Figuring out how to prevent ingrown hairs can be challenging for anyone who removes body hair, especially if your hair is thick, coarse, or curly. An ingrown hair happens when shaved, plucked, or waxed hair grows back into the skin’s surface, resulting in skin eruptions or infections. In severe cases, ingrown hairs can lead to painful cysts, and ingrowns can also look like small pimples or acne breakouts that show up after hair removal.
If you’re prone to these red, painful bumps after shaving or waxing, know that while preventing ingrown hairs can be tricky, it is doable with the right tools. Healing the ingrowns you already have can take some patience, and it’s important to understand the causes of ingrown hairs so that you can experience less of them over time.
It’s possible to get a smooth shave without painful ingrowns, and, chances are, you might be making some common hair removal mistakes that make them worse. You might need to make adjustments to your shaving technique to heal the ingrowns you currently have, and you might also consider upgrading your hair removal tools. But, first things first, let’s take a look at what’s contributing to your ingrowns and how you can prevent them going forward.
You’re Not Properly Prepping Your Skin
Well-cared-for skin is more resilient when it comes to hair removal, and if you shave with a razor blade, it’s important to make sure that you’re adequately preparing your skin beforehand.
Always (always) clean your skin with warm water and face cleanser before shaving, and even better, exfoliate, too. Dirt, debris, and dead skin cells can contribute to the development of razor burn and ingrown hairs, so take the time to cleanse and exfoliate, and then apply a premium shave cream for best results.
Your (Shaving) Technique Needs Work
No offense. But a badly executed shave is one of the top reasons that men develop ingrown hairs. Whether you’re rushing during your morning shave or you just need a refresher tutorial, remember this: shaving against the grain of your hair growth will get you a closer shave –– but it also ups your chances for developing post-shaving irritation and ingrown hairs.
If you’re working on healing ingrowns that you already have, make sure to shave with the grain of your hair growth, not against, while your skin heals. Once your ingrown hairs are gone, you can try shaving against the grain again, as long as you prepare your skin first, shave with a super clean, sharp razor, and make sure to rinse your razor well in between strokes. Also, use as few strokes as possible as you shave, and always apply a good aftershave to help seal up your skin and soothe post-shave irritation.
You Shave Your Body Hair, Tweeze, Or Wax
These hair removal methods often lead to irritation and ingrown hairs. If you wax, it’s best to seek out a reputable esthetician who’s trained to minimize possible side effects from waxing.
Experts don’t generally recommend tweezing as your hair removal go-to, especially if your hair is coarse or very curly. It’s super easy to break a hair when tweezing while not fully removing the root. Tweezing can also damage your hair follicles, leading to bald spots and hair loss. Hard pass.
Revisit Your Method + Upgrade Your Tools
Good news: The Trimmer is not just for balls, folks. And while we absolutely want your private parts protected and ingrown hair-free, we designed our body hair shaver to get you a close, comfortable, safe shave no matter where you like to remove your hair. The Trimmer is for down there, upstairs, and everywhere. That said, we recommend our Up-Here Trimmer for smaller, more delicate areas, such as your nose and ears.
Trimming is the top way to remove body hair while preventing post-shave irritation and infections if we do say so ourselves. We carefully designed our body hair groomer so that it’s safe to use, waterproof, and easy for home use or travel. We also designed The Trimmer to handle coarse, thick, and curly hair without nicks, pulling, or tugs –– and to help avoid ingrown hairs and irritation. And The Trimmer’s adjustable guide combs let you choose your preferred hair length. No matter where you like to shave, trimming is your best bet for smooth, pain-free shaving results that help you look and feel your best.
