How to prevent ingrown hairs from messing up your skin

Ingrown hair is when hair that has been removed grows back but curves and pierces into the skin.

It can cause painful swollen pus-filled bumps that can be itchy, stinging, burning, and darker than the surrounding skin.

What causes ingrown hair?

1. Pulling skin when shaving. This can be due to shaving in a hurry or simply pulling at the skin to do a clean smooth job.
2. Tweezing, can lead to coarser hair growth that can easily pierce the skin.
3. The skin reacts to hair penetration as it would any foreign body by becoming irritated.
4. Curly hair follicles encourage hair reentry into the skin.
5. Shaving gives hair a sharp edge which makes it easier to penetrate the skin.

Complications from ingrown hair

Scratching the hair can lead to bacterial infection

Dark spots on the skin

Raised skin scars and depressed scars

Razor bumps

How to prevent ingrown hair

1. Wash the area's skin with warm water and/or a mild facial cleanser.
2. Soften the hair with lubricating shaving cream or a gel a few minutes before shaving.
3. Apply shaving cream and use a sharp razor to avoidtoohaving to close to the skin.
4. Don't pull at the skin while shaving.
5. Shave in the direction your hair grows.
6. Clean the blade with water after each stroke.

Aftercare

Rinse your skin. Use a cool, wet cloth and place it on the shaved area for five minutes.

Apply a soothing product or an aftershave acid lotion to remove dead cells.