The Ultimate Guide on How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs For Super Smooth Skin
One of arguably the worst things about hair removal in any form, especially shaving or waxing, is the inevitability that at some point, you’ll experience ingrown hairs. It’s totally common, but it can be super frustrating especially when you’re planning on wearing a bathing suit or baring your legs. Not to mention, ingrown hairs and razor bumps can also be painful.
We’ve put together a helpful guide to preventing ingrown hairs, treating current ones, and how to achieve the softest, smoothest skin ever. Keep reading to see our tips.
What causes ingrown hairs?
According to MedicineNet, an ingrown hair happens when the sharp tip of the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin of the hair follicle, usually after shaving or tweezing. They also note ingrown hairs can be caused by too much friction or wearing tight clothing after waxing. Another reason you might be experiencing ingrown hairs is from dead skin blocking the hair follicle, causing the hair to grow sideways, leading us to our first tip…
Exfoliate, Exfoliate, and Exfoliate Again
One of the best ways to prevent and treat ingrown hairs is through exfoliation. When you exfoliate the skin, you’re helping to get rid of the buildup of dead skin cells, which can clog the hair follicles and trap the hair under the skin. We’re fans of both chemical and physical exfoliation, but you can use whatever works best for your skin type.
If you’re a coffee-lover, try our Buffing Beans Vanilla Bean Coffee Scrub. With grapeseed oil, Coffea arabica extract and a generous dose of brown sugar, this scrub smells like your favorite vanilla latte and buffs away dead skin cells to loosen and help shed the dry, flaky or rough top layer of skin.
If you’re more of a body bar kind of person, try the Thayer’s Rose Petal Body Bar. Soothing rose petals and witch hazel tones the epidermis and tightens the pores, while aloe vera helps to moisturize and keep skin soft.
Change your razor head often
Raise your hand if you haven’t changed your razor head in over a month. Yup, you read that right - you should ideally change your razor heads every month, and more frequently if you shave every day. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, you should change your blade and throw away disposable razors every five to seven shaves to help minimize irritation and the spread of bacteria. BRB, running to our bathroom to change our razor head ASAP.
Use a non-comedogenic body lotion or butter
After you’ve buffed away dead skin cells and changed that razor, make sure you’re not spoiling all your hard work with a pore-clogging body lotion. We love our Smooth-as-Butter Body Butter that has a yummy brown sugar scent and has skin-softening ingredients like shea butter, sunflower oil, and almond butter. Say hello to super smooth and glowy skin!
Consider ditching shaving altogether
Tired of dealing with ingrown hairs for good? Consider permanent IPL hair removal, which will help prevent them from returning to the areas that you treated. Instead of pricy salon treatments, try an at-home device, like the Techture Beauty Electra IPL, which uses a gentler technology than a laser called Intense Pulsated Light. It’s the best way to remove hair and say goodbye to ingrown hair in the comfort of your own home.
We hope this guide will help you unlock your smoothest skin yet. What are some of your go-to tips for preventing ingrown hairs?
