To those of you who are blessed with minimal to no bodily hair, you have no idea just how fortunate you are. As for the rest of us however, it’s a constant struggle and dreaded chore to upkeep and remove. And don’t even get us started on ingrown hair, which is the very bane of our existence.
Whether you’re shaving, tweezing or waxing, chances are a few annoying bumps will crop up where the hair once was and it’s probably ingrown hair you’re dealing with. Due to the irritation experienced by the follicle from hair removal as well as other factors like wearing tight clothing and exercising, the hair tends to grow inwards in the follicle.
What happens is that the follicle reacts to these irritations by swelling, and then should there be a presence of a hair growth, it deliberately traps it under the skin, causing it to curl in instead of protruding out of the epidermis. This also happens with oil, dirt and other bacteria buildup.
1. Face, neck and chin
Though rare, ingrown hairs on the face, neck and chin do pop up as a result of improper hair removal. More often than not, the hair breaks halfway, leaving one end in the skin and that’s when an ingrown situation can happen. The solution? Use products that contain benzoyl peroxide, an ingredient known to treat acne, to destroy bacteria that’s exacerbating the problem.
2. Legs
A tiny tube of cream evidently wouldn’t be enough for this big of a surface area, so your next best bet would be a solution or a face toner containing exfoliating acids such as salicylic acid to eliminate ingrown hair-causing oil, dead skin and dirt. Use a cotton pad to rub the solution all over the skin and allow it to absorb completely before moisturising the skin. Doing it once a day every evening should do the trick.
3. Armpits
It may not seem like it, but the skin at the pits is very delicate and can sometimes be even more sensitive than the face, hence it’s best to be gentle. The most common cause for ingrown hair in this area? Removing hair from the wrong direction as armpit hair commonly grows in various directions. Aside from chemical exfoliation like the legs, wash the area with a moisturising soap to soothe and soften the skin.
4. Bikini line
This may be the most annoying to deal with of the lot and this area is greatly sensitive so you should never attempt to pluck the ingrown hair out at all cost. It would only aggravate the affected area further and could even become painful. Again, you can wipe down the area with a solution containing exfoliating acids like glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If it’s irritated, soothe the area with pure aloe vera.
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