The Only Guide You Need For Tackling Ingrown Hairs (2024)

Ingrown hairs are the scourge of shavers everywhere and if you're accustomed to picking up the razor every few days, you might have noticed your skin peppered with tiny red bumps a few days later.

In some cases, ingrown hairs can be super-uncomfortable as it can cause itchiness and even become infected, but instead of squeezing or picking at them, opting for gentle exfoliating ingredients is a much less painful way of preventing its formation.

Ahead, a closer look at what causes ingrown hairs and how you can safely tackle them.

What Are Ingrown Hairs?

'Ingrown hairs are hairs that have grown back and curled into the skin, often following hair removal,' explains Charlotte Terling, head of product development at bodycare and razor brand, Estrid. 'These hairs can make the skin itchy and irritated, and often appear as bumps, spots, redness and whiteheads.'

While anyone can get an ingrown hair, they're most commonly caused by shaving, and on those whose hair type is curly and coarse.

'Ingrowns are a totally normal (but uncomfortable) part of having and growing body hair,' agrees Jigyasu Karunesh, International Brand Manager at Flamingo. 'In fact, 62% of people get ingrown hairs after shaving.'

'One common confusion is that ingrown hairs are a form of acne,' says Zitsticka co-founder Daniel Kaplan. 'Understanding when your inflammation is actually an ingrown hair will help better equip you for getting rid of said ingrown hair,'

Will Ingrown Hairs Go Away On Their Own?

'Sometimes,' says NHS Doctor Kemi Fabusiwa. 'Your skin naturally sheds, so the hair might eventually come free. But if it's painful, swollen, or shows signs of infection (redness, pus), take action.'

Do Shaving And Waxing Cause Ingrown Hairs?

In short, yes they do. Both can cause ingrown hairs, especially if you have curly hair. Shaving cuts hair at an angle, making it easy to re-enter the skin and waxing breaks the hair below the skin's surface, leading to ingrown hairs as it regrows.

'Neither is inherently better; it depends on your individual skin and hair. Exfoliating regularly is key to preventing ingrown hairs, regardless of your hair removal method. It is also important to consider methods of hair removal that do not cause ingrown hairs, such as laser hair removal.'

How To Prevent Ingrown Hairs

You could stop shaving, tweezing or waxing and try laser hair removal instead but that might not be an option for everyone. This is where clever ingredients and proper shaving techniques come in.

1. Start Exfoliating Regularly

Ingrown hairs can crop up when the hair follicle is obstructed by dead skin cells, so exfoliating is key. 'Dead skin cells can contribute to the growth of ingrown hairs. Start to exfoliate over the affected area with a gentle scrub before picking up a razor. This will remove any dead skin cells and keep ingrown hairs at bay,' offers Terling.

Look for extra fine granules such as a sugar scrub to avoid tearing the skin or opt for chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid.

'Glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), works by breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells, allowing them to slough off more easily,' says Dr. Fabusiwa. 'This process, helps remove the top layer of skin that's trapping the ingrown hair. The Inkey List Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Stick is your friend here.'

In darker skin types, ingrown hairs can leave behind pigmentation marks, but weekly use of topical glycolic acid (or lactic acid to those who are prone to sensitivity) will help soften the marks over time. Salicylic acids are useful too, as it helps to clarify the pores and minimise inflammation.

That said, it's important to not over-exfoliate as this can impair the skin barrier and lead to other problems. 'If you expose your skin to aggressive exfoliation, it can cause micro-tears in the skin, leaving you at risk of bacteria seeping in these open parts of the skin,' says Kaplan. Start once weekly to see how your skin reacts and look for formulas that are padded with caring ingredients such as ceramides.

2. Try Body Brushing

Diminishing cellulite, increasing energy and boosting your immune system aren't the only amazing results of dry body brushing.

A quick scrub before each shower improves cell turnover, which means fewer clogged pores so that hairs can grow out normally.

Those undergoing IPL or laser hair removal will find that the process also helps to dislodge dead hair follicles from the root, resulting in less shadows and even less spikiness. Just remember to not body brush and use a scrub at the same time.

3. Keep Your Razor Sharp

If you're on team shaving, a sharp razor will go a long way in preventing ingrown hairs. 'Your razor should glide like butter over your skin, and if it doesn’t, it’s a sign that it’s time to switch blades,' says Terling. 'Try not to add too much pressure when shaving. Leaving a little bit of stubble can actually help prevent ingrown hairs growing in the wrong direction.'

Exfoliate pre-shaving to prep the skin (exceptions are made for the pubic region) and apply lathering shaving cream to the area. 'Hold your skin taut, and then carefully start shaving using short strokes. Always rinse your razor after every stroke. For pubic hair, always shave in the direction of your hair growth,' continues Terling.

4. Invest In Laser Hair Removal

If ingrown hairs are the bane of your life and you've tried more or less everything to get rid of them, it's worth investing in a course of laser hair removal. It won't completely banish ingrown hairs, but the lack of shaving will minimise them.

'The laser penetrates into the hair follicle, so even if you have an ingrown hair, the root is targeted so it will come to the surface and fall out,' explains Marianna Vlachos, senior practitioner at Pulse Light Clinic. 'The average person needs 8-10 sessions,' says Vlachos, noting that those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) might need more due to hair growth.

Post laser, the hair should grow back softer and finer, and growth should be much slower than usual. Lasers will help the ingrown, inflamed follicles to shed too.

Laser hair removal isn't for everyone though. 'Lasers works by targeting pigment of the hair follicle, so it won’t be suitable for blonde, red, white or grey hairs,' says Vlachos.

How To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hairs

If all of the above is great and useful but you've already got the ingrown hairs, here's how to deal with them...

1. Tweeze With Caution

Letting loose on your ingrown hairs with a pair of tweezers isn't exactly ideal, but if you're going to do it, do it properly.

'There is a safe way to tweeze out ingrown hairs,' say the experts at Tweezerman, but only when you can actually see the hair. When the ingrown hair is fresh and near the surface of your skin, you can use a specifically designed ingrown hair tweezer to gently pull it out.' In other words, don't go digging around for the hair as this can cause further redness, infection and scarring.

'It's easy to introduce bacteria, leading to infection,' says Dr. Fabusiwa. 'If the hair is almost at the surface, you can try, but make sure the tweezers are sterilised. If not, continue regular gentle exfoliation.'

Place a warm compress on the affected area before tweezing out the hair in order to take down any itching and sterilise your tweezer using warm water and rubbing alcohol.

2. Soothe It Off

Most times however, putting down the tweezers is the best thing you can do. Instead, try an ingrown spot treatment such as the one by Flamingo. It contains willow bark (a source of salicylic acid) and lactic acid to free up the trapped hair while calming bisabolol keeps redness at bay.

3. Steer Clear From Tight Clothing

'Tight clothing anywhere on your body is a no-go for ingrown hair, so avoid any tight materials such as lycra or latex,' cautions Terling. 'The material-to-skin friction causes a sweaty environment which the hair hates.' Time to bring out the airy cottons and linen sets.

4. Heal The Skin

Once you've managed to successfully remove the ingrown hair, clean the affected area and treat it to a moisturiser with soothing ingredients such as oatmeal, cica and ceramides.

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