Ingrown hairs, the good, the bad, the ugly
If you have ever had an ingrown hair then you know that they can sometimes be painful and embarrassing. Ingrown hairs are a part of just about everyone's life; however there are some things you can do to help get less of them and perhaps even avoid them. This article will give you more information on ingrown hairs, the good, the bad, the ugly, and what you can do about it all.
What is an ingrown hair?
An ingrown hair happens when the hair curls back into the skin. It can sometimes be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle, but does not necessarily have to be. As the hair grows back it can come in at more of an angle than normal which will cause it to miss the follicle opening and grow back into the skin. They are most common in areas of the body that are shaved; legs, beard, etc. but can appear anywhere.
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They generally will resemble the same look as acne, being characterized by raised, red bumps or whiteheads. As the hair continues to grow under the skin it blocks the pore and allows bacteria to grow. This is fairly similar to how pimples are formed.
How do you get ingrown hairs?
An ingrown hair can be caused by several different things:
- oil getting stuck in the hair follicles
- dry skin
- shaving too close or against the direction of hair growth
- Any type of hair removal; waxing, electrolysis, shaving or tweezing
Since everyone has different hair growth, it will largely depend on your skin type or hair on what makes you break out with ingrown hairs. It's best to experiment with different shaving techniques in order to find what works best for you. Here are some tips for getting the best shaving results:
- Shave in the shower: Instead of just splashing some soap on your legs or face, or whatever you are shaving make sure you do it in the shower. The warm moisture of a shower will make the hairs soft and plump; it also opens your pore and decreases the chance of ingrown hairs.
- Protect your skin: Getting the best shave will entail using something on your skin to protect it from the blade. Whether it's shaving gel, cream, or soap that works best for you, it just needs to be something.
- Make sure the blade is sharp: Shaving with a dull blade is going to leave you with more ingrown hairs than you can imagine. Blades are generally only good up to four or five uses; discard them after that and get a new one.
- Moisturizing: After you have shaved it's important to apply some type of moisturizer to your skin to keep it hydrated and smooth. Stay away from alcohols or anything that causes the skin to burn. Keeping your skin moist will help prevent future breakouts.
How to avoid ingrown hairs
Here are some quick ideas on how you can avoid getting ingrown hairs, or at least cut down on how many you're getting:
- Using a product: There are several products out on the market that claim to help treat ingrown hairs. Look for products that contain salicylic acid as it has been known to visible improve razor bumps.
- Take care of your skin: The more you take care of your skin the less it will break out. Exfoliating is a great way to manage ingrown hairs as well as using cleansers on your face.
- Treat them: You can usually remove ingrown hairs easily on your own using a pair of tweezers. Carefully lift the ingrown end out with the tweezers but do not pluck it all the way out.
There you have it, ingrown hairs, the good, the bad, the ugly. Hopefully these suggestions will make shaving a little easier and a lot less painful.
