If you have little dark spots on your legs, looking very similar to the strawberry skin, you may have the strawberry legs, also known as comedones.
The little opened comedones are usually hair follicles or enlarged pores containing bacteria, dead skin, and the trapped mixture of oil and moisture. The skin surface with strawberry legs becomes dark with exposure to air or after shaving.
Having comedones is not something harmful or unhealthy, but it can make your skin look ugly and unhealthy. Thankfully, there are some excellent natural methods to remove these dark spots. Before proceeding to these simple and easy methods, let’s learn about the causes of strawberry legs first.
What Causes of strawberry legs?
- Shaving: Shaving is usually one of the most common causes of comedones, especially when it is done using old, dull razors without quality shaving cream. Prolonged usage of irregular or dull razors can cause the development of folliculitis and ingrown hairs causing hardness and roughness of the skin.
- Clogged pores: There are thousands of pores on your legs, and they are sometimes clogged with bacteria, dead skin, and debris especially when legs are opened for most parts of the day. These clogged pores get dark when exposed to air and cause comedones.
- Excessive dryness of the skin: Doesn’t matter what is the reason of prolonged and excessive dryness of the skin, there are chances of irritation and razor burn, that can eventually convert into conditions like strawberry legs.
- Keratosis pilaris: It is a very common benign skin condition characterized by the accumulation of protein keratin and dead cells in the skin pores causing dryness and itchiness of the skin, and sometimes turning out to be one of the reasons of strawberry legs.
- Folliculitis: The inflammation, and sometimes infection of hair follicles because of various factors including waxing, shaving, or other hair removal practices is another common cause of strawberry legs.
The comedones are usually confused with various common skin conditions like shaving rashes, itching and other skin infections. Here are a few symptoms usually associated with only comedones:
- Dotted and pitted appearance of the affected part(s).
- Mild to severe darkening of the open pores of the legs(s).
- The sudden appearance of brown or black dots after shaving or waxing.
Removing strawberry legs at home is very easy, and you can get rid of them without using harmful chemicals. Have a look at some very effective and affordable home treatments for strawberry legs:
#1 Baking soda:
Baking soda is very beneficial for the skin. It is known as an excellent alkalizing agent and can be very helpful to remove the darkness of the skin caused due to comedones.
- Take about a half cup of high-quality baking soda and add an equal amount of warm water.
- Mix properly for a couple of minutes to prepare a paste.
- Apply with your hands or a cotton plug on the affected part(s).
- Leave for 10-12 minutes and then wash with cold water.
- You can add 1 tbsp — ground oatmeal as well for more effective results.
- Follow the method until you get the desired results.
Sugar scrub doesn’t only provide soothing moisture to your skin; it is also a wonderful exfoliator. In case of strawberry legs, it will help you to remove the dead skins and bacteria inside the pores.
- Take 2 tbsp. white sugar and about 2 tbsp. aloe vera gel.
- Mix them properly to prepare a fine and thick paste.
- Add half cup oil of your choice (you can use olive, avocado, coconut, or any other oil of your choice).
- Add a few drops of lemon juice.
- Mix all the ingredients perfectly and apply on strawberry legs.
- Leave for ten minutes then clear off with fresh water.
- You can follow the method twice or thrice in a week until you get clear and shiny skin.
When it is about inflammation and roughness of the skin, castor oil is one of the best as well as affordable options. Its application on the strawberry legs can clean out your skin very easily and quickly.
- Add 2 tbsp. castor oil with a couple of spoon of aloe vera juice.
- Add a little amount of tea tree oil for soothing essence.
- Mix all three ingredients properly to make a fine paste.
- Apply on the affected parts of the leg and keep it on for half an hour.
- Clean with fresh water and pat dry.
- Repeat it for a few weeks or until you get the desired results.
It was all about strawberry legs and how you can get rid of them very easily at home. There are a few more home remedies for strawberry legs like natural moisturizers, sandalwood oil, almond oil, and coconut oil etc. You can use them as well for great results. Hope you find it useful to get rid of strawberry legs.
