5 Effective Ways To Prevent Ingrown Hairs After Waxing

Ingrown hair issues go way back in history. Every human who has tried hair removal would know how annoying ingrown hair is. The redness, itching sometimes bumps and pain, wow isn’t it a complete package.  It doesn’t matter if you wax or shave at home or go to a saloon, the ingrown problem is there. Is there a way to remove ingrown hair- yes! But to completely eliminate then there are few things to be taken into consideration.

5 Effective Ways to Prevent Ingrown Hairs After Waxing

For those of you who have no idea what ingrown hair is- ingrown hair is a condition that occurs when the hair doesn’t break the skin while growing but instead curls and grows back into the skin. When this happens the skin gets irritated and itchy. Ingrown hair can also cause back and whiteheads. Ingrown is usually found in areas where the hair is thick, underarms, bikini area, chin (for men) are the most prone to ingrown hair. But if you are someone with naturally thick hair on your arms and legs then it could possibly occur anywhere in your body.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

Most of the time the ingrown hair problem is reported during waxing. So what happens during waxing?

Waxing is the process of removing hair directly from the root by apply pressure in the opposite direction of the hair growth.  Sometimes the hair doesn’t completely come out, it either breaks on top of the skin or below the skin.  Hair that’s news cut or broken is sharp enough to break the skin, hence this hair can easily grow back into the skin. Another hair removal method that has been reported to give ingrown issues is shaving, it leaves the hair blunt.

Here are 5 Effective Ways to Prevent Ingrown Hair

Stop them before they come! There are many products out there in the market that are specially made to prevent the ingrown hair issue. These products consist of moisturizers and exfoliants. The bumps and itching are harder to treat but preventing ingrown issue before it actually is not as difficult.  The cream needs to apply for the first 48 hours after you do waxing or shaving.

• It’s better to wax at home

Waxing needs to be done with proper prepping of the skin. Also read the instructing on the waxing kit carefully. By following the instruction you can prevent the ingrown tissue to an extent. Also using the proper technique can prevent hair breakage.

• If You Choose to Get Your Skin Waxed then find a Waxing Professional

If you chose to get a paid service then make sure you pay the right professional. sometimes even with the right technique, the bumps cannot be prevented but sometimes with experienced hands, the chances can be bought down.  Hard wax used by professional is a wonderful alternative normal wax.

• Before and After Care

Prepping your skin before and after waxing is perhaps one of the most tips to prevent ingrown hairs.  Waxing the skin after exfoliating with a mild scrub or ayate cloth will remove the dead skin cells and give the wax better access. Also, a day after the wax, exfoliate the area gently. If the area is already red and itchy then make sure you don’t irritate the area even more. You can continue exfoliating for a week after the waxing secession. As long as you keep the dead skin cells away there is a better chance for hair to grow straight and not curl back into the skin.

• Keep Away from Tight Fitting Clothes

Let your skin breath, if you have undergone any type of hair removal process especially waxing or shaving, tight fitted clothes can irritate your skin and also further encourage the air to grow back into your skin.

Sugaring for Ingrown Hair

You can make ingrown hair remedy scrubs at home. They are as effective as the products you get from the market. Sugar is a common ingredient found in our kitchen which is a great exfoliating. It hydrates the skin while fighting off infection and giving smooth skin. Sugar is granular in structure when gently massaged on the skin will remove dead skin cells, unclog pores and helps the hair to grow in the right direction.

Sugar Scrub can be Made Easily at Home, Here is a simple recipe:

When compared to salt scrub, sugar scrub is less aggressive, to make  a sugar scrub you will need,

• Sugar
• Olive oil or jojoba oil (both these oils are good skin moisturizers and also great for hydrating the skin)
• An essential oil of your choice (not mandatory, here I use tea tree oil as it has high antiseptic properties which can prevent infections and lavender oil-  smells great and also makes your skin calm )

Take 1 cup white sugar or brown (as per choice), 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive or jojoba oil, few drops of essential oil.

Mix the above ingredients in a cup and scrub your skin gently. The scrub works best when used while in the shower or after a shower. Make sure to scrub in a circular motion using a washcloth or just bare hands. Continue for 5 minutes and rinse off. Using this scrub every day for a week will get rid of your ingrown hair problem.

Note: If your skin is already red and irritated then do not scrub as it can worsen the issue.

You can store this scrub in an airtight container for about six months (isn’t that great)

If you are suffering some inflammation, redness and severe itching, don’t worry, you still have hope. There are various soothing creams over the counter, you just have to find the one that works best for you. Or you can try an ice pack on the affected area, this will soothe the skin and reduce redness.

Also girls, here a tip- avoid waxing a week before your periods, medical experts say that painful procedures hurt more during that time as the level of endorphins is low.