An ingrown hair occurs when a shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin, causing inflammation and irritation.
Sometimes, dead skin can clog up a hair follicle. That forces the hair inside it to grow sideways under the skin, rather than upward and outward. Ingrown hairs aren’t serious. But they can be irritating and embarrassing.
Here is three steps to help prevent them before they start:
- Exfoliation is key; use a good quality scrub before and then 24 hours after your treatment. A product I love is Aveda’s Caribbean Therapy Body Scrub applied with a loofah mitt. Ideally, you will already be exfoliating the area already. But if you are not, you can start your regime the same week as your scheduled service. Just don’t start on the same day. Twenty-four hours after your wax, you will want to exfoliate again. Continue to do so a few times a week, depending on your skin’s sensitivity and hair type.
- Apply a product that contains salistitic acid to the area with a cotton round. This step clears out the pores and helps to prevent the area from getting infected. The product I prefer to use for this step is “Tend Skin.” This is my go-to anytime I wax my bikini area, underarms, and even my face.
- Moisturize with a product that is free of perfume so it does not irritate the skin. Applying a light layer will be sufficient. It’s important to avoid over moisturization as this can clog pores and create even more irritation.
