If you’ve ever noticed hard, raised bumps on your legs, you may have assumed that what you had was acne. Whether or not you experience breakouts on your face, this is a normal assumption. After all, they have a lot of similarities, which logically leads people to believe they have pimples on their legs. However, most of the time that’s not the case.

“It is exceedingly rare for acne to occur on the legs,” saysCalifornia–based board-certified dermatologist Annie Chiu. Instead, she says the raised bumps may actually be folliculitis, which just means there’s inflammation in the hair follicles. Furthermore, she says they tend to manifest around leg hairs and that even the smallest, thinnest hair can become inflamed. Hence, the appearance of leg pimples.

However, distinguishing folliculitis from pimples can be a bit tricky. Dr. Chiu says that sometimes folliculitis bumps can be pus-filled and crusty, making people assume it’s a breakout. “They can itch or burn and be painful,” she adds. And while most cases of folliculitis resolve themselves, if you notice that it “occurs suddenly or develops yellow crusting, it should be cultured by a dermatologist to rule out a bacterial infection.” 

But as with all skin conditions, although the manifestation can be frustrating and confusing, there are a handful of actions you can take. So, we asked Dr. Chiu along with dermatologists, Stacy Chimento and Shari Marchbein to share what causes folliculitis, how to treat it, and how to prevent it in the first place. See their answers, below.

What Causes Folliculitis?

Folliculitis results from a number of specific scenarios, many of which we can address on our own. That’s because as Dr. Chiu explains, “ingrown hairs, or heat, sweat, and occlusion” are the most common causes. These causes are pretty frequent experiences for most people, but fortunately, there are behavioral changes we can make that will often help address folliculitis.

How to Prevent Folliculitis:

To prevent folliculitis, beware of tight clothing. Dr. Chimento recommends “opting for looser, cotton clothing whenever possible, and make sure to change out of sweaty clothes and shower right after if you’ve been sweating or at the gym.” 

Another key? Pay attention to your hair removal methods. While it might be annoying, it’s probably best to stop shaving in the areas folliculitis is occurring altogether—and it’s not recommended to start again until your skin is healed. When you do shave, however, Dr. Chiu says to use shaving cream, shave in the direction of hair growth, use a sharp razor, exfoliate afterwards, and then moisturize immediately after. She recommends lotions with soothing ingredients such as oatmeal, which can be found in Aveeno’s Daily Moisturizing Lotion.

How Is Folliculitis Treated?

Treatment often combines both prescription and over-the-counter topicals. Dr. Marchbein recommends “cleansers that feature ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide—like PanOxyl Acne Foaming Wash which has 10% benzoyl peroxide—followed by topical antibiotics like Clindamycin lotion twice daily.” In severe cases, she notes, “oral antibiotics are sometimes used.”  

Furthermore, if your chosen method of hair removal seems to be causing or worsening your folliculitis, Dr. Chiu recommends considering laser hair removal as an alternative.