We have about five million hair follicles covering our entire body and each one of these follicles contains a hair. An ingrown hair occurs when the hair that should be growing out of its follicle and away from the skin reenters your skin instead. Sometimes we are just more prone to them because of genetics that give us coarse or curly hair. However, they do tend to occur more in areas that have been shaved, where the hair has broken off or when the follicle becomes clogged with dead skin cells. Usually ingrown hairs resolve themselves but occasionally, folliculitus can occur. This is a bacterial
infection that causes inflammation, painful itchy bumps and pus-filled bumps.
To help combat ingrown hairs and keep your skin healthy, here are a few tips from our esthetician extraordinaires.
1. Exfoliation is Key
Ingrown hairs can happen as a product of dead skin cells building up in your follicles. To keep buildup away and get a natural glow, use a body scrub or exfoliating mitt before you shave or 1 to 2 times weekly in the shower. Turbinado sugar or brown sugar work great as natural body exfoliants!
2. Lather Up
If you are shaving, always use some form of lubrication like shaving cream. Shaving dry skin can increase the chances of creating sharp edges that are more likely to grow back into your skin.
3. Hydrate
After shaving, be sure to moisturize your skin to restore your skin's natural barrier and keep your skin smooth and hydrated. It’s also important to moisturize after you exfoliate!
4. Wax or Sugar, anyone?
If you haven’t tried alternative forms of hair removal like waxing or sugaring, visiting a licensed esthetician for this service may be worth it! As opposed to cutting off the hair at the surface of the skin, waxing and sugaring removes the entire hair from its follicle. This form of hair removal is a great way to prevent ingrown hairs from forming and can even keep the hair from growing back. We advise you not to try at-home waxing kits as these can damage your skin and cause injury if not used correctly.
Have questions about hair removal? Message us at FlawlessU for all the professional advice you need.
2919 N. Lexington Dr., Suite 103, Janesville, WI 53545 | 608-756-0307
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