How to Get Rid of Strawberry Legs Fast (with Before & After Pictures)

Have you noticed strange dark brown spots on your legs? That’s probably because you shaved your legs recently. They’re probably clogged pores, razor burn or what is called strawberry legs or comedones. They appear as small pitted pores filled with bacteria, dead skin, and sebum.  Their appearance is why they’re called strawberry spots on legs.

To get rid of strawberry legs, you have to shave properly with plenty of shaving cream. Moisturize your legs after hair removal to prevent irritation. A good scrub can also get rid of the dark brown spots on your legs, but for professional treatment, electrolysis or laser therapy are the best options.

Pictures

How to get rid  Fast Naturally

Natural remedies are always preferred to commercial remedies since they are not only cheap but they also have few side effects. Discussed below are some of the best home remedies for strawberry legs;

1. Use baking soda

One of the ways of reducing the symptoms of strawberry legs is by use of baking soda paste. Baking soda has both exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties. This way, the baking soda soothes the skin and gets rid of the black spots associated with strawberry legs.

Procedure

1. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda to warm water of an amount enough to make a hick paste.
2. Stir the mixture very well until a thick paste is formed.
3. Apply the paste on the area of your legs that has the black spots.
4. Leave it for about 3 minutes before washing it off with cold water.
5. To boost the effectiveness, you may add a tablespoon of ground oatmeal.
6. For faster relief, you are advised to repeat this procedure at least once each day.

2. Buttermilk and salt

You can make a strong exfoliating agent using salt and buttermilk. This mixture gently cleans all the dirt from your legs leaving the pores clean and open. As a result, there is increased blood circulation and consequently good health of your legs.

Procedure

1. Make a smooth paste using salt and buttermilk
2. Apply the paste evenly on the area with dark spots
3. In a circular motion, rub the skin gently
4. Leave the paste on the skin for some minutes then rinse it off with cold water

3. Scrub your legs

Another way of removing black spots from your legs is by scrubbing them.  A scrub is efficient in eliminating the black spots since it exfoliates your legs gently and gets rid of oil, dirt or ingrown hairs in the hair follicles all of which are classified as possible causes of the black spots.

Procedure

1. Make a mixture of brown sugar and aloe vera
2. Stir gently to make a paste
3. Wet your legs then apply the paste in a circular but gentle motion to exfoliate the skin
4. Use lukewarm water to rinse your legs

4. Use cucumber juice

Cucumber juice contains antioxidant as well as bleaching properties. It also has silica. All these properties explain its excellence in getting rid of black spots on legs.  Cucumber also has moisturizing properties. This is why cucumber juice, when applied on the dark spots, is able to lighten the pores by hydrating the skin cells.

The acids in this juice are responsible for the bleaching process. The acids also prevent any form of swelling and thus ensuring no ingrown hair bumps are formed.  Since it also has anti-inflammatory properties, this juice prevents inflammation of hair follicles.

Cucumbers have also been found to be rich in astringents and phytochemicals providing elastin and collagen boost production and tightening the skin pores. Below are the guidelines on how to use the juice for strawberry legs;

Procedure 1

1. Take your cucumber and mash it to form a paste
2. Apply the paste on your strawberry legs and leave it for about 5 minutes
3. Wash it off using water. The procedure should be done 2 times in a day.

Procedure 2

1. Mash your cucumber to form a paste
2. Add a few drops of rose water and lemon juice to the paste
3. Apply this paste on the strawberry legs and leave it for about 10 minutes to work then wash it off
4. For effective results, carry out the procedure on a daily basis

5. Oil massage

Applying natural oils on your strawberry legs may be all you need to do to get rid of the black spots. One of the best natural oils is castor oil.  This oil has both anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. The oil also boosts elastin and collagen which result to formation of a new skin. Formation of new skin is one of the ways of eliminating the black spots from your legs.

Castor oil has fatty acids and is thus able to hydrate the skin through elimination of dead skin which causes dark pores on your strawberry legs.  You may use a mixture of castor oil and aloe vera for excellent results.

Procedure

1. Make a mixture of aloe vera and castor oil
2. Apply the mixture on your strawberry legs and leave it for about ten minutes before washing it off
3. Repeat the procedure each day for faster results

Another type of oil that has been found to get rid of strawberry legs is tea tree oil.  This oil works best when used together with olive oil. The mixture of these two oils acts as a strong exfoliator. This is why the oils, when applied on the black spots, lighten them.

The mixture is also found to be very rich in antioxidants and hence it ensures oxidation of pores responsible for the darkening of the skin. Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties and therefore kills any bacteria likely to clog your skin pores and cause strawberry legs.

Procedure

1. Make a mixture of a few drops of tea tree oil and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Massage the oil on the strawberry legs for about five minutes.
3. You should apply the oil at least two times a day.

6. Use egg white

Sometimes, all you need to do to get rid of strawberry legs is to treat the acne on your legs. Egg white works as an astringent and is therefore able to shrink the skin pores. This shrinking causes the skin pores to tighten.

