How can I make my legs smooth by epliating?

I have been using an epilator on my legs for about a month and even after I've epilated they feel bumpy, like you can see the hair follicle and even a few days after you can still see it and my legs don't look very good or smooth. Is there something I'm not doing that will ensure smooth legs for a few weeks? Also, I've been epilating my underarms (which hurts so much!) and after that even though mostly the hairs are gone you can see where they have been removed, they don't look smooth. Any suggestions? Thanks.