Blocked Pores & Strawberry Legs - Tanya Whitebits (2024)
If you have ever suffered from tanning related blocked pores, we have listed top tips to prevent this look. Pores are the tiny openings in your skin that you can see when you look very closely, especially in a magnifying mirror. Inside those pores are hair follicles and sacs beneath the skin that house the hair root. Due to shaving the legs, these pores can sometimes appear more visible and referred to as strawberry legs but the correct terminology would be comedogenic skin.
Firstly, we need to distinguish from a similar condition and mention that we’re covering shaving related strawberry legs / blocked pores, seen in the picture below:
Another condition which causes a similar appearance is called keratosis pilaris. This is a very common skin condition and may be present in half the population. It is a completely harmless, affects 50-70% of adolescents and approximately 40% of adults. Its name gives some idea of what it is; ‘keratosis’ means that there is too much keratin, which makes up the tough horny outer layer of the skin, while ‘pilaris’ comes from the Latin for hair (pilus). In keratosis pilaris, many small (1 to 2 mm across) horny plugs can be seen blocking the hair follicles on the upper and outer parts of the arms and thighs. This can look like goose bumps but feels slightly rough. Keratosis pilaris appears when extra keratin accumulates in the hair follicles. This usually starts in childhood and becomes more obvious during adolescence and in adulthood. For reasons not fully understood the condition seems to be better in the summer than in the winter perhaps because in winter the skin often gets dry while in summer the sweat makes it less dry. See picture below:
The first skin condition, which we mainly refer to as strawberry legs, is related to hair removal. Here are some tips which we hope will help you minimise this appearance.
Firstly, shaving or waxing can sometimes leave open pockets in the skin. Therefore, it’s important not to fake tan immediately after shaving and leave 24/48 hours after in-between procedures.Open pores can vary from person to person but some are more prone to larger pores than others.
Here are some tips:
Shaving and waxing is usually performed against the hair growth as it’s more effective for hair removal, however it can also cause the pore pockets to expand a little. You could try alternative methods like shaving in the direction of the hair growth.
Keeping the skin cool prior to tanning can help reduce strawberry legs as warmth can open the pores. Cold water or applying ice cubes can help prior.
If shaving, change your razor regularly, make sure it’s clean and not congested, use in conjunction with a smooth mousse/gel/cream in abundance. Avoid a blunt razor and avoid hair removal too frequently.
You could try using hair removal creams, epilators or wax the hair off the areas instead of shaving. Strawberry legs are essentially enlarged pores of hair follicles that contain oil, bacteria and dead skin. Due to ingrowing hairs after shaving, it can cause discolouration.
Exfoliate before hair removal and moisturise after hair removal.
As the tan is a bronze colour it can seep into these pockets therefore applying our Barrier Cream prior to tanning may help prevent this. Our Barrier cream is water based and applying evenly prior to tanning can help dilute the tan and prevent from seeping into pores.
Self-tanning: There has been a resurgence in self-tanner to hide pigmentation! Going for an olive-toned spray tan usually works best when trying to mask strawberry legs.
Gently removing dead skin cells from the surface of your legs should help reduce strawberry legs, as well as help prevent ingrown hairs. Removing dead skin on your legs will give new hair a chance to break through the skin's surface more easily.
Both experts say that dry brushing, the physical exfoliant that sloughs away dead skin cells, can be beneficial to keeping strawberry legs at bay. Garshick says it can prevent build-up and keep pores unclogged. You simply take a soft dry brush and brush in circular motions on dry skin before getting in the shower.
Difficult-to-tan areas (e.g. leg skin, palms) are those where the skin has fewer melanocytes than other areas of the body that get more sun exposure. What are melanocytes? They are cells that produce pigment, which is released during a tanning bed session, entering the epidermis.
Another tip is to apply self-tanning lotion to the skin of the arms and legs. Oddly, the white spots may pick up the tanner more than your surrounding skin and this can help to make them less noticeable.
For the longest time it was believed that people with fair skin and red hair were only capable of turning tomato red under sun. According to ScienceDaily, however, there is a new study that shows fairer complexions are just as capable of tanning as their olive counterparts.
Dermatologists say it may take two to six weeks for the treatment to show any results, whether you use home remedies or professional treatments. Getting rid of strawberry legs can involve home remedies or professional treatments, such as exfoliation, moisturizers, and hair removal.
“I get that strawberry leg look, why?”🍓 🏽 The appearance of strawberry legs generally from a few things. Having larger hair follicles, clogged pores, or right after a hot steamy shower you fake tanned. You always want to make sure you are shaving and prepping 24hrs if you are having that issue.
Does Sun Help keratosis pilaris? During the winter, increasing the humidity in your home and at work during dry winter months can also help. Sun exposure (with sunscreen) may also quiet KP, which is why for some, it can be less of a cosmetic nuisance in the summer.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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