A recent survey revealed that nearly a third of millennial women feel as though that having a clean, close shave makes them feel more beautiful and optimistic about handling the day ahead. That’s why women spend an average of $10,000 over their lifetime on shaving,  on average more than 7,718 times–all in the name of beautiful, silky legs.

Today, we’re exploring the best practices of shaving and waxing to educate you on how to best remove leg hair to achieve those smooth and soft legs that everyone loves to show off in summer sundresses and shorts!

What causes ingrown hairs on legs?

Ingrown hairs occur when a hair grows back into your skin after you’ve practiced hair removal via waxing or shaving. Especially if you have curly or coarse hair, ingrown leg hairs are not unusual.

Ingrown leg hairs aren’t cause for major concern, however, they do prompt inflammation and irritation. Not only are ingrown hairs unpleasant to deal with, but they can also be unsightly.  With summer nearly here, no one wants to feel self conscious about ingrown leg hairs, exposed by the shorts, dresses,and bathing suits frequently worn in these warm months.

Best Practices for Shaving Your Legs

Preventing ingrown hairs is possible, especially when shaving your legs! To prevent ingrown hairs, exfoliate your legs well before shaving in the shower or bath. This will unclog pores and remove dirt and dead skin. Regular exfoliation also helps ingrown hairs to grow correctly out of the hair follicle rather than curling back into the skin.

Another way to reduce the chances of ingrown hairs is to use a shaving gel or cream on your skin. This helps your razor’s blade to easily glide along the skin, reducing irritation that leads to inflammation and hair follicle blockages.

Finally, use the right razor to shave your legs to ensure the chances of ingrown hairs are minimized. A multi-blade razor works best, and always ensure that your shaving tool is both clean and sharp for best results. Most razors are good for five to six uses. If you find yourself having to apply added pressure to your razor while shaving, that’s a  sign that it’s time to toss it and replace with a new one.

Best Practices for Waxing Your Legs

Another popular method of removing leg hair is to wax, which actually removes hair from the root. Waxing is oftentimes preferred to shaving due to the fact that it encourages hair to grow back more slowly than shaving and finer. However, waxing can certainly lead to unpleasant ingrown hairs, too.

To prevent this pesky issue while waxing, you should—again—exfoliate beforehand. This buffs away any dead skin cells and unclogs pores, which could be the start of ingrown hairs when you actually wax.

Both before and after waxing, be sure to moisturize your legs. Keep your skin hydrated as dry skin causes the hair to break at the surface rather than being removed from the follicle as it’s intended to be, which can lead to hair growing back into the skin.

Finally, use the right wax to encourage smooth skin afterwards. Waxes that are all-natural and made for sensitive skin and applied at body temperature cuts down on irritation.

If you have fallen victim to ingrown hairs on your legs from either method of hair removal, treat them with a over the counter product designed to help the issue or with a natural disinfectant. Substances like tea tree oil or lavender essential oil should be applied directly on the affected areas to begin the healing process.

Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to blissfully soft and smooth legs that you’ll love showing off all summer long! Ingrown hairs are painful, irritating, and even embarrassing, but there’s no reason to suffer through them if you take the appropriate measures while shaving and waxing.

When it comes to shaving, you can rush through the process to get it done quickly or you can take your time and get it done right. It can be tempting to simply damp your face, put on some shaving cream, and swipe away until your face is nice and smooth.  The problem, however, is that rushing through the preparation stage and using the wrong technique can leave you with razor burn, nicks, and ingrown hair. Things no one wants to endure.

While you’ve probably experienced one or perhaps all of these issues after shaving, there are things you can do to enjoy a problem-free shave each and every time.

But how, specifically, can you combat the ingrown hairs on your neck issue? Ingrown hairs occur when hair curls back into the skin, which can lead to skin irritation that ranges from annoying to downright painful.

Read on for a step-by-step look at how you can enjoy a better shave and kiss your ingrown hairs neck issues goodbye. Hint: If you do it the way your barber does it, you’ll be fine.

Proper Preparation

Shaving effectively starts with proper preparation. After all, it is certainly true that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. It’ll help if you’re not in a rush since the preparation process can take a little while. In fact, getting a professional shave from an experienced barber can take, from start to finish, up to about 25 minutes. You don’t necessarily need to spend that long, but you won’t get a great shave—and ward off ingrown hairs—if you think you can get it all done in five minutes.

