Strawberry legs – Causes and treatment

Overview

The name ‘Strawberry legs’ itself amuses and makes us curious to know more about this complication. This disease derives its name from its appearance. Strawberry legs refer to the small dark or black colour spots that appear on the skin of the legs.

As the appeared spots look like strawberry seeds, this condition is named Strawberry legs.

What are Strawberry legs?

If you find the skin of the leg rough and has dark or black dots, then you have the condition of Strawberry legs. These dots are the skin pore and hair follicles blocked with dirt, oil, bacteria or dead skin cells. The Strawberry legs are harmless; you can easily get rid of them.

What causes Strawberry legs?

Strawberry legs are neither itchy nor painful, but they cause discomfort. There are no such clear causes for the Strawberry legs, but they may develop over by the following complications:  

Folliculitis: The skin condition in which the hair follicles become inflamed and infected. The damage to hair follicles causes them to get infected and inflamed. This leads to bacterial infection or dirt settling and creates a blockage.

Even harsh chemicals and cosmetics products can cause Folliculitis. It appears as a red lump or whitehead in the follicles where hair grows. It will take a long time for the wound to heal.  

Shaving: Shaving will open the skin, exposing it to dirt and bacterial infection. Shaving with an improper razor can also cause Strawberry leg. Shaving without shaving cream (dull shaving) leads to razor burn, which causes Folliculitis to develop.

Ingrown hair: Poor shaving techniques can lead to ingrown hairs. Hair that gets trapped under the skin can cause inflammation or a little bump. Ingrown hairs are one of the causes of Strawberry legs.

Clogged pores: The skin contains thousands of pores; if they get clogged by dirt, bacterial or dead skin cells, it can develop as Strawberry leg. This normally happens while shaving. As shaving opens the pores, the oil in the pores, if exposed to air, gets oxidised and turns black, which results in back lumps all over the legs that look like strawberry seeds.

Dry skin: Dry skin will not be the direct cause of the Strawberry legs. Shaving with dry skin is a problem. The use of razors on dry skin can result in razor burn, folliculitis and ingrown hair, which are the risk factors for Strawberry legs. Consider using shaving cream while you are shaving the leg.

What are the symptoms of Strawberry legs?

 The symptoms of Strawberry legs include:

• Dark or black dotted spots on the skin of the leg
• Rough or dry skin
• Red bump or blister

Strawberry legs are rarely itchy and painful. If you feel itchy, painful or irritated, then there are possibilities that you may suffer from some other complications as well.

It is important to consult a doctor to diagnose the causes and to get better treatment.

How is the Strawberry leg diagnosed?

The symptoms mentioned above are the first step of diagnosis. The Strawberry leg is not harmful. It can either be treated at home or in a hospital with the help of a doctor, depending on how severe the condition is.

The doctor will examine the skin; if needed, a skin sample will be collected. Then after diagnosing the root cause, a suitable treatment plan will be suggested.

What is the treatment for Strawberry legs?

The treatment always depends on the root cause of the condition. Some of the home treatments include:

Proper Shaving: Using a new razor and using shaving cream while shaving may reduce the risk of developing Strawberry legs.

Moisturising Cream: The importance of moisturizing the skin can be attributed to preventing skin irritations and dryness.

Exfoliate the Skin: Regular exfoliation helps to remove the dead skin cells that would create blockages in the skin. Moisturising after exfoliating will give better results.

Epilator: If you are afraid of irritation and pain caused by waxing or shaving, then an epilator is the only remedy. Epilator is an electric tool that removes the hair from the roots.  

If you cannot get rid of the Strawberry leg by following the home remedies, you might need surgical treatment. The surgical treatment is as follows:

Electrolysis: In the surgical processes, the irritation causing hair follicles is removed; by using low-level electricity. The electrolysis method prevents the irritating hair from recurring.

Laser therapy: This surgical process is a permanent hair removal method. In laser therapy processes, a small amount of radiation is passed into the hair follicles to remove them.

Conclusion

Strawberry legs are not harmful, but they certainly cause discomfort. Strawberry legs mostly get cured in-home treatment; if it is recurring, then take the advice of a doctor.   

Never postpone the need to meet a doctor. Strawberry legs are caused by most curable infections. However, it can be prevented by proper shaving, using shaving cream and moisturiser.