Ingrown hairs are annoying, and they often seem to come at random. They are caused by the inability of the hair to grow straight out of a hair follicle, from either bending (more common in curly haired people) or occlusion/rubbing- hello underwear. Ingrown hairs can be a result of shaving, waxing and the hair growing the wrong way. People with thick hair are also more prone to ingrown hairs, but everyone can get these irritating, painful bumps. They get painful and inflamed when there are microinfections of the follicle and can result in pimples/acne in the area.
To prevent ingrown hairs, always shave/remove hair in the direction of the hair growth- yes it makes for maybe not such a close shave, but will save you shave bumps in the long run. Before and after you groom make sure you clean the surface of the skin, Visha Skincare Top2Toe body wash has exfoliants and antimicrobial ingredients such as tea tree oil to help limit the ability to get small infections of the hair follicle. Ingrown hairs get inflamed and bacteria grows more in warm moist environments. Like all organisms (including us) , bacteria and fungus needs food, warmth and moisture. If you take these portions of the equation out, you will not get as many shave bumps. This means, not used edible personal hygiene products where you get ingrown hairs (cue coconut oil, and olive oil), not staying in wet/moist clothing for extended periods of time, and getting air to the areas effected with ingrown hairs. Using an antimicrobial body spray like Visha Skincare Cheek2feet with witch hazel, tea tree oil and thyme oil, helps minimize ingrown hairs after sweating /working out. Waxing and laser are good hair removal techniques for ingrown and curly hair, because it pulls hairs at the root, like tweezing. Threading does the same thing.
It is important to exfoliate the skin. Gently scrub the area twice a day with an exfoliating glove or a washcloth with an exfoliating wash. This is important because it removes dead skin cells, dirt and oil that build up on the hair follicle and trap the hair inside. Exfoliation may also allow the hair to pop through the skin. Don’t scrub too hard, though, or you risk irritating the skin around the ingrown hair, which can cause bleeding or an infection. Visha Skincare Fitness Scrub is formulated with charcoal, salt and tea tree oil to exfoliate and combat ingrown hairs.
An over-the-counter astringent such as witch hazel can help reduce swelling and make it easier to get that pesky hair out. Also try a cleanser with benzoyl peroxide, which can help clear the area of possible infection that may have caused the ingrown to begin with. It can also help prevent ingrown hair in the future.
To draw out ingrown hairs with a warm compress, wet a washcloth with warm water and press it against the ingrown hair. Repeat as the washcloth cools down. If you can see the hair, a warm compress can soften the hair and bring it closer to the surface. If you cannot see the hair, leave the compress on until the hair becomes visible. Leave the compress on for 10 minutes, re-wetting the cloth as needed, and if the hair does not rise to the surface, try another method or see your doctor to make sure it is an ingrown hair and not another issue. Dermatologists easily available to you via telemedicine during this time, and they can have a look and rx you meds if you need them.
You can pull out the ingrown hair like a splinter. Just like when you have a splinter, a sterilized needle or tweezers can gently pull an ingrown hair out from under the skin. Be careful not to cut your skin though, as it may cause infection. This not recommended for the shakey or faint of heart- if you are not comfortable pulling out an ingrown hair, do not attempt it at home, as this can do more harm than good.
Visha Skincare Purifying Cleansers and body scrubs (Sugar Shrink body scrub and Fitness Scrub) both contain tea tree oil that helps disinfect the surface of the skin. Visha Skincare Face2Feet body balm has natural anti-inflammatory ingredients like lavender and rose hip seed oil to soothe the skin and hair follicles
Avoid shave gels and products that have edible oils in them can actually clog pores and make ingrown hairs worse. Do not try to squeeze a clogged ingrown hair, this will result in more inflammation and could spread an existing follicular infection. After shaving, dry area well and make sure to moisturize and soothe area, best if products contain tea tree oil or aloe. Use a sharp, multi-bladed razor and shave with the grain, not against the grain to prevent them from growing into the skin. Use Visha Skincare Top2Toe body wash to shave with as it has exfoliating acids, bakuchiol and tea tree oil to unclog pores and decrease inflammation. Visha Skincare Advanced correcting Serum is used as well to exfoliate and lighten any scaring or dark spots left in the aready- to get ready for bikini season.