1. Wash Your Face

You need to start the preparation process by washing your face. You can use facial cleansers that facilitate the softening of the protein in your hair. What you don’t want to do, however, is to use harsh soaps since they can remove oils that soften hair. If you use a cleanser, you can leave it one for about 60 seconds or so before washing it off.

2. Facial Massage

You can reduce the chances of getting ingrown hairs by exfoliating regularly. Apply exfoliation scrub to your face and massage it in using circular motions, and then rinse it off. What it will do is unclog your pores to facilitate a smooth shave, expose hair follicles, and assist in eradicating ingrown hairs. Again, you need to do this regularly for best results, so make it a routine.

3. Take a Hot Shower

Another important consideration when it comes to getting a great shave is to ensure that your skin is hot as well as moist. If you get your shave at a professional barber, he or she might achieve this by applying some hot, wet towels to your face and neck prior to shaving to get your skin ready and your hair soft as well as during the shaving process to keep your hair soft. How can you get inspiration from your barber? You can either mimic the trick of the trade that is hot, damp towels or simply take a hot shower just before you shave in order to get the same effect.

4. Pre-Shave Oil & Shaving Cream

It’s also a good idea to use some pre-shave oil that will help to prevent skin irritation after the shave. And, of course, you’ll want to apply some shaving cream so that there’ll be a layer of lubrication between your skin and the razor blade. Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make is to do what is called a dry shave where you forego shaving cream. Use a generous amount of shaving cream, and work into into your hair for a nice, clean shave.

Proper Technique

If you get a shave from a professional barber, it can be quite the experience, especially if he or she uses a straight razor, which is a razor with a single elongated blade that is extremely sharp. Unless your technique is right, you can end up cutting yourself pretty badly with a straight razor. So, either leave the straight razor to the pros or use it carefully.

Here’s how you can get a great shave using a more traditional multi-blade razor, without developing ingrown hairs on your neck:

1. Choose the Right Razor

There are lots of different choices when it comes to razors. Look for the best option within your desired price points. If you go the disposal razor route, be sure not to overuse them since a dull blade can wreak havoc on your skin and cause ingrown hairs, razor burn, and other problems.

2. Hold the Razor Properly

When using a razor, hold the handle at a 30 degree angle from your face and neck in a way where the head of the razor blade is against your skin or hair.

3. Pull Razor without Applying Pressure

Pull the razor from the bottom of your neck to the top of your neck while applying no pressure. And try to avoid shaving the same area too often since this can cause skin irritation.

4. Rinse Blade

Be sure to rinse the blade under cold water after every stroke of the blade across your neck. This will help to dislodge hair fragments and shaving cream lodged between the blades.

5. Stretch Skin

What you want is to stretch the skin only enough so that there’s a flat surface that the blade can glide over, especially on the neck.

Post-Shave Routine

If you start out well and then shave well, you might as well end well with a good post-shave routine.

1. Wash & Moisturize

After your shave, use warm water to wash off your neck to get rid of any lather residue. You’ll also want to use a product that will moisturize your skin and leave it feeling soft and supple. Look for a product that not only can treat ingrown hairs and razor burns post-shaving, but also can potentially prevent ingrown hairs and razor bumps from occurring in the first place. A product like ours can be the perfect combination to your after-shave to ensure you won’t have any more appearance of ingrown hairs.

Yes, it’s possible to combat any ingrown hairs on your neck with the right preparation, technique, and post-shave routine. So follow these steps, or keep them in mind the next time you take a trip to the barber for a special occasion.

Hair bumps, or razor bumps as they’re sometimes called, manifest themselves as itchy, or even painful, bulges, and they’re more likely to affect you if your hair is curly or coarse. In fact, up to 8 in 10 African American males deal with razor bumps at some point in their lives.

It may be a common problem, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to solve. If you’ve got facial hair, those hair bumps likely pop up in places where you are constantly running the razor making it near impossible for the condition to clear up on its own. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to get rid of hair bumps sooner rather than later. If the hair bumps or razor bumps lead to chronic pain or infection, then you may need further consultation from a dermatologist.

Let’s take a look at some remedies for hair bumps that you may not have tried:

What to do if You Have Hair Bumps

There are a few solutions that may help with the irritation, but the best solutions will also deal with the appearance especially if you’ll be walking into a business meeting later that day. It’s possible that you already have some of these remedies in your own fridge, cupboard, or pantry. But if you don’t, you’ll easily be able to track them down online.

