I am one of those people who hate body hair. Like really hate it. I don’t like the way my hairy legs feel against pants, or the way that I could feel my arm hair raise when I would get goose bumps, but the thought of waxing my unwanted hair terrified me! So what did I do? I shaved. Every. Single. Day. So this system was working out well for me, until a few years ago when I started getting little bumps all over the place every time I shaved. I was plagued by ingrown hairs! A hair-free-loving girls worst nightmare.
So what is a girl to to? Well, lucky for you, I did all the research and experimentation so you don’t have to!
The first thing I did was stop shaving, and yes, I took the plunge and started waxing. Everything. The first few sessions were terrifying, but I started noticing fewer ingrown hairs almost immediately. (If you do shave, you can still avoid ingrowns by making sure you always use a sharp razor and a good shave cream, preferably for sensitive skin.)
The perks of my new preferred method of hair removal (waxing) proved to be better than I could have imagined. But ingrown hairs are sure to pop up at one point or another. So lets go over what to do when that happens.
Exfoliation is the next step in preventing ingrown hairs. While it is important to make sure you exfoliate, it is more important to know when to exfoliate. Avoid any type of exfoliation products for at least three days prior to waxing. Exfoliation methods should be used in the days after waxing to ensure you are not irritating your skin further. We love PFB for treating ingrown hairs at the root and also helping to exfoliate.
At the end of everything, make sure that you are keeping your skin hydrated, and moisturized. My favorite basic moisturizer, especially when my skin is going through an extra rough time, is Eucerin Roughness Relief Lotion, but find what works best for you, and just make sure to use it.
I know it sounds like a lot of steps just to avoid some obnoxious bumps, but trust me, your skin will thank you! And if after all of this, you are still getting painful ingrown hairs that are hard to manage, be sure to talk to your dermatologist to see what the best solution for you may be.
Check out this article on how best to treat an ingrown hair if one does decide to creep up… and remember, don’t pick at it!