We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?

A person may experience strawberry legs when hair follicles or large pores trap dead skin, oil, and bacteria. Home remedies and medical treatments may help get rid of strawberry legs. Preventive measures may also help.

Strawberry legs occur when small black spots that resemble strawberry seeds develop on the legs. Typical symptoms of strawberry legs include:

  • open pores that appear darkened
  • black or brown spots that appear after a person shaves their legs
  • a dotted or pitted appearance on the legs

Strawberry legs can cause a person embarrassment, but they are not usually itchy or painful. If a person does experience pain or itching, they should see a doctor, as it may indicate the presence of an underlying condition.

Strawberry legs occur when enlarged pores or hair follicles trap dead skin, oil, and bacteria. A person often experiences strawberry legs following shaving. Other skin conditions that can cause strawberry legs include clogged pores, folliculitis, dry skin, and keratosis pilaris.

In the following sections, we discuss prevention methods and treatment options for strawberry legs.

small black spots on a leg showing Strawberry legsShare on Pinterest
Exfoliating regularly may help reduce the appearance of strawberry legs.

The following are some home remedies for strawberry legs, as well as some tips to help prevent them in the future.

In most cases, a person can take simple steps at home to prevent the occurrence of strawberry legs. However, if home prevention methods are ineffective, a person may choose to remove their leg hair permanently or seek medical treatment.

There are a few different home treatment options a person can try before seeing their doctor:

Try exfoliating

People should exfoliate their legs regularly.

When a person exfoliates their legs, they remove dead skin. Doing this makes it easier for new hairs to grow.

In addition to reducing the appearance of strawberry legs, exfoliation can also help prevent strawberry legs from reoccurring.

A range of dry and wet exfoliating products is available for purchase online.

Use a moisturizing cream

Another home treatment option is to use moisturizing creams to hydrate the skin.

When a person hydrates the skin on their legs, the appearance of strawberry legs will usually improve. It may also help prevent future occurrences.

Moisturizing creams are available for purchase online.

Apply salicylic or glycolic acid

A final home remedy to improve strawberry legs is to use salicylic acid or glycolic acid. These are ingredients in many over-the-counter acne products.

These acids can help treat acne conditions that may be contributing to the appearance of strawberry legs.

Alternatively, a person may have an underlying condition that is causing a symptom similar in appearance to strawberry legs. In such cases, it will require treatment.

The following are some medical treatment options for strawberry legs:

Electrolysis

One medical method of hair removal is electrolysis. Electrolysis uses electricity to target the irritated hair follicles and stop the hair from growing.

This method will prevent ingrown hairs from recurring, which can reduce the likelihood of strawberry legs.

Laser therapy

Share on Pinterest
Laser hair removal can target multiple hair follicles at once.

Another medical treatment option is laser therapy.

The American Academy of Dermatology say that laser hair removal may require anywhere from two to six sessions to safely and effectively remove leg hair.

Despite taking several treatments to work, it is safe for the skin and can target multiple hair follicles at the same time.

Treating underlying conditions

If inflamed hair follicles are not the cause of strawberry legs, it may be an underlying condition that requires treatment.

Both bacterial and fungal infections can affect a person’s hair follicles. In either case, a doctor will prescribe medication to treat the infection.

After treatment, the appearance of strawberry legs should disappear.

Taking preventive measures is usually achievable at home. That said, most medical treatment options also serve as methods of prevention.

Prevention tends to focus on changes in self-care. The following are some simple ways a person can help prevent strawberry legs:

  • Use shaving cream when shaving.
  • Use sharp razors when shaving.
  • Moisturize the skin daily, before and after shaving.
  • Exfoliate the legs regularly.

Razors and shaving cream are available for purchase online.

Epilators

Share on Pinterest
Using an epilator may be less damaging to the skin than waxing.

A person may also want to consider using epilators. An epilator is an electrical tool that removes hairs at the follicle.

Using an epilator is similar to waxing, but proponents of epilators believe that it is less damaging to the skin.

Many epilators are available to purchase online.

However, epilators are not comfortable and may cause some pain. Therefore, not everyone will want to use the device as a substitute for shaving.

Strawberry legs can be annoying, but they are not usually a cause for concern.

If taking preventive steps does not treat or prevent strawberry legs, a person should talk to their healthcare provider.

If strawberry legs do not respond to treatment, it may suggest the presence of an underlying infection. Most underlying infections are easy to treat with antibiotics or antifungal medications.

Strawberry legs are not usually a cause for concern.

A person can usually prevent or treat strawberry legs at home by making self-care changes. For example, they may start using shaving cream and a sharp razor to shave the legs. Regularly exfoliating and moisturizing the legs can also prevent and treat strawberry legs.

If home remedies do not work, a person should talk to their doctor about underlying infections that may be causing the appearance of strawberry legs. In most cases, these infections are easy to treat.