Over the Counter Products

To quickly address hair bumps as they pop up (and even before they do) an over the counter skin care product can be the solution to reduce the appearance of ingrown hairs, razor bumps, and hair bumps. The most embarrassing part of a hair bump can also be the redness that appears even after it clears up. Look for products that address both the appearance and redness for the most effective treatment!

Hot Compress

Feeling itchy? Using a hot compress will feel great and provide soothing relief to your hair bumps problem. This method will also open your pores, which will enable the trapped hair to release themselves.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice isn’t just something you can use to make a thirst-quenching pitcher of lemonade during the balmy summer months. You can also use lemon juice to reduce the risk of infection. The acidity of this liquid will prevent bacteria from affecting the follicles of ingrown hair.

How to Get Rid of Hair Bumps if Your Condition is Chronic

Even occasional hair bumps can be maddening because of the discomfort that they can bring, but a chronic situation may require professional intervention.

The reason you need to seek out medical attention if you have chronic hair bumps is that this problem could be a symptom of an underlying issue. You could have pseudofollicultis barbae, a skin inflammation common in men with facial hair, or folliculitis, a hair follicles infection.

Your doctor might refer you to a dermatologist who will be equipped to prescribe solutions to deal with your hair bumps problem. For instance, a dermatologist might recommend one or more of the following:

• Antibiotics
• Topical steroid
• Oral antibiotics
• Eflornithine cream

It’s important to pay attention to your health and not ignore ongoing or chronic issues.

How to Prevent Hair Bumps

Use the Right Shaving Cream

Don’t assume that all shaving creams are created equal. If your shaving cream is made with comedogenic components, then it could clog up your pores and impede normal hair growth. So, do a little bit of digging to find the right shaving cream.

Change Your Razor

It’s a myth that shaving in the wrong direction creates ingrown hairs. It actually has more to do with the razor itself. Dull razors scrape the skin, causing inflammation and irritation leading to ingrown hairs and hair bumps. Understand your razor’s life cycle, and have replacements ready.

Shave with the Right Technique

Avoid dry shaving, which refers to doing without any lubricant such as shaving cream. It goes without saying that there will be too much friction if you don’t use shaving cream and this will irritate your skin and boost the odds of your getting hair bumps.

Walk into your next business meeting feeling more confident than ever. Get rid of those irritating hair bumps, and style your facial hair without fear of infection or redness.

Let’s face it—being a mom is a full-time job with not much wiggle room. You make time for the big things: class projects, after school activities, and your own career. But when it comes to the “me time”, forget it.

So, it’s no wonder that busy moms need help to prevent ingrown hairs after waxing. Ingrown hairs are sometimes caused by dead skin cells blocking a pore that has a hair follicle trying to grow out of it. Since the pore is covered, the follicle cannot protrude from the skin, and instead grows underneath.

So how can a busy mom squeeze in the time to prevent ingrown hairs after waxing? Here are five quick and easy things you can do to accomplish just that!

Clean Before Waxing

Cleaning your skin in warm water and with soap can help prepare it for waxing. Using a good loofah or washcloth can clear away dirt and dead skin cells that can clog your pores and make the follicles harder to pull out. Plus, the warm water softens the skin, making it more pliable and willing to let those hairs go. Don’t make it too hot, though, because hot wax on sensitive skin is exactly as uncomfortable as it sounds!

Perfect Your Technique

The actual wax can go a long way toward preventing ingrown hairs. The most important thing to know about waxing is proper technique. The trick is to observe the direction of the wax pull from your skin, it should be parallel. Not only that, but you need to do it quickly. Speed matters. That’s why it’s usually better to go to a professional. Waxing at home puts you at greater risk for ingrown hairs.

Use Moisturizers and Other Creams

There are great products available to help reduce the appearance of ingrown hairs. Moisturizers can soften your skin and sometimes exfoliate. Some products may even heal inflammation caused by waxing. Watch your skin and get to know what it needs, because every skin type is different. If you start to notice an itching, burning rash, discontinue use of any skin product, including your wax, as you may be allergic.