When applied on your legs, egg white also controls how much oil is produced and that way, it prevents acne. When the excess oil is squeezed out, the comedones are removed and the dark spots are as such cleared.

Procedure

1. Make a mixture of a teaspoon lemon juice and 1 egg white.
2. Apply the mixture on the affected skin then leave it for five minutes.
3. Wash it off with warm water then apply a moisturizing lotion.

7. Other  Fixes & Cures

Where the home remedies do not get rid of the black spots, you may try other medical processes to see if they will offer you a permanent solution. A demerit of home remedies is that they offer a temporary solution and you may need to use them time and again to make the black spots disappear. The solutions below can be used to offer a permanent solution in getting rid of strawberry legs;

Laser treatment

Laser treatment is one of the hair removal ways which reduces any dark pigmentation likely to have been caused by irritation of hair follicles. Laser treatment involves about 6-8 treatments done on a weekly basis.

Laser surgery uses laser beam cutting power to remove a surface lesion. It is classified as a cosmetic type of surgery since it effectively removes unwanted hairs on your body as well as eliminating any dark pores associated with strawberry legs.

Electrolysis

This is another permanent solution to strawberry legs which works by use of low current energy. This method focuses on the damaged follicles and as such inhibiting possible ingrown hairs that may attract oil and dirt and lead to inflammation. When the above is prevented, the dark spots that come with strawberry legs are eliminated.

Intense pulsed light treatment

This treatment uses light beams to target damaged hair follicles which may be the underlying cause of strawberry legs. It also aims at the tissues of the follicles and as a result, ensures exfoliation of skin pores.

This method ensures there are no chances of pore irritation, a likely cause of dark spots. Like laser treatment, this method is repeated six to eight times at one-week intervals.

Before and After Results

Below is an image showing before and results

Causes

Below are some of the reasons you may have developed strawberry legs;

Poor shaving habits

The manner in which you shave is the most commonly reported cause of strawberry legs. When the shaving process is improperly carried out, you may damage your hair follicles. This is because such shaving does not remove the hair from the roots and the remaining hair may curl inwards. This means that you will have hair curling into your skin and as a result blockage is created. As a consequence, you get black bums which later form black spots.

Overly dry skin

When your legs lack moisture, you may get an invasion of dead skin cells. These dead skin cells end up clogging the pores on your legs resulting in bacterial infection. Such infections result to inflammation of hair follicles which may show up as black spots on the legs at later stages.

Folliculitis

Folliculitis is a condition associated with hair follicles. When the hair follicles are attacked by yeast, bacterial, or fungal infections, you may end up developing black spots on your legs.

Acne

When you have pimples on your legs, there is excess production of sebum which clogs your hair follicles. Dirt and dead skin cells also lead to clogging or hair follicles. When such clogged follicles are exposed to shaving, oxidation is triggered and it leaves the pimples with a dark appearance symbolizing black spots (strawberry legs).

Symptoms

It is very easy to find out if you really have comedones. Strawberry legs are characterized by unattractive and visible dark spots all over your legs. These spots are estimated to occur some days after hair is removed from your legs.

Prevention tips

You can prevent the occurrence of strawberry legs by doing a number of things s listed below;

Exfoliate your legs some days before shaving.

This is meant to get rid of any dirt that may trigger the formation of black spots. It is also a way of keeping the skin pores open for proper air circulation.

Shave properly

As mentioned in the causes, improper shaving is the most common cause of strawberry legs. You can, therefore, prevent the comedones by simply following the right procedure when shaving your legs. Below are directions on how to shave correctly;

1. Before shaving, soak your legs in warm water for about five minutes to soften your skin and keep the pores open. This is a way of drawing out any impurities stuck inside your pores.
2. Ensure that the razor blades you use are clean and sharp. Every time you have to use a razor to shave, you are advised to use a new one. If you must shave with a used razor, sterilize it first.
3. In preparation for shaving, apply coconut oil on your legs so as to moisturize the skin.
4. Apply shaving cream, preferably, a natural one such as one made of aloe vera. Start to shave in the direction of hair growth. Ensure you do not apply too much pressure on the razor when shaving.
5. When through with shaving, wash the legs with cold water. You should then complete the process by applying an after shaving cream which has moisturizing effects.
6. You are advised not to use soap instead of a shaving cream since that may make the razor less efficient. It is better to use a conditioner in lace of the shaving cream in case you run out of it. Soap should never be an option.
7. Develop a habit of washing your legs with salicylic acid in order to constantly exfoliate your skin. This is a great way to prevent possible occurrence of black spots.
8. Replace bath mits and wash clothes frequently. This is to prevent possible accumulation of dirt or bacteria both of which are possible causes of strawberry legs.
9. Try other shaving methods which do not involve use of a razor such as waxing and use of creams that get rid of unwanted hairs.