Body hair can be quite a nuisance growing in all the wrong places. No matter what we try, it always grows back. I will admit that some methods prevent it from growing back as quickly or as thick as other methods, but it grows back nonetheless.

The only thing that can be more annoying than body hair, are the marks that they leave behind whenever we spend a generous amount of time carefully trying to remove them – like ending up with Strawberry Legs.

What Are Strawberry Legs?

If you are someone who regularly shaves their legs then it is very possible that you came across dark spots on your legs. These spots are in the hundreds up and down your leg and they look like the dots on a strawberry – well that is strawberry legs for you. These dark marks can be black, brown or even red in color, and they typically appear after you shave your legs. The spots are usually very visible and they can leave you feeling embarrassed and discouraged from showing your legs in public. Don’t feel bad – many people experience this and it’s not the end of the world. Once you understand the causes, you can treat them and prevent them from appearing again in the future.

What Are The Causes Of Strawberry Legs?

Removing unwanted hair by shaving it can result in suffering from more side effects than the temporary smooth and hairless skin is worth. When you shave, you are only cutting the hair at the surface level, leaving the hair with a sharp edge that will have a coarse texture when it grows out in the next couple of days.

Shaving uses a sharp blade that can very easily nick the skin leaving you with legs that are riddled with tiny wounds. Bacteria and dead skin cells often enter these little cuts, causing a red bump that becomes infected and inflamed.

Inflammation is one of the worst possible outcomes, but it’s not always the case. Sometimes the pores on the skin just become clogged by particles and the skin heals, trapping the particle-filled pores that result in dark spots and bumps.

Another reason why some people will experience strawberry legs is simply because they have a light skin color, while their hair is much darker. Often times, they can shave properly and not develop any bumps, but because the hair is only cut at the surface level, the rest of the hair that lies beneath the skin is partly visible and that is the reason for the appearance of dark spots.

How To Prevent Strawberry Legs

The most common reason behind strawberry legs that are caused by clogged pores is due to shaving the wrong way or a shaver that is unreliable.

When you first notice the appearance of these dark spots, it is probably a sign that you are not shaving properly, for example, you are using a dull and/or dirty blade that is full of bacteria that infects the pores on your skin with bacteria and dead skin cells.

Always make sure to use a sharp razor, because it not only minimizes accidentally cutting yourself, but it also prevents the appearance of strawberry legs.

Many experts recommend that when you shave, you should shave in the same direction as the hair growth in order to prevent any bumps and cuts. Unfortunately, this recommendation is ignored by most people since shaving in the same direction that hair grows results in 

When you shave, make sure to use a shaving cream each time. Shaving involves bringing a very sharp blade in close contact with the skin in order to remove unwanted hair, however, this close contact is very dangerous.

For that reason, you should use shaving cream to not only moisturize the skin, since shaving dry skin can irritate it further, but the shaving cream also provides a protective layer between the blades and our skin to reduce friction. The less friction there is while shaving, the less chance of cuts and bumps.

It is very important to exfoliate your legs before and after shaving to remove any dead skin cells on the surface and to open and clean any pores that have dead skin cells or dirt particles trapped underneath.

While exfoliation is very important, it is not recommended to be done on a daily basis. Exfoliation involves scrubbing away dead skin cells using a scrub, brush or loofah. the scrubbing should be done gently since harsh scrubbing can irritate the skin further.

But excessive exfoliation can also reduce the skin’s natural protective layer, which is why it should only be done two or three times a week. 

Don’t forget to moisturize before and after shaving as well to keep your skin healthy and to minimize any irritation that can come from shaving. Dry skin is the enemy of shaving.

If you already practice all that was mentioned above, but you still develop strawberry legs, it might be time to switch to a different method of hair removal, like waxing. Waxing removes the hair from the root. The results of waxing are smooth legs that are less likely to develop bumps and dark marks, as well as hairless legs that last for 3-5 weeks before needing to wax again. This is a sure way to prevent the appearance of strawberry legs. 

How To Treat Existing Strawberry Legs

Unfortunately, once they have appeared, there is not much you can do but practice all the preventative measures the next time you shave in order to prevent it from happening again. The good news is that the dark spots are not permanent, and if you are willing to live with mildly hairy legs for a week or two, you can first let your skin heal before shaving again

While allowing your skin to heal for some time, practice exfoliation and moisturizing. Exfoliating can open up the pores and clean any dirt or dead skin cells that have been trapped, allowing your skin to heal without anything trapped underneath.

Moisturize your legs every day. The moisturizer will not only keep your skin healthy, but it will also help your skin heal quicker. Make sure to use a non-oily moisturizer, since excessive oil can also get trapped underneath the skin and cause bumps.

If the bumps and dark spots persist after following all that was mentioned above, it might be best to consult a dermatologist in case there is an underlying health condition that could be causing the bumps. Either way, don’t panic. There is always a solution somewhere out there.