Scrub a Dubb Dub!

Common hair removal methods leave irritation, bumps, and ingrown hairs in its wake. Today, we are going to walk you through the common causes and symptoms of ingrown hairs, how to treat the ones you have, and how to avoid them coming back!

Causes and Symptoms of Ingrown Hairs

The number one cause of ingrown hairs is hair removal. Instead of growing straight up from the follicle, the hair grows under a layer of skin, causing inflammation, irritation and those noticeable red bumps. Tweezing, waxing, and shaving all greatly increase the risk of ingrown hairs. Yet this can be exacerbated by poor hair removal methods. Waxing or shaving in the wrong directions is an easy way to irritate your bikini line.

A few other ways you put yourself at risk of ingrown hairs is using a dull and old blade and wearing tight clothing or rough fabric that rubs and chafes your bikini line in the summer. Both are bound to cause irritation, red bumps, and cause unwanted attention near your bikini line on a pool or beach day.

Treating Existing Ingrown Hairs

If you suffer consistently from ingrown hairs, try one or a number of these methods to treat and heal your skin.

1. Soften with a warm washcloth
Using a wet, warm washcloth helps soften your skin, opening up the pores and hair follicles. This is not only soothing to your painful ingrown hairs but also helps prep your skin for exfoliation.

2. Gently exfoliate
As ingrown hairs grow under the skin, removing layers of dead skin can help you find and remove the hairs. You can use something as gentle as a wet washcloth, rubbing in circular motions on your bikini line, an all-natural sugar body scrub, or a body brush. If this exfoliation isn’t strong enough, you can get a retinoid prescription from your doctor to quicken the process.

3. Pull out any visible ingrown hairs carefully
Once your hairs are softened and your skin exfoliated, you can take a pair of clean, sanitized tweezers and extract the ingrown hairs. Avoid digging in or breaking the skin to get to a hair. This is what the warm washcloth and exfoliation should help with. You will want to gently pull the hair out of the skin, but not pluck it. This will cause the skin to just grow over the new hair again. Wait until the skin has healed to remove hair if possible.

4. Use creams and lotions to reduce inflammation
If your bikini line is uncommonly sore, irritated and bothersome, talk to your doctor about a steroid cream to help with the swelling.

5. Stop shaving altogether
If push comes to shove and your ingrown hairs are not improving, go longer in between shaves or stop shaving altogether until your skin is healed and not irritated. This may not be the short-term answer you are looking for, but it will improve your skin and bikini line in the long run!

Preventing New Ingrown Hairs

Once you have tackled all of your current ingrown hairs, and your skin is in a good place, you will want to have every tool in your toolbox for preventing another ingrown issue. Here are a few tips to get your best bikini line!

1. Prep your skin properly
Before shaving, be sure to gently exfoliate and cleanse your skin. Make sure you find a shaving cream that works for your skin as well. If you are very prone to ingrown hairs, look for something made for sensitive skin types.

2. Shave at the end of the shower
Waiting to shave at the end of a shower may not seem like it would do much, but it does! The longer you spend in the shower, the softer your hair becomes and the more your pores open. This makes it easier to shave with no tugging or pulling and allows for a closer, smoother shave.

3. Go with the hair, not against
We are taught to shave our legs against the grain, so to speak. When it comes to your bikini line, shaving in the direction the hair grows is an easy way to avoid irritation and bumps. If you wait until the end of the shower to shave as well, you will still get a close, clean, bump-free shave!

4. Post shave care is key
How you care for your skin after hair removal is vital. Be sure to start exfoliating the bikini area around 48 hours after hair removal to keep ingrown hairs at bay. Applying a non-scented, natural moisturizer daily also helps keep the skin and hair soft.

5. Avoid irritating clothing and undergarments
After hair removal, do your best for the first few days to avoid tight clothing or itchy undergarments. Soft, stretchy clothing and underwear are key to avoiding unwanted irritation!

Don’t be bashful about your bikini line! Prep for summer with a bikini laser hair reduction session!

The easiest and most effective way to avoid ingrown hairs altogether on your bikini line is investing in laser hair removal. This is a safe and effective option that saves you money in the long-run, once you can ditch your razors, creams, lotions, and more!