Ingrown Hairs Are The WORST: Treat Them with Advice From an Esthetician
If you’ve ever experienced the pain of ingrown hairs, especially under the arm or in the bikini area, then you know what we are talking about! Many women feel embarrassed about their bikini area because of the bumps and hyperpigmentation caused by ingrown hair, but you are not alone.
Ingrown hair can happen to anyone, but the truth is that the more coarse your hair is, the more likely you’ll suffer from ingrown hairs. If your thighs rub against one another when you walk, you could even experience hyperpigmentation simply by walking. These reasons are not your fault.
However, there are a few habits that could add to your woes. For example, if you shave, you could be at risk for ingrown hairs and hyperpigmentation by shaving in the wrong direction. You can also cause ingrown hairs by shaving hair that’s too long or going over the same area more than 4 to 5 times.
If you enjoy spin cycling, bike riding, running, or any activity where there is friction, your odds go up. And if your Wax Specialist is not applying or removing wax in the direction it should go, then you guessed it, INGROWN!
However, all isn’t lost! There are many ways you can treat, reduce the possibility of ingrown hairs, and keep them at bay. Here’s my professional advice after a decade of treating women’s skin:
Stop picking! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT pick at your ingrown hairs. This causes bacteria to spread, more ingrown hair to grow, and you could severely scar yourself and cause more dark spots.
Exfoliate 2-3x’s per week. Hair can not flourish if dead skin cells are blocking them from growing out of the hair follicle.
Use serum every day after showering and before any activities that will cause friction.
If you wax, stay consistent with your appointments. Make sure that your wax tech is waxing in the direction of your hair growth and not against it (unless sugaring) and removing it in the direction of hair growth as well.
For shaving, shave in the direction of hair growth until it's all off, then go against the direction of the hair (only once) to make sure everything is smooth. If hair is longer than a grain of rice, consider investing in a bikini trimmer to get the hair low before you shave. Longer hair is more likely to tug and cause irritation. No trimmer? Try using small scissors or shears.
If you continue to suffer severely from ingrown hairs, consider booking a vajacial service to remove them and treat hyperpigmentation. For those in the NYC area, come see us Beautiiful Co! We advise you to book 3-4 days after your wax reservation or from the day you last shaved.
.We want you to feel confident in the way your bikini area looks, no matter how you decide to remove your hair.
Here are my top three favorite products to address ingrown hairs and hyperpigmentation in the bikini area:
The Ingrown Tonic High Roller will help to diminish any existing ingrown hairs and keep any new ones at bay. The Faded Mist will help to lighten and diminish dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
skinfix Resurface+ AHA/BHA Niacinamide Exfoliating Pads
This exfoliator provides mutli-level skin resurfacing to smooth, brighten, target dark spots, and enhance skin glow on the face and body. Pro Tip: Cut them in half to make them last longer!
EWC has a few different options to tackle this issue, but this one is hands down the best. They also have one with CBD for those who are super sensitive after waxing.
