How To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hair (And More)

If you're like me, you understand the pain of ingrown hairs: They look bad, itch and scratch, hurt, and are generally very annoying. I've read many articles and advice about how to treat and get rid of them, but many contradict each other or offer only a portion of what you need. That's why I've complied a few years of (painful) research and knowledge at your disposal! But before we get to how you can get rid of your ingrown hairs, let's first learn a bit about them.

So what is an ingrown hair? Simply put, Ingrown hair is a condition where hair grows back into the skin. It is mainly caused by curly, thick hair, and can become worse due to improper shaving, dry skin, and lack of treatment when they occur.

So how do you get rid of ingrown hairs? The best strategy is to combine several ways of prevention and treatment, so that you get rid of the pesky ingrown hairs you suffer from now and make sure they don't return. Just a quick note: While most of the tips refer to beard shaving, they can be applied to all the areas of the body! Let's get down to business then, shall we?

So… How do I prevent?

Prepare properly! Always prepare your face before shaving. Either apply a towel soaked with hot water to the area for a few minutes, or use products specifically designed to soften hair prior to shaving. More info about products at the end of the article.

o Right before shaving, lather your hair with gentle soap containing moisturizer. Rinse and repeat as many times as needed.

o Apply Pre-shave oil before the gel/foam to further prevent bumps and bruises.

o Use shaving gels or creams that protect against bumps and bruises.

o Softly lift your hairs after applying the gel/foam. Repeat before each stroke of the blade.

Shave properly! Disinfect the blade with alcohol or aftershave, and remove any access alcohol on the blade. Remember, we don't want alcohol on the skin.

o Shave with the grain. Pick a direction and stick with it for all the area you are shaving.

o Change razors when they become dull. o Use a two or one blade razor. Less is more!

o Wash the razor every stroke and make sure it's clean.

o Forget electric razors - the cause the hairs to grow in different directions. We want straight hairs.

Treat your skin after you shave Use products specifically designed for post-shaving ingrown hair treatment.

o Do not use alcohol!

o Use a gentle anti-bacterial soap if you have an infection.

o Moisturize the skin.

o Antiseptics, such as peroxide and benzoyl peroxide (commonly used to treat acne), can help reduce the symptoms in severe cases, by further preventing infection.

And in general… Keep skin moist and clean as much as you can.

o Exfoliate the designated areas to remove dead skin covering the hairs. Do this carefully! Areas with ingrown hairs should not be exfoliated. Remember we're trying to prevent at this point.

And how do I get rid?

Unfortunately, here it becomes a bit more complicated. It all depends: to what lengths are you willing to go to get rid of them?

o Carefully pull out the ingrown hairs with special sterile tweezers specifically designed for this purpose. Press a hot towel against the area for a few minutes to bring the hair to the surface of the skin.

o Refraining from shaving for a while is a guaranteed and safe way to stop the hairs from growing inside the skin. If you don't want to look like a caveman, you can shave off a bit of your beard every few days. But beware! You need to become skilled in the art of "partial shaving" to not look like a mess.

o There are many products that claim to remove ingrown hairs, some promise more than they keep, especially if you have a stubborn case. See more info below about products.

A few other things to remember…

• If the area gets infected - see a skin doctor. They might just subscribe you medicine that doesn't help (believe me, I've been there), but you never know! But seriously, seek professional assistance when needed.

• Use gentle, non-comedogenic products on the ingrown hair area. That means no alcohol, no aggressive scrubs etc. Even regular soaps can cause more inflammation.

• If you have very persistent ingrown hairs like I did, try mixing and matching with different products and techniques. You should eventually find what works for you.

• Remember! To beat the ingrown you have to be consistent: If you see results from a specific treatment don't stop until there is nothing left to treat! And even then, continue preventive treatment. For more information about pre-shave, shave and post-shave products, see my review blog here