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You may have a higher risk for ingrown hairs and related infections if your hair is naturally coarse or curly. These hair types are more likely to curl back into the skin when growing out after hair removal. On their own, ingrown hairs don’t typically hurt, but when they become inflamed, they can cause irritation. “When ingrown hairs cause an infection in the hair follicles (folliculitis) and resemble an acne pustule, they can be painful,” notes Engelman.
Consider a warm compress
There are safer ways to tend to them that won't leave marks and scars (especially important for delicate areas like the jawline). And if you can afford it (and deal with the moderate pain), laser hair removal is perhaps the best option for the ingrown-prone. It’s not foolproof—the hair can still grow back—but it prevents your hair follicles from working properly, cutting back on your body hair and, therefore, annoying ingrown hairs.
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Swipe-on pads make daily exfoliation easier and faster than ever. Try SweetSpot Labs Buff & Brighten Body Exfoliating Pads ($30; ulta.com), which work well on the bikini area, legs, and underarms. The pesky little bumps typically show up on your legs after you shave or tweeze aggressively, forming hairs that grow inside your (now inflamed) skin rather than out of it. “When a hair becomes trapped in the skin, that can lead to inflammation, pustules, or inflamed cysts,” says dermatologist Dr. Caroline Robinson, MD.
Soothe ingrown hair and razor bumps.
"When the hair grows back, the tips are soft, not sharp, and so it's less likely to cause ingrown hairs," she says. Plus, waxing often lasts longer than shaving does, with hair growing back at a slower rate. Dr. Zubristky likes using alpha and beta hydroxy acids a few times a week to remove dead skin cells.
But, there are safe ways to prevent and treat those pesky ingrown hairs, whether they're on your pubic area, face, or legs. Lotions or toners that contain certain gentle acids work as chemical exfoliators, which likewise remove dead skin so the hair stands a better chance of popping out from your skin. “You can also consider using salicylic acid creams.” Dr. Lolis says, adding that products containing glycolic acid or lactic acid can serve the same purpose. If an ingrown hair is really giving you grief with symptoms like pain and irritation, you’ll also want to make an appointment with a dermatologist if you’re able.
How to get rid of ingrown hairs
Whether you're a newbie or have been shaving your bikini line for a long time, you know it takes the right tools and steps to make it through the process unscathed. After all, the last thing you want is to be in pain or itching during your vacay or beach day. To prevent scarring or infection, don’t pick at, scratch or pop your ingrown hairs.
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The other areas we tend to get them more or are areas where the hair is coarser, be that the beard, bikini region, nape of the neck, or so one. This is because coarser hair can get trapped under the skin easier, as well as create more irritation (therefore, this causes a deeper, more inflamed ingrown that you're more likely to notice). If the hair loop isn’t visible, though, they have other options. “I use a sterile needle to [pierce] the overlying skin and splinter forceps to help the hair reach the skin surface,” Dr. Bailey says. “If the hair is still attached to the base of the follicle, I leave it so that the follicle can heal.” But if the hair isn’t still attached, your doctor can remove it “much like removing a splinter,” she says. Next, they might insert a sterile needle underneath a visible hair loop to free the strand.
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Both of these steps also minimize the need to pass over the hair more than once, which is key because every time you swipe, you increase the chances of developing an ingrown hair, as SELF reported previously. It’s common to see ingrown hairs pop up wherever you wax, shave, or groom with tweezers, including your face, legs, bikini area, and underarms. When it comes to ingrown hairs, there are steps to take to keep your skin clean and clear. Ingrown hairs can look like raised, red, itchy spots on the skin.
What medications are used to treat ingrown hair?
A warm bath with Epsom salt can also help loosen the hair, she adds. In rare cases, your healthcare provider may use a sterile surgical knife with a thin blade (scalpel) to make a small cut in your affected areas. They’ll squeeze out any pus and use sterile tweezers to remove the ingrown hair. The beard area of your face (neck, cheeks and chin), legs, armpits and pubic area (bikini line and inner thigh) are most likely to develop ingrown hairs. However, they may also appear on other parts of your body, including your scalp, chest, back, abdomen, inside of your nose (nostril), eyebrows and buttocks (butt).
You also want to make sure that you're taking care of your skin post-shave. A single-blade razor is best if you’re prone to ingrown hairs, as they’re higher-quality with sharper blades. If you’re going with a disposable, make sure to use separate razors for separate parts of your body—a razor for your bikini line shouldn’t be used for your underarms. Most experts will agree that the best way to prevent ingrown hairs is to have laser hair removal since this method gets to the root of the hair to remove it.
"The most definitive solution is to get rid of the hair, either by laser hair removal or electrolysis," says King. As important as it is to get rid of an ingrown hair, it’s also crucial to start thinking about how to prevent the next one from cropping up. Left unattended, they can progress into an abscess or even scar and keloid, says Dr. Charles. So, if your ingrown is sticking around or you’re frequently struggling with these pesky hairs, it’s time to seek help from a medical professional.
“Don’t try to pop them and don’t try to pick them,” she warns. Curly hair also lends itself to becoming ingrown, which explains why the bikini area is particularly prone. “Most hairs when they grow back in the bikini areas are a little bit curly,” says Dr. Wechsler.
Gently lift the hair loop until one end releases from your skin. If ingrown hairs won’t take a hike, you may need to forgo shaving, waxing or tweezing that area. Consider alternative hair removal options, like laser hair removal. This method targets the hair follicle, and it’s usually permanent. And because the hair doesn’t grow back after treatment, you won’t have to worry about ingrown hairs.
As far as things that you can control, this is where your preferred method of hair removal comes into play. Shaving can be potentially more problematic than waxing—or even sugaring hair removal—particularly if you're trying to get a super close shave. "If the hairs are shaved too close to the skin, they tend to have a sharp edge which can reenter the skin and cause an ingrown," says Dr. Icecreamwala. Tweezing, especially along your bikini line, can lead to bumps too, since it can leave a fragment of hair under the skin surface and lead to inflammation, notes Dr. Frieling.
"This will help open up the pore, loosen debris trapped in the pore, and reduce inflammation," she says. It may feel embarrassing to visit a dermatologist or physician for an ingrown hair, especially if it's in a delicate place, but if you can't seem to get rid of the growth no matter what, you'll need professional help. They'll be able to provide topicals, extractions, or other options to help get rid of the ingrown. If red bumps do pop up after shaving, there are many way you can minimize the discomfort. So, a quick swipe of the razor may not actually be the quick and painless alternative that you imagined it to be.
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