What are strawberry legs and what helps against them?

The most important points in brief

• Freshly shaved (women's) legs often show small dots on the skin after shaving - the so-called shaving shadows, also called strawberry legs.
• Where do these speckles come from?
• What does it mean when they turn reddish?
• But what helps to avoid strawberry legs or shaving shadows from the outset?

Especially a part of the ladies should know what strawberry legs are, after all, only a few men shave their legs. In some cases, the freshly shaved legs have small dots. Because it is actually reminiscent of the surface of a strawberry, the Americans have christened the phenomenon “Strawberry Legs” - that is, strawberry legs. Read here how they arise and what attempts can be made to avoid the strawberry legs.

How strawberry legs or shaving shadows are created

The shave shadow is also known from the male face shave. And women's legs are the same as men's faces: Remnants of hair remain under the skin, such as short stubble or the roots. The darker, thicker and firmer these hair residues, the more you can see them through the skin.

The speed of hair growth also has a direct influence on the visibility of the strawberry legs. However, the speckles cannot be felt. Skin that has just been shaved can feel baby-smooth and soft, even though the shave shadow is clearly visible. But what happens when the dots on the strawberry skin change color and become thicker?

Beware of razor burn

In some cases it doesn't take long for the small points to turn into larger, reddish speckles on the freshly shaved skin. In some cases, they even thicken a little. Then you suffer from so-called razor burn. The hair follicles have openings that become inflamed and enlarge if you shave your legs frequently. Then there is also an increased risk that sebum will be deposited in the openings. Those who often wear tight-fitting trouser legs run an increased risk of razor burn because the trouser legs can irritate the hair follicles through friction.

But now to the crucial question: How can you prevent shaving shadows and strawberry legs? There are a number of good tips for doing this. For example, you shouldn't skimp on shaving gel or shaving foam, this makes it a lot easier for the blade to glide gently over the skin.

How to prevent strawberry legs

First, make sure you are using a reasonably new razor or sharp blade. A razor with multiple blades is always better. Second, you need to prepare the skin well - for example, by taking a bath. The pores of the skin open, and the hair becomes softer and easier to remove. (You should still apply shaving gel or foam.) And thirdly, you should also shave against the grain from time to time, this is more thorough and leaves hardly any residue.

You can also prepare the skin perfectly for shaving with regular peelings. This prevents clogged pores and flakes of skin also come off. You should definitely use moist creams after shaving. If you have to cover dark hair roots and thus the shaving shadow, a cream or lotion with a tanning effect is recommended. The most efficient way to avoid strawberry legs, however, is to regularly choose another method of depilation - waxing or epilation are possible options here. The hair root is also removed, so the shave shadow does not even appear.