How to Get Rid of Ingrown Hairs
Here's how to banish any ingrown hairs you have, plus prevent new ones from forming.
Up next in Waxing & Shaving Tips (11 videos)
Pluck, wax, or shave your way to smooth skin with the help of these Howcast videos.
You Will Need
- Exfoliating scrub
- Moisturizer
- Shower gel
- Shaving cream or hair conditioner
- Sharp razor
- Salt-based exfoliating scrub (optional)
- Exfoliating scrub with salicylic acid (optional)
- Waxing (optional)
Steps
-
Step 1
Don't pluck it
Never pluck an ingrown hair; it can spread bacteria, leading to infection and possible scarring.
-
Step 2
Exfoliate and moisturize
Moisturize daily and exfoliate regularly -- daily or every other day as long as you're using a gentle exfoliant; weekly if you have sensitive skin. Keeping skin moist may help a wayward hair find its way out of the follicle on its own. If it doesn't, have a licensed aesthetician remove it.
-
Look for a salt-based exfoliating scrub or one containing salicylic acid.
-
Step 3
Wash with shower gel
Always wash before shaving, as dirt can lead to ingrown hairs. Use bath gel instead of bar soap, which is more likely to leave a film that can clog follicles.
-
Step 4
Rub hair the right way
Cleanse skin in an upward, circular motion; this helps prevent hair from growing inward by sweeping it up and away from the way it grows.
-
Step 5
Soften skin before shaving
Soften skin before shaving with either a cream made for that purpose or hair conditioner, and use a sharp razor. A dull blade on dry skin increases the chance that hair will curl back into the skin or grow sideways.
-
Try not to shave over the same area twice; the more the blade glides over the same patch, the greater the chance of developing an ingrown hair.
-
Step 6
Rinse skin with cold water
Rinse your skin with very cold water after shaving to make pores contract; then briskly dry with a clean towel to help exfoliate the area.
-
Step 7
Switch to waxing
Consider switching to waxing; it removes the hair at the root, reducing the chance that it will curl back into the skin.
-
Clean-shaven legs for women didn't become de rigueur until the 1930s.