Exfoliate to Make Your Skin Glow

Sure, this tip should really be done before the wax, but the best way to protect your skin when you’re a busy bee is to exfoliate daily. That can’t be stressed enough. Day in and day out, life leaves grunge on your skin. Dead skin cells separate from your skin every moment, but remain there, even after washing, mixing in with that grunge for a type of “body soup.” Using a good exfoliant scrub clears away the dead skin, allowing the living tissue to get more air and nutrients, and clearing the way for those stubborn hairs to poke out!

Cool It

After your wax, a cold compress applied to your skin can reduce irritation. The hair follicles are yanked out at their roots, and while the reward is smooth, clear skin, the process does cause irritation beneath the skin as well as on the surface. The coolness helps the irritation subside, allowing your pores to open back up. Just a few minutes of holding it on the irritation can reduce it significantly, and also the stinging, burning pain that sometimes accompanies it.

Busy moms hardly have any time for themselves, between their own pursuits and their children’s. Whether shuttling the kids around or juggling work and home, it’s hard for a mom to find the time to really pamper herself. The five tips above take very little time and can be done around your schedule. So use these five easy ways to prevent ingrown hairs after waxing, and enjoy smooth, soft skin after your wax!

We all know this universal truth: ingrown hairs are annoying and painful. As a busy mom, you don’t have time to deal with little ingrown hairs that distract you from doing all that you need to do every day. Between homework, practices, and of course your own work responsibilities—it’s near impossible to fit in time for self care. But it’s unhealthy and irresponsible to ignore a problem like ingrown hairs, that could lead to even worse skin infections.

Here are some ideas to help you get take care of ingrown hair treatment quickly so that you can get back to focusing on being a mom!

How to Identify Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hairs are hairs that get stuck under your skin and create a gross, pussy and very painful bump. They usually appear after shaving, but can potentially show up anywhere that you have hair. Even some particularly uncomfortable places like pubic hair can get ingrown hairs.

To effectively identify an ingrown hair, first look at the area around it. Most ingrown hairs grow in areas of course hair like pubic hairs or frequently shaved areas like armpits and legs. The bump will be tan or pink and sometimes you will be able to see a bit of the hair through the bump. In severe cases, there may even be a grouping of tan or pink bumps that means you have multiple ingrown hairs together.

Ingrown Hair Treatment

As a mom, you are always on the go. That’s why a lot of moms try to get rid of ingrown hairs quickly by scratching at them until they burst or picking at them until the hair comes loose. Unfortunately, those methods aren’t recommended because they can cause scars and infections.

Understandably, most mom’s don’t have time to run to the doctor every time they have a minor issue. So another option is to use an over the counter skin product to reduce the swelling of the bump. A few other home remedies for ingrown hair include:

• Use tweezers to gently remove the hair
• Using a warm washcloth to gently rub the ingrown hair
• Use a mild exfoliant like sugar to treat the irritation

You want to be cautious with home remedies though, as they may not be effective especially in eliminating redness the same way a great skin care product can.

Ingrown Hair Prevention

The fastest way to deal with an ingrown hair, is to not have to deal with it at all. Take a few moments to check that your razor is sharp and lather up to make sure that you don’t get any ingrown hairs.

Some ideas for preventing ingrown hairs are:

• Shave with a sharp single bladed razor
• Use a good shaving cream
• Hydrate to soften the area before shaving
• Moisturize after shaving

If you are constantly dealing with ingrown hairs or if you have one that simply won’t heal, then make sure to consult your doctor. Even though it may be embarrassing, ingrown pubic hairs need to be looked at just as much as hair from anywhere else.

Busy moms find ingrown hairs to be a painful nuisance. Don’t let them bug you anymore with a bit of skin care. Try to prevent ingrown hairs when possible by being careful when you shave and applying the right products before and after you shave. When you do get an ingrown hair, get rid of it right away. Pull out the hair and use a cream that reduces the bump. You will be back to juggling all of your normal mom duties in no time.

Whether you shave daily to keep your face smooth or once every several days to achieve that rebel-without-a-cause-type five o’clock shadow, you’ve probably experienced the dreaded ingrown hair problem at least once or twice.

While in no way life-threatening, ingrown hairs on your face can irritate, annoy, and potentially make your life miserable. When ingrown hairs occur, you’ll experience raised, red pimple-like bumps — and sometimes painful sores can form. It can occur on your neck, chin, cheeks, and anywhere else you might happen to shave.

