Ever since I was a teenager, I have suffered from the occasional ingrown hair. To me, it was extremely embarrassing and I wasn't sure how to handle it or who to talk to about it. At that age, I went about taking care of facial hair by shaving it and it wasn't until college that I began the process of plucking the hairs. Today I am so thankful for two of my favorite estheticians who have taught me how to manage ingrown hairs and I want to share some of the tips they have taught me.
Before I share a few of my tips for conquering ingrown hairs, let's address what ingrown hairs are. According to Wikipedia, "ingrown hair is a condition where hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. The condition is most prevalent among people who have coarse or curly hair. It may or may not be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle (folliculitis) or "razor bumps" (pseudofolliculitis barbae), which vary in size."
Tips for Conquering Ingrown Hairs
1. Exfoliate with a scrub that includes salicylic acid.
Before going to Tia at The Brow Bar, I never knew to use a scrub with salicylic acid. When I see salicyclic acid in products, I would typically think they are to be used for acne. In a way, ingrown hairs are similar to acne. Many times a pimple forms around the hair and can become infected. Using a gentle scrub with salicyclic acid, like Benefit Refined Finish Facial Polish, allows your pores to open and makes the hair easier to remove.
2. Pluck the hair.
As I said earlier, I used to shave my facial hair and for women, that's a big no no. The preferred method to removing ingrown hairs is to pluck them. If you use a scrub with warm water before plucking, it will typically free the hair from the skin and make it easier to pluck. Also, be sure to not pluck when the hair is short. As annoying as it may be, I try to let the hairs grow a few days before plucking. That way it is easier to grab with tweezers and pluck.
3. Try using a daily acne controlling moisturizer.
If you experience ingrown hairs on your face, it helps to focus on treating the potential ingrown hairs like acne. You realize that it's important to take preventative measures to prevent acne. I use an acne controlling moisturizer daily that helps fight pimples and in turn fights ingrown hairs from forming under the skin.
What do you think of these tips? Do you have any tips for conquering unwanted hair or ingrown hairs?
God bless & stay fabellis,
Thanks for the tips! I haven't had an ingrown hair problem on my face but do have it under my arms at times.
ReplyDeleteNo problem! Thanks for reading! I know the first two steps could work definitely on any part of your body so I hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteI second the use of acne products and anything containing salicylic acid, it works. I am super sensitive in my bikini area and I can't really shave there unless I am very careful and even then I still end up with an ingrown. Also, a warm compress on the affected area works as well to open your pores if you need to pull the hair out.
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHey Shea! Yes, that warm compress works great too! Thank you for sharing that and commenting! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Chantel!
ReplyDeleteWhile working at Ulta I learned that many people were calling on Tend Skin to assist in taking care of their razor bumps, ingrown hairs, and razor burn. I've heard that it soothes the irritated skin, be it facial or else where (Underarm, bikini area, etc.). It also reduces the size of bumps! Now, it's no over night miracle (just like any other beauty product), but I've heard from customers that this is one of their go-to staples for this specific issue.
ReplyDeleteJust thought I'd might share this info :)
Hey Tenisha! I haven't heard of that before, but I am checking out reviews on YouTube and it sounds great. Thank you for sharing! :-) Hug the baby for me!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I could help ;) I will hug Lilly for you. (BTW check out her tom foolery on my IG. We're trying to teach her to sleep in her new bed....she AIN'T havin' it)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Ashley! I have ingrown haIrs and I pluck them as well. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Bobbie! :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Ashley. I used Nair cream for face for a while and experienced positive results...until I didn't anymore! I had to scale back on how often I used it because it made my skin too sensitive. That, and it stinks lol. I like these tips and will try them out. I'll let you know how they work :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. #1 is so important to avoid ingrowns. Thanks for stopping by and following the blog doll. I'm now following you. Happy Monday! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks Natasha! I appreciate you following back! Loving your blog. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks girl! My face has always been a little too sensitive for creams for some reason. Please let me know how it goes when you try these! It has made a huge difference for me!
ReplyDeleteI've always had a problem with ingrown hairs in my underarm. It's so incredibly annoying and unattractive. These are really great tips! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteHey LeSha! I'm glad they were helpful to you! I have always had that same problem, but the same tips work great for underarms too. :-)
ReplyDelete