How to Deal With Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs, or those that don’t erupt through the skin, can be uncomfortable. Here’s what you should know about treating and preventing them.
Causes
Ingrown hairs are often caused by shaving with a blunt razor. This is because a dull blade can rip your hair instead of cutting it at the root. The resulting jagged ends are likely to grow in irregularly.
Pulling your skin taught when you shave can also cause this problem because your hair may get caught beneath the surface of your skin when you let go.
Even if you wax instead of shave, you may still get ingrown hairs. This can happen if the hair breaks instead of being pulled from the follicle. Your hair is more likely to break when you wax if you don’t moisturize and exfoliate your skin beforehand.
Additionally, people with naturally curly or coarse hair are more likely to experience this problem than those with fair, straight hair. Curls can change the hair’s direction and coarse hair can pierce your skin more easily.
Treatment
Most ingrown hairs resolve themselves relatively quickly, but some can become infected if they’re aggravated. If you have an ingrown hair:
- Avoid shaving or waxing the area until it’s healed.
- Exfoliate to remove dead skin cells and dirt from the follicle. This will encourage the hair to grow in properly.
- Try to remove it with sterilized tweezers, but only if it’s visible through the skin. Before you do this, clean the area thoroughly and press a warm washcloth against your skin to loosen the follicle.
Prevention
There are several measures you can take to prevent ingrown hairs from forming. Depending on your method of hair removal, it may be a good idea to:
- Moisturize daily to reduce the risk of breakage.
- Switch to a safety razor with a single, sharp blade to ensure your hair is cut cleanly and at the root.
- Shave hairs in the direction that they naturally grow.
- Exfoliate regularly, especially before waxing.
- Wear loose-fitting clothing for the first 24 hours after waxing.
- Try laser hair removal or electrolysis to prevent regrowth.
Visit a medical spa
If you’re tired of dealing with ingrown hairs, schedule an appointment with the cosmetology students and professionals at a Canadian Beauty College medical spa. If you want to turn your passion for beauty into a career, call us today to learn about the benefits of our many programs.