There are various causes of ingrown hairs. For instance, dead skin can block hair follicles, which could force hair to grown into the skin as opposed to upward. But oftentimes, your shaving technique — or lack thereof — can play a role in determining if you get ingrown hairs.

If you wait long enough, ingrown hairs usually clear up on their own, but that will leave you having to deal with the itchiness and discomfort as the situation gradually improves. Even so, prevention is better than cure, so consider these 5 shaving tips to prevent ingrown hairs face issues.

1. Exfoliate Regularly

Exfoliating is actually an important part of the shaving routine if you want to prevent ingrown hairs from developing. As mentioned, dead skin cells can actually block up your hair follicles, which can cause the hairs in these follicles to grow in such a way where the ends grow down and pierce into the skin to cause ingrown hairs. However, if you regularly exfoliate, say once per week, you can prevent dead skin cells from clogging your follicles.

2. New and Clean Razor

It’s important that you use quality razors and that you don’t reuse the same blades too often. Definitely steer clear of, or at least limit use of, disposable razors. They might be okay once in awhile such as if you’re away from home for a few days, but they were not manufactured for long-term use, so the blades will get dull much sooner than would the blades of quality razors.

Whether a quality brand or a disposable brand, you need to be sure not to use the same razor blades for too long since dull blades will lead to bumpy, uneven cuts, which can create the sort of conditions that lead to ingrown hairs. As well, an overused blade can become a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to skin irritation, and this can worsen ingrown hair issues. So, definitely invest more to get good razors and be sure to change the heads regularly.

3. Wet Your Skin

It’s a good idea to use warm water to soften your facial hair before you apply good shaving cream. This will help to provide lubrication you need to conduct an effective shave that reduces the chances of irritating your skin or experiencing the ingrown hairs face problem.

4. Don’t Skimp On Shaving Cream

Using quality shaving cream is also important. Shaving cream provides moisture that allows the blade to move smoothly, lifts the hair on contact to facilitate a close-to-the-skin cut, soothes your skin by reducing friction, and lengthens the life of your razor blade since softened hair is easier on a razor blade than is dry hair.

5. Post-Shave Routine

After you’ve given yourself the perfect shave, you still have another step to consider — and that’s post-shave care. There are products you can use to, among other things, soothe sort skin and relieve any after-shave irritations you may experience.

If you follow these five shaving tips, the ingrown hairs on your face could potentially be a thing of the past!

Itchy armpits can be an aggravating and annoying problem. While not usually a serious medical condition, itchy armpits can still potentially prove disruptive to your normal day-to-day routine.

Unless you shave your armpits or use underarm deodorant, you probably don’t pay much attention to them…until or unless you are overtaken by itchy armpits. Your armpits actually have many blood vessels, sweat glands, and lymph nodes. As a result of the blood vessels, your armpits rank as one of your body’s warmest areas, and the presence of sweat glands in that region can create the so-called perfect storm for various problems that can lead to itchy armpits..

Causes of Itchy Armpits

Lack of Cleanliness: It’s important that you’re diligent with your personal hygiene since a deficit on this front will make your underarms area a potential breeding ground for bacteria. And the bacteria will quickly multiply and lead to skin irritation that will ultimately result in itchy armpits.

Candida: This sort of yeast infection is not as uncommon as you might think. In fact, it is rather common. However, a properly functioning immune system can usually deal with candida so that it doesn’t become a problem. But if your immune system is compromised, candida can lead to outbreaks on the skin such as rashes and other types of irritation.

Ingrown Hair: If you like to shave your underarms, you might have already experienced ingrown hairs, which occur when hair, as a result of the shaving process, is cut in such a way that it bends downwards and burrow beneath the skin surface. If you have ingrown hairs, you will notice reddish pimple-looking bumps that can be very itchy.

Deodorant: While these types of products can help to reduce unpleasant body odour, they can also lead to problems such as itchy armpits. The reason for this is that they can clog up your sweat glands and lead to skin irritation.

Swollen Lymph Nodes: It is possible for your lymph nodes to get enlarged if your body’s immune system is fighting against an infection. This can in turn lead to is skin irritation and itching.

While there are many reasons you could have itchy armpits, there are fortunately some potential solutions that can help you to tame the itch.

