How To Get Rid of Strawberry Legs

Strawberry legs—medically known as keratosis pilaris (KP)—is a common skin condition that happens if keratin (a protein) builds up and clogs your pores. Though you can clear up strawberry legs, KP has no cure. Still, at-home remedies like exfoliating and moisturizing your skin help reduce the appearance.

KP sometimes resists treatment and may require a maintenance plan to prevent flares. Read on to learn how to reduce strawberry legs and protect against KP.

What Are Strawberry Legs?

KP, commonly known as "strawberry legs," is a benign (non-cancerous) skin condition. About 40% of adults have KP, along with 50% to 80% of adolescents. KP causes bumps that may appear as skin-colored "goosebumps" on the backs of your thighs and upper arms. Some say the bumps resemble a strawberry's seeds and skin. 

Other characteristics of KP include bumps that:

• Are slightly pink
• Are the size of a grain of sand
• Feel like sandpaper
• Look like acne

Causes of Strawberry Legs

The skin creates a build-up of keratin, a protein in your hair, nails, and skin. That build-up may plug your pores, blocking the hair follicle and causing small bumps, Rachel Nazarian, MD, a dermatologist based in New York, told Health. You might notice inflammation around or near the bumps.

Although anyone can develop strawberry legs, risk factors include:

• Allergies
  
• Asthma
• Dry skin
• Eczema
• Excess body weight
• Family history of KP
• Ichthyosis vulgaris, which causes very dry skin
• Vemurafenib, a melanoma treatment

How To Get Rid of Strawberry Legs

Using certain products in your skincare routine may reduce strawberry legs. KP sometimes resists at-home treatments. You might need to visit a dermatologist for in-office treatments like laser and light therapies.

1. Exfoliants

Exfoliants use ingredients that reduce pores and might treat KP, Joshua Zeichner, MD, the director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Health. Look for products that list glycolic or salicylic acid. Those ingredients help ease inflammation, exfoliate dead skin cells, and unclog pores.

Dr. Zeichner recommended Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser. This pore-refining cleanser penetrates your skin to remove dirt, makeup, and oil for a healthy, smooth complexion. 

Try using CeraVe SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin, which contains salicylic acid. This cream dissolves keratin gently without irritation, Debra Jaliman, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Health. Dr. Jaliman also suggested Glytone Exfoliating Body Lotion, which boasts glycolic acid. This lotion helps even out your skin texture and reduces strawberry legs.

Consider applying keratolytic, a chemical exfoliant that helps remove dead skin cells, after exfoliating your skin. Apply keratolytic as a dermatologist or the label instructs. Using too much of the product may irritate your skin.

2. Humidifier

A humidifier helps keep the air in your home moist if it tends to dry out your skin. Keeping your skin hydrated helps protect against and treat KP flares. Regularly clean and disinfect your humidifier to stop bacteria and mold from growing.

3. Laser and Light Therapy

You might consider laser and light therapies for stubborn cases of KP that resist at-home treatments. For example, research has found that intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy helps even skin tone, gets rid of sandpaper-like texture, and reduces redness in people with KP.

4. Moisturizers

Moisturizing your skin is essential to protect against KP, especially after shaving your legs. Try looking for a moisturizer made with lactic acid or urea. Ensure you apply moisturizer to damp skin no more than five minutes after bathing or showering to lock in moisture. Reapply during the day as needed if you have dry skin.

When shaving, use a gentle cream, such as Dove Body Mousse. Look for an epilator or razor with two blades to avoid irritating your skin, said Dr. Nazarian. Slather on moisturizer afterward with ceramides or colloidal oatmeal. Those ingredients help protect and soothe your skin, said Dr. Zeichner.

Dr. Zeichner recommended Aveeno Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream, which provides all-day hydration. This cream is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, meaning it will not clog your pores.

5. Retinoids

Retinoids, a vitamin A derivative, help speed up skin cell turnover. As a result, retinoids improve skin tone and prevent keratin buildup in your pores. You can find retinoids in oral pills or topical creams.

Examples of retinoids include:

• Adapalene
• Isotretinoin 
• Retinol
• Tazarotene
• Tretinoin

6. Steroid Creams

Topical steroids help reduce inflammation, which may treat KP. Talk to a dermatologist before trying a steroid cream. A review published in 2021 found that certain steroid creams might increase the number of sebaceous (oil) glands on the face. The researchers noted that increased oil glands might raise the number of hair follicles and worsen KP.

Prevention

There's no cure for KP. Still, you can improve the appearance of strawberry legs and prevent flares.

Here are some ways to prevent KP:

• Avoid rubbing and sweating: Keep your skin cool and dry, and wear loose clothing to avoid irritating hair follicles.  
• Avoid self-tanning lotions: These products may make your bumps more noticeable than usual.
• Do not pick at bumps: You might cause permanent scars and irritate your skin, said Dr. Zeichner.
• Limit physically exfoliating your skin: This technique temporarily breaks down keratin. Rough exfoliation may inflame your skin, ultimately causing redness and making strawberry legs more noticeable than before, said Dr. Nazarian.
• Maintain a skincare routine: The continuous use of these creams and lotions can help smoothen your skin, minimize redness, and reduce strawberry legs over time. Bumps may reappear once you stop treatment.
• Shorten your baths and showers: Spend no more than 20 minutes in the bath or shower daily. Use warm water to prevent dry skin. 
• Try laser hair removal: Shaving and waxing might irritate your skin.

A Quick Review

Strawberry legs, or KP, happen if you have clogged pores. There's no cure for KP, but you can reduce the appearance. Treatments include exfoliants, moisturizers, retinoids, and more.

Maintaining a skincare routine helps prevent strawberry legs. Contact a dermatologist if KP does not respond to at-home treatments. Laser or light therapies help treat stubborn cases.