The Right Way to Get Rid of Ingrowns
Everyone wants a silky smooth finish after shaving, but ingrown hairs can impact this desired result. Appearing as small red bumps, ingrown hairs occur when the hair becomes trapped in the follