What is an ingrown hair?
An ingrown hair is a hair that has curled around and grown back into your skin instead of coming through like it should.
What causes ingrown hairs?
Shaving or Waxing Technique, not taking care of your skin before and after waxing, shaving and epilating, dead skin cells and tight clothing.
how to prevent Ingrown Hairs
If you’re getting a professional wax or are waxing at home, technique doesn’t play too much of a role. What’s important is the treatment you give your skin before and after waxing
- Take a hot shower before waxing
- Apply moisture cream such as Shea butter, coco butter or Vaseline after waxing and daily. This leaves the skin smoother and softer.
- Keep clean
- Exfoliating once a week to remove dead skin cells that are blocking hair follicles from growing out through the skin. Remember not to exfoliate directly before or after waxing or shaving as the skin will be too sensitive and more likely to be damaged.
- Avoid using products that are high in alcohol content or dry your skin up. Using Salicylic Acid or Benzoyl Peroxide commonly found in acne medication. After exfoliating it can be a great help to release dirt and other substances that could be blocking your hair.
- Make sure the products are “non-comedogenic”. This means that it will not break down the excess oils on your skin and will leave you with the essential nutrients, moisture, and oils that your skin needs.
- Don’t wear too tight clothes. The fabric of tight clothing puts pressure on your skin and makes it more difficult for the hair follicles to grow outwards properly
how to treat Ingrown Hairs
Step 1: Make sure that you have exfoliated, cleansed, acne creamed and hot toweled your ingrown hair. It has to be visible and very close to the surface.
Step 2: Sterilize your tool properly with some rubbing alcohol or boiling water to avoid damaging the skin
Step 3: Apply a warm towel to the area for 5-10 minutes. This softens up the skin considerably making everything easier.
Step 4: Gently release the hair
Step 5: Treat the inflammation with some anti-inflammatory Aloe Vera cream or Hydrocortisone cream which is also an antiseptic, which will greatly reduce inflammation the chance of infection and future ingrown hairs.
Or using the Aspirin Method to reduce inflammation.
- Place 2 tablets in about a teaspoon of hot water & mix until it becomes a paste.
- Add a teaspoon of honey to the paste.
- Apply the paste once or twice a week to the ingrown hair, leave it on for 10 minutes & wash it off with warm water.
The salicylic acid in the aspirin is anti-inflammatory and exfoliates the affected area while the honey is both antiseptic, hydrating and bacteria killing.
Finally – Moisturize the area twice a day to help inflammation until your skin is back to its glorious self.