multi-Acid Torso Peel $109.00

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Leg Masking

"You can also soothe your legs with a really elementary DIY mask treatment," says Tobia. Here's her favorite one to DIY at home:

½ cup of chickpea flour
½ cup of total-fatty yogurt (organic if possible)
2 tbsp of honey (organic if possible)
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon
H2o (add 1 tbsp at a fourth dimension until the mixture forms a thick paste)
Spread the finished mask paste on your legs to glaze your entire legs, and requite yourself a gentle leg massage while applying (this is but considering it feels great anyway). I utilize this over my bathtub to avert whatever sort of mess in the house.
Permit the mask remain on your legs for ten-15 minutes. Then rinse with warm water and a soft washcloth.

"Chickpea flour is a great exfoliating agent while the yogurt contains lactic acid to help deliquesce dead skin cells. The beloved provides an antibacterial and antimicrobial chemical element, and the lemon has natural severe properties, and information technology decreases oil on your peel and is an antifungal amanuensis," explains Tobia.

Herbaila Chickpea Flour $11.00

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11 of 12

Laser Hair Removal

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Like waxing, laser pilus removal aims to get rid of hair more completely than just at the skin'due south surface, says Potato-Rose. "Removing the hairs to begin with is an excellent mode to prevent and care for the problem at its root (no pun intended)," she says. Techniques like sugaring, thermolysis, and depilatory creams also do this; still, the latter "is non always well-tolerated and may crusade skin irritation and so I do not generally recommend," says Murphy-Rose.

Tobia is also a proponent of laser pilus removal, especially since "if you lot have thick, coarse, curly hair (particularly dark hair), in that location's a proficient hazard that any kind of hair removal, including waxing, can atomic number 82 to ingrown hairs and strawberry legs," she comments adding that information technology is so effective "at not merely removing your hair simply also thinning the hair that grows back that it can drastically reduce irritation."

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Body Icing

Many don't realize that "using a frozen roller or another frozen object on your skin to soothe inflammation is a great manner to treat redness and irritation on your body, too," says Tobia. She recommends Nicole Caroline's Facial Ice Spheres ($32) "because you can freeze whatever conception you lot desire to create based on the condition yous're trying to treat."

For strawberry legs, she suggests "a mixture of water with pure aloe vera and a few drops of tea tree oil frozen in the sphere, which y'all then massage onto your legs subsequently you shave or wax. This helps to soothe and hydrate your peel and keeps your pores clear."

Tea Tree Therapy 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil $16.00

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FAQ

Can yous treat strawberry legs after you take them?

Prevention is key here, though applying a non-comedogenic moisturizing product (similar a lotion or oil) may assistance ensure the problem doesn't become worse.
Are there professional (i.e. medical-grade treatments)?

Electrolysis will pinpoint irritated pilus follicles, and therefore, prevent the recurrence of ingrown hairs. Laser therapy can likewise assistance, though it will require several treatments.
What do I practice if the trouble seems to be getting worse?

Ingrown hairs or clogged pores should clear up on their own within a few days. If they don't, or if they start to scab or look worse, visit your dermatologist for a closer look.

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Cleveland Clinic. Q&A: expert explains best mode to handle your ingrown hair. Updated February 10, 2020.
Ogunbiyi A. Pseudofolliculitis barbae; electric current treatment options.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2019;12:241-247. doi:10.2147/CCID.S149250