How To Deal With Ingrown Hairs
April 21, 2021
Ingrown hairs - we’ve all had them, but do we really understand what they are or how to avoid them? We didn’t think so. That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide to pesky ingrown hairs. Read on to learn how you can help reduce them or say goodbye to them forever!
What is ingrown hair?
An ingrown hair occurs when hair grows back into the skin, instead of rising up out of the skin. It typically takes the form of a red bump, however, the size can vary considerably (think the size of a whitehead on the smaller end and the size of a cyst on the larger end). In terms of what causes ingrown hairs, the most common culprits are:
- Shaving
- Having thick/coarse pubic hair
- Having curly hair
- Infrequent exfoliation
- Picking or poking at ingrowns – that just makes everything worse
The Do’s & Don'ts of Ingrown Hairs
- Don’t shave. Did you spot an ingrown hair? Then put the razor down and back away slowly… Seriously though, shaving may only make matters worse leading to redness, inflammation or worse, infection.
- Don’t try to remove the hair with tweezers or your fingers. Although it can be tempting, removing ingrown hairs is never going to offer the same level of satisfaction as those pimple popping videos. They just won’t. Instead, avoid trying to remove the hair yourself as doing so can lead to worse inflammation, increasing the size of the bump and ensuring it sticks around for even longer.
- Do exfoliate. Exfoliating is the best way to try to dislodge the hair shaft from the skin. We recommend using WAXON Citrus Mint Body Polishfor a gentle and clean exfoliation or WAXON Natural Loofah Soap for a deeper exfoliation.
- Do wear loose clothing and cotton underwear. To put it simply, moisture, friction, and ingrown hairs are NOT a match made in heaven. So ditch the yoga pants and spandex thongs and opt for loose, breezy clothing and underwear made of breathable materials like cotton to increase healing time and avoid new ingrowns from emerging.
Tips to Avoid Future Ingrown Hairs
- Exfoliate regularly. Don’t wait for an ingrown hair to appear. Instead, exfoliate once or twice a week as a preventative measure.
- Treat and Calm. South’s AHA/PHA Ingrown Serum is a triple threat (and our #1 selling product) thanks to its hydrating, exfoliating, and calming super powers. Plus, it was specifically designed to help soften and straighten hairs below the surface, reducing the chances of ingrown hairs.
- Let the hair grow naturally. Letting the hair grow is the simplest way to avoid ingrown hairs (and let's be honest, who hasn’t had a quarantine #bush at this point?).
- Be smart about hair removal. If a ‘70s bush isn’t your thing, then all we ask is that you be smart about hair removal – you have options! If you’re waxing - by a professional of course - ensure you exfoliate the day before and that the hair is about the length of a grain of rice to minimize pain and ingrowns. Laser is our favourite option because once you’re done so are your ingrowns (HOORAY!) If you are in between appointments (or in another lockdown) we recommend the Lycon Trimmer to tidy things up in a safe way. As an absolutely last resort, if you just can not wait one more minute so you reach for the razor make sure it’s super sharp and clean as dull razors are more likely to result in ingrown hairs.
Needless to say, ingrown hairs are annoying AF. Whether you’re team au naturale or team #baldcoochie, taking proper precautions ensures you won’t have to deal with these pesky red bumps on a regular basis.
