While strawberry skin is common on the legs, it's not uncommon for small dark spots to appear on the skin of the arms. Strawberry arms after a fresh shave can put a damper on your mood just before an important event. Although you can deal with it in the winter by wearing long sleeves, it becomes problematic in the summer.
The recurring appearance of strawberry skin can also indicate an underlying skin problem. In most cases, it is just a cosmetic issue, but in other cases, it may be eczema. No matter what the cause, you want to treat your strawberry arms immediately. Here are 9 methods to treat and avoid these itchy red spots at home.
Table of contents:- Part 1: What are strawberry arms and what do they look like?
- Part 2: What causes strawberry arms?
- Part 3: Methods to treat strawberry arms at home?
- Part 4: How to prevent strawberry arms?
What are strawberry arms and what do they look like?
Strawberry skin, which can appear on the arms or legs, is small, dark, dotted areas on the skin. These can look like small bumps or simply brown, open pores. They appear where the hair follicles are and are often harmless.
In addition, strawberry skin does not cause any particular symptoms, except for the pinpoint spots that look like strawberry seeds and give the disease its name. However, it may be accompanied by redness and itching, which indicate inflammation of the hair follicles and other problems. Strawberry legs disappear on their own after a few days. However, if you can't wait, you can try various home remedies to get rid of strawberry skin easily.
What causes strawberry arms?
Here are the top reasons why you might get strawberry arms or legs.
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shave
The most common cause of strawberry skin is incorrect shaving technique. This includes shaving with a blunt or old razor, moving the razor against the direction of hair growth, or shaving directly without prior care.
It is also more common in people with fair skin and coarse hair, as the dull hairs in the follicles look like strawberry seeds after shaving.
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Ingrown hairs
Ingrown hairs can be the cause of your strawberry arms. When hairs do not grow back completely after depilation, shaving or waxing and tend to curl up just below the surface of the skin, they cause strawberry skin. This is most common in people with thick body hair.
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Clogged pores
The skin of our body, just like that of our face, has pores that are too small to be visible. But in some cases, these pores get clogged with dead skin cells, dust from the environment, microbes and oils. The oils trapped in the skin appear dark after oxidation and other substances in the pores make them appear as bumps on the skin.
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Dry skin
Dry skin is not the main cause of strawberry skin. In fact, it exacerbates the causes of strawberry arms by making the skin prone to irritation and razor burn when shaving. It also makes strawberry arms more visible.
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acne
Have you ever heard of body acne? Just like facial acne, it is caused by the buildup of dead skin cells, excess oil, debris and residue in the skin pores. Body acne can lead to strawberry legs. And it can also be caused by excessive sweating and hormonal imbalances.
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folliculitis
Folliculitis is an inflammation of the hair follicles. It is caused by infections, hot showers, waxing and any treatment that results in open hair follicles. Folliculitis is always associated with redness of the skin and sometimes discomfort and pain.
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Tight-fitting clothing
Tight-fitting clothing prevents the skin from getting air, causes sweating, rubs and irritates the skin, and provides a warm environment for bacteria to grow. Consequently, they can clog pores, cause folliculitis, and lead to dark, pitted patches on the skin.
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Keratosis Pilaris
Keratosis Pilaris is a condition in which keratin and dead cells clog pores and harden, appearing as rough spots. Unlike the dark spots commonly seen on strawberry legs, the clogs in Keratosis Pilaris are light brown, red, or purple.
Methods to treat strawberry arms at home?
Strawberry skin is not as difficult to treat as it may seem. Here are some simple methods to get rid of strawberry arms and get smooth skin.
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Proper Peeling
The answer to clogged pores is to exfoliate your skin regularly. Using a washcloth, dry brush, glove, body scrub, or loofah can open up the pores and remove debris trapped inside, helping to treat strawberry skin. You can also use a chemical exfoliant with BHA once a week.
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Regular moisturizing
To counteract dry skin and make your shave easier, treating strawberry arms can also help. Take a rich cream or body lotion and apply it to damp skin so that the moisture is absorbed and locked into the skin.
Additionally, aloe vera gel can be used as a light moisturizer.
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A good shave
If you often get strawberry arms after shaving, pay attention to your shaving itself. Make sure you apply a cream or gel before shaving, shave with a hygienic and sharp razor, and finish with a good moisturizer. Also, don't shave on dry, sensitive or irritated skin.
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Use of products containing salicylic acid or retinol
Look for body care products that contain salicylic acid, retinol or glycolic acid. The acids help exfoliate the skin and shrink pores, while retinol is good for preventing acne and clearing pores by stimulating cell turnover.
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Change your hair removal technique
Changing the type of hair removal you use can save you from strawberry legs if shaving is the cause of strawberry legs, or from ingrown hairs caused by waxing. While an electric epilator works wonderfully because it removes hair from the root without causing infection or folliculitis, it is painful and you will need to look for other hair removal methods. Here are the best ways to remove hair for hairless skin in summer .
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Use mild care products
Using mild skin care products helps to regularly remove skin impurities and thus prevent pores from becoming clogged. So look for skin care products with salicylic acid, lactic acid or glycolic acid, as they also help with skin regeneration.
It also prevents the skin from losing its natural moisture.
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Showering in cold or room temperature
Strawberry arms are more visible when the pores are open, so take cold baths rather than hot showers as this will shrink the pores and make the dark spots on your arms less visible.
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sea salt
Sea salt is full of minerals that can be used to treat dry or malnourished skin. It also removes dead skin cells that cause strawberry arms and regulates the skin's pH level, so it can help to keep the skin supple.
However, sea salt can be harsh on the skin, so use a body oil like coconut oil to make it more comfortable for your arms.
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See a doctor
If the above methods do not help with your strawberry arms, there is probably a hidden cause behind it. In such cases, you should consult your doctor. In the office, procedures such as microdermabrasion can be performed to treat chronic strawberry arms.
How to prevent strawberry arms?
It's always better to be safe than sorry, so how about trying to avoid strawberry arms in the first place? Here are some tips to avoid strawberry skin.
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Preparing the skin before shaving
Before you shave, you want to make sure your skin is in the best condition to be shaved without leaving you with dull patches or clogged pores. So, use homemade scrubs like ground coffee and oil, brown sugar and honey, or baking soda and water to gently exfoliate the skin. Then apply shaving cream to help trim the unwanted hair without irritating the skin.
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Use sharp and new razors
Dull and worn razors do not cut the hair properly, resulting in strawberry skin. Sharp and new razors will trim the hair with precision and depth. It will also prevent the hair follicles from getting clogged with dead skin cells. You can buy a good razor from the range of best razors for hair removal for women .
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Pat your skin dry after bathing
Rubbing the towel on your skin after bathing can worsen the symptoms of strawberry arms and further dry and irritate the skin, so take a soft cotton towel and gently pat your skin dry.
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Regular peelings
The key to avoiding strawberry arms is to keep your skin well exfoliated and not allow hair follicles and pores to become clogged, so use physical or chemical exfoliators regularly to keep your skin in top condition.
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Consider permanent hair removal
The best way to prevent strawberry skin is to not have any hair at all that causes those dark spots on your arms. So consider long-term methods of hair removal like laser, electrolysis or IPL hair removal. The most affordable solution is IPL hair removal at home. Here are the best IPL devices for hair removal .
Conclusion
Strawberry skin on the arms is the harmful appearance of dark colored spots. It heals on its own after a few days. However, it can be quickly treated at home so that you can wear nice short-sleeved or sleeveless clothes in the summer.
Treatment options include exfoliation, moisturizing, good shaving technique, and a few months, as we discussed in detail in this article.