Ingrown Hair Treatment
Some individuals are more susceptible to ingrown hairs, especially those with naturally curly hair. There are however a few tips to treat your skin with care and ideally prevent ingrown hairs with these measures, providing for the smoothest of skin!
- Firstly, NEVER ever shave with a dull or dirty razor. When shaving, your pores are open and skin vulnerable so avoid infections, ingrown hairs, and strawberry legs by replacing the blade every 5-8 uses.
- Skip the plastic and opt for a single blade safety razor. A single blade safety razor is more hygienic and offers a clean cut on the skin's surface meaning less risk of the hair retreating back into the skin. A blade should be able to cut the blade with one pass, so there’s no need to irritate the skin further with multiple blades.
- A light exfoliation prior to shaving will remove any dead skin cells and dirt, unclog your pores and assist in freeing the hair to grow unencumbered meaning a closer shave.
- We recommend shaving with warm water and a quality shaving soap, cream or gel. It’s super important to hydrate and soften the skin prior to shaving. A lubricating shave supplement will help the razor glide more evenly along the skin and cut the hairs properly. You should be able to feel the ease of the razor gliding along your skin without any resistance.
- Clean your razor after every use and store in a dry area outside of the shower to prevent bacteria build up and keep the blade sharp.
- Follow up every shave with a post shave oil or moisturiser to replenish and hydrate the skin and keep irritation at a minimum. In the event you do get an ingrown, apply a warm wash cloth before getting out the tweezers. Once you can see the hair at the surface, gently with a clean needle or tweezers pull the hair straight out.
Lifestyle and home remedies:
- We are huge fans of Tea Tree oil which kills bacteria and brings down swelling. Simply mix with a bit of water and apply.
- Baking soda is not only a great exfoliator but it can also bring down inflammation in the skin. Mix 1 tbsp of baking soda with 1 cup of water and apply to the skin and rinse with cold water.
- Sugar with a bit of honey or oil is a great way to exfoliate while moisturising the skin and killing any lurking bacteria. Simply apply, always using a circular motion and then rinse with warm water.
If you have an ingrown hair and want to know how to take care of your skin and remove it as quickly as possible? We've got tips on ingrown hair removal here.