The Ultimate Guide to Preventing Strawberry Skin

Proper and regular skin care offers numerous benefits, such as it keeps your skin in optimal condition, maintaining appropriate moisture levels, and preventing the risk of wrinkles, fine lines, acne, blackheads, whiteheads, strawberry skin, etc.

When you notice tiny and dotted bumps on your skin, particularly on your thighs and legs, the chances are that you have strawberry skin. The pores on your skin appear black like the seeds on strawberries.

Today’s article will discuss this skin condition and give you essential details on how to prevent it. Read on!

What Is Strawberry Skin?

Strawberry skin is a skin condition characterized by tiny red bumps caused by pores clogged with dirt, dust, oil, and environmental allergens. Shaving your skin opens the pores and allows the air to penetrate your skin.

The air mixes with dirt, dust, and oil, turning them into black bumps or blackheads. Many people confuse strawberry skin with chicken skin or Keratosis pilaris. The primary difference between the former and the latter is black and red bumps, respectively.

Black spots on your thighs or legs are the most common signs of strawberry skin. However, you may also experience numbness, tingling, itchiness, and pain in the affected areas. Let us now discuss the primary causes of strawberry skin.

Causes of Strawberry Skin

Dirt, dust, oil, bacteria, viruses, and other environmental pollutants/allergens cause strawberry skin, affecting your thighs or legs. Your skin has blackish or reddish spots on the epidermis that look weird and ugly.

Although most people with strawberry skin overcome the issue over time, it sometimes leads to chronic skin conditions that require immediate treatment. Here are a few causes of strawberry skin.

Shaving

Shaving or waxing is one of the most significant causes of strawberry skin, causing severe irritation and burning sensations. A razor burn can develop ingrown hairs and cause discomfort and pain in your thighs or legs. These ingrown hairs appear like strawberry seeds.

Clogged Pores

Clogged pores can result in blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. However, it can also cause strawberry skin due to the trapped dirt, dust, oil, and bacteria inside your hair follicles. These follicles form comedones, dark marks, or spots on your thighs or legs. Shaving exposes these substances to air, which turns them into pimples.  

Dry Skin

Dry skin is one of the leading causes of atopic dermatitis, eczema, rash, and cracking skin. Although dry skin is usually harmless, excessive dryness can cause strawberry skin that further dehydrate your skin and make it vulnerable to irritation, itchiness, redness, and swelling.

Keratosis Pilaris

Keratosis is a skin condition that leads to strawberry legs or thighs, making your skin look thick and dry with tiny bumps on your cheeks, arms, thighs, and buttocks. Low humidity and dry skin can worsen the condition and make your skin appear like goose flesh.

Prevention Tips and Tricks

You may have heard the famous proverb “prevention is better than cure.” Following a proactive and holistic skincare approach is the best way to prevent strawberry skin and related skin disorders. Bear in mind that this requires careful planning, preparation, and a strict skincare routine. Here are a few tips and tricks to mitigate the risk of strawberry skin.

Prepare Your Skin

Gentle physical exfoliation is an integral part of your skincare routine. It prepares your skin before shaving your arms or legs. It ensures your skin does not have dead cells. You can use body mitts, dry brushing, or body scrubs to exfoliate your skin.

The primary goal is to remove dead skin cells, bacteria, dirt, dust, excessive sebum oil, and other pollutants. In addition, preparing your skin before shaving can also reduce the risk of inflammation and the appearance of strawberry skin.

Moisturize Your Skin

Moisturization works wonders for your skin by improving the epidermal layer’s hydration levels. The primary issue with strawberry skin is that your skin can become excessively dry, and moisturization is the best way to keep your skin hydrated and prevent the risk of dry skin.

Experts recommend taking a shower and applying a cold cream lotion on your skin in the morning. You must repeat the process before going to bed. Moisturizing your skin in the morning and at night can reduce the risk of goosebumps-like texture on your arms, legs, and thighs. We suggest strictly following this routine, especially during winter, to achieve your goals.

Use Quality and Fresh Razors

Fresh and quality razors are directly proportional to hygienic, clean, and reliable shaves. Dermatologists recommend using a single-bladed, sharp razor instead of a high-end multi-blade product.

Although the choice of a razor depends on your preferences, shaving frequency, and budget, a new, sharp-bladed razor can mitigate the risk of strawberry skin. Remember, you must not keep your razor in the restroom or bathroom because it can accumulate bacteria, viruses, and rust, leading to shorn follicles on your skin.

Use Plant-Based Exfoliating Scrubs

Men and women focus more on grooming their body parts and neglect proper skin care, causing severe conditions, including acne, dermatitis, eczema, inflammation, and cancer. Therefore, exfoliation is the most optimal method to prevent these disorders and reduce the risk of strawberry skin.

Although moisturization offers numerous benefits, exfoliation means you take a step further to remove dead skin cells, clear out blackheads, and achieve smoother, more glowing, and soothing skin.

Many people ask: do you exfoliate before or after washing? Studies show that exfoliating after washing your skin can help you achieve better results because cleansing removes dirt, dust, and other impurities.

Once you have cleansed your skin, you can do exfoliation to eliminate dead cells. As a result, your skin is less likely to have clogged pores or develop acne breakouts. Therefore, washing your skin before exfoliation is much better.

While you can find dozens of brands and hundreds of skincare products, including exfoliating scrubs, not all contain herbal ingredients. Chemicals in commercial scrubs can damage your skin, causing severe conditions.

So, finding and using a plant-based exfoliating scrub is crucial. We recommend the Body Glow System Bundle, a body scrub with 100% pure and organic ingredients sourced from plants.

Using the product 1-2 times a week can prevent the risk of strawberry skin and create a protective layer that prevents environmental pollutants from penetrating your epidermis.

What to Do If I Already Have Strawberry Skin?

Most people develop strawberry skin due to a lack of proper skincare routine and neglecting moisturization and exfoliation. If you have signs and symptoms of strawberry skin, you can use the Body Glow System Bundle to relieve the symptoms and achieve more glowing, soothing, and healthy skin.

On the other hand, the American Academy of Dermatology reports that laser therapy is a permanent solution for treating strawberry skin because it removes hair follicles and stops hair growth in the affected area. Consult your dermatologist before undergoing laser therapy.

Final Words

Strawberry skin can take a massive toll on your self-confidence and mental health because your looks and aesthetics matter a lot in today’s fashionable world. Follow the tips and tricks above to prevent strawberry skin and achieve more beautiful, healthier, soothing, protective, and radiant skin.

Hebe Botanica is a Leaping Bunny-Certified company that offers 100% organic and plant-based skincare products. Check out our latest skincare product collection and choose the ones that best fit your skincare needs.

Sources:

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31585489/
• https://www.medicinenet.com/what_causes_strawberry_skin/article.htm
• https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/hair/how-to-shave
• https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/dry/dermatologists-tips-relieve-dry-skin
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16405602/
• https://ketchbeauty.com/pages/does-laser-hair-removal-get-rid-of-strawberry-legs
• https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/routine/safely-exfoliate-at-home