Solutions for Itchy Armpits

Practice Good Hygiene; Remember that the armpits region is ripe for skin irritation-related problems if personal hygiene is not rigorously practiced. So be sure to wash your armpits regularly with soap and water.

Change Up Hair Removal Techniques: If shaving can lead to itchy armpits, then it goes without saying that you can eliminate at least one of the causes of this condition if you put away your razor. This doesn’t mean that you have to do away with shaving forever, of course. You just want to stop doing it until the symptoms go away.

If you find that your skin gets irritated every time you shave or that you get ingrown hair itchy all the time, then you might want to consider other methods of hair removal to hopefully avoid itchy armpits. Waxing is a common alternative.

Look for Products That Reduce Ingrown Hairs: You can also look for products that reduce the appearance of ingrown hairs. Skin care products that help reduce ingrown hairs can be the easiest way to fix a problem.

Switch Deodorant: If you have skin irritation or infection in your underarms, you should consider either going without deodorant or at least changing your brand to find one that is safer to use. As a rule of thumb, the roll-on varieties tend to be less irritating than are the spray-on varieties.

Topical Treatments: Applying things like aloe vera, calamine lotion, or tree oil can help as can soaking in an epsom salt or oatmeal bath.

Hot Compress: Using a hot compress on the itchy area can help to facilitate fluid drainage and reduce pus accumulation, which will leave you feeling much better.

Itchy armpits are definitely not the sort of condition that anyone wants to contend with, but fortunately there are some ways that you can alleviate the symptoms and solve the problem. If you ever find yourself on the receiving end of the irritation that comes from itchy armpits, try out the various treatments above to get the relief that you need.

Ingrown hairs develop when hair becomes trapped underneath the skin or grows back into the skin after shaving.

Did you know that when a hair is under the skin, your body doesn’t see a difference between that hair and a splinter? Your body will fight it like a foreign object, which can lead to infection, resulting in painful and inflamed skin.

If the problem is left untreated, you can even end up with unsightly scar tissue! For those who suffer from ingrown hairs, the experience can cause discomfort and even a decline in self-confidence.

However, there are ways to prevent ingrown hairs and they are related to two very important personal shaving practices: using sharp blades and proper lubrication. Here is the rundown on how to improve your shaving techniques if you want to prevent ingrown hairs.

Avoid Dull Blades While Shaving

If we had to choose the #1 rule for safe shaving to prevent ingrown hairs, we’d say avoid using dull blades at ALL costs. Unfortunately, most blades are not made from good quality steel, which is why so many become dull even after one or two uses. The general rule of thumb is if the blade’s appearance changes and it no longer looks new, it is time to replace it!

If you really want to prevent ingrown hairs, never EVER use a dull blade. Since dull blades take more pressure for the same shave, they drag against the skin, causing irritation, and irritated skin is the perfect environment for ingrown hairs and infection. Indeed, as the skin swells from the irritation, it is more likely to trap individual hairs below its surface.

Dull blades also tend to cut the hairs unevenly, resulting in jagged edges, which poke back into skin and become ingrown.By now it should be clear you need to throw out those dull razors and buy some fresh ones if you want to prevent ingrown hairs!

Properly Lubricate to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

The 2nd most important rule of safe shaving is to lubricate properly!  A lubricating product will soften and moisturize the skin, making it much easier to shave. For the best results, avoid harsh, soap-based lubricants like shaving foams. Often, these soap-based products remove the skin’s natural oils, which results in a more difficult shave as the blade struggles and scrapes against the skin.

For a healthier shaving experience, try a silicone-based lubricant instead. A silicon-based product helps the razor glide smoothly across the skin, working with it and not against it. That way you cut the hair and not your delicate skin!

When it comes to personal shaving practices, using sharp blades in addition to silicone-based products can help to prevent ingrown hairs. Yes, these simple changes will make all the difference!

So, you’ve got an ingrown hair. It’s painful, scratchy, inflamed, and downright annoying. While they can be irritating and at times embarrassing, know that there is always a solution to the problem of how to stop ingrown hairs before they get infected. In fact, this solution should be sought as soon as the ingrown hair is observed, because if you let it linger, the site could become infected and lead to further complications.

