Do you wonder why you have Strawberry Skin ??
Strawberry skin is a cute term used to describe a very annoying situation! Otherwise known as folliculitis, strawberry skin is the dreaded look of dark pores on your skin (it could be on legs,arms,back..etc.) that you might get after shaving or waxing that actually resembles the look of strawberry seeds. And this is not a situation that happens in the summer only, it’s just that you tend to notice them more during warmer weather when the skin come out of hiding.
What causes strawberry skin you wonder and is there a solution?
- Folliculitis : This is simply a case of your pores getting clogged. Be it oil, bacteria, dead skin cells or any other dirt that you may encounter, they all may get your pores blocked and result in inflammation of the hair follicles.
- Keratosis Pilaris : This is a case of trapped keratin. Keratin, in case you didn’t know, is a protein that actually exists in our skin, hair, and nails. When keratin gets trapped it may plug the follicular openings which results in the bumpy look we all hate. Think bumpy upper arms!
- Ingrown Hairs : Ingrown hairs are so common as you all may know. Ingrown hairs are basically hairs that curl unto themselves and grow under the surface of the skin. They usually grow in areas that we shave or wax often.
Treatments :
- Exfoliate : If bumps are bothering you, using a chemical exfoliant or a treatment including lactic or glycolic acid should become a regular thing in your routine. Lactic and glycolic acids remove the dead cells on the surface of your skin thus reducing the occurrence of clogged pores.
- Spot Treat : Spot treat the folliculitis using products that contain salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and retinol. These products will dry out excess oil, will kill bacteria, and will encourage cell renewal.
- Moisturize : And moisturize well, especially after exfoliation or using products to spot treat the area. This will reduce any possible inflammation which will allow the hairs to grow out more easily. Soften your skin barrier by wetting your skin and then applying oil and lotion to wet skin to lock the moisture in and to keep the skin supple and easy to work with.
Prevention :
- Cleanse Well : This is especially true after your workout or any sweaty session. Keep cleansing wipes on hand to clean your skin, and use a product with salicylic acid based body wash at home.
- Moisturize Well : Don’t keep your pores of your skin open and unattended. Always cover them by moisturizing with oil free cream/ lotion/gel.
- Use scrub / exfoliant at least twice a week. It’s very important to exfoliate your body once or twice a week at least. You can use pumice stone to remove dead cells, rub your skin gently with wet hand towel or use healthy homemade body scrub (made up of brown sugar, olive oil, honey, essential oil). I recommend using Double Scrub Ingrown Hair from Perron Rigot or AMELIORATE smoothing body exfoliant.
- Sanitized and Clean Sharp Razor / clean wax strips / clean epilator : To prevent future bumps and ingrown hairs make sure you use a sanitized and clean sharp razor or clean hair removal methods all times. Throw out any rusting blades or blades that are dulled to prevent inflammation. Store your razors / epilators in a cool dry place instead of keeping them in the shower despite the inconvenience it might entail.
- Shave Right / Remove Hair right : Contrary to common belief you have to removed hair IN the direction of hair growth and not against it. Use short strokes and not long ones. Do not shave / remove hair in many directions as this will increase the likelihood of getting either razor burn or causing ingrown hairs.
Personally, being waxing expert I don’t recommend use of razors or blades at all.
Following this routine will solve the problem of ingrown hairs and strawberry skin. Reach out for a consultation or treatment if you have one of such severe issues.