Recognizing an infection is quite simple. If you have any of the following symptoms, treat the ingrown hair immediately:

• Red, pimple-like appearance
• Swelling
• Itching
• A bump that grows larger or fills with pus

An infected ingrown hair can be serious business. Besides being unsightly, an infected ingrown hair is a painful experience and can cause permanent scarring. In extreme cases, an ingrown hair may even become a cyst, a white or yellow fluid-filled sac! That’s enough of a reason to take care of ingrown hairs before they get infected.

How to Stop Ingrown Hairs

To avoid ingrown hairs in the first place, reevaluate your shaving routine. Always exfoliate the area to be shaved prior to actually shaving, so that the hairs that might have gotten caught under the skin will be brought to the surface. Use as few strokes as possible to avoid irritation. This will also lower the likelihood of the hair being caught under the skin, or hairs that were already cut working their way back into any miniscule holes or tears in the skin. Be sure to rinse the razor blade after every stroke to minimize this risk.

Most importantly, never shave with a dull blade and remember never to use a quality silicone shave gel, which helps the razor to glide over skin without creating irritation. After shaving, place a cool towel or washcloth on the skin to reduce any immediate inflammation. Due to the temperature difference, this action will also tighten the skin and close the pores, preventing any dirt or bacteria from entering into the skin and infecting it.

Soothe Ingrown Hairs

Even following these tips when shaving, it is still possible to develop ingrown hairs. It’s not your fault, you did your best! But people with coarse or curly hair are more likely to experience this problem, as the hair doesn’t always grow straight out of the follicle. Our tips will help reduce the amount of ingrown hairs, but they may not eliminate them completely.

So when ingrown do appear it’s important to take steps to prevent infections. Keep the area clean and never try to dig out an ingrown hair with tweezers! Doing so may increase the chances of infection and could lead to permanent scarring.

Remember to stop shaving the affected area until the ingrown hair has completely healed. Soak the ingrown hair with a warm, wet cloth daily and be patient. If the ingrown hairs persist, consider investing in a specialty product.

Take care when you shave to prevent ingrown hairs, and if ingrown hairs do occur, take good care of them. If you follow the tips above then you may just stop ingrown hairs before they get infected!

Ingrown hairs, those that have curled back into the skin instead of growing away from it, can be a painful nuisance. This condition can impact men and women alike. When trying to remove hair, there are approaches that make people more susceptible to ingrown hairs.

Ingrown hairs look like a small bump or group of bumps on the skin. They can become red and irritated and itch or feel otherwise uncomfortable. In men, ingrown hairs are most common on the chin, cheeks, or neck. Ladies suffer from this condition generally on their legs, pubic areas, or armpits.

If you want to avoid ingrown hairs, then here are four ways of removing hair that you should stay away from.

Shaving with Dull or Clogged Razors

Shaving is one of the most common hair removal techniques that both men and women use on a regular basis. While a simple process, overlooking certain key issues can lead to painful ingrown hairs. Using a dull or unclean razor is one way that causes hairs to curl back into the skin.

Dull razors can scrape the skin causing irritation, which leads to ingrown hairs. Sharp, new blade razors should be used in conjunction with a thick shaving gel. Discard razors after 6-8 uses to best avoid developing razor bumps.

Shaving without Shaving Gels

Shaving gels protect the skin from being tugged and scraped by the blade. Without shaving gels, both men and women are more prone to experience cuts and nicks during the process. Shaving gel will help to keep your skin hydrated and make the hair easier to cut.

Failure to Exfoliate Before Waxing

Waxing can lead to ingrown hairs if it’s not carefully done.In fact, waxing is one of the worst culprits for causing ingrown hairs. To guard against this condition in waxed areas, exfoliating is a vital tool. It buffs away dead skin cells that build up and prevent new hair growth from emerging from the clogged pores!

Using Depilatory Creams

Depilatory creams contain chemicals that dissolve the hair at the skin’s surface. They offer an inexpensive alternative to shaving. They are also less painful than waxing. In this case, the hair is dissolved rather than being cut which does reduce the risk. However, ingrown hairs can still result from the use the depilatory creams. To minimize irritation that can lead to ingrown hairs, it’s best to use the creams according to the directions and not leave them on longer than suggested – no longer than 5 minutes.

While these creams are less painful, they can be harsh for those with very sensitive skin. They also posses a strong odor that can be a problem.

Hair removal is an essential part of the grooming process. Paying attention to key issues associated with your technique of choice will help you avoid irritation and the ingrown hairs that  make the hair removal process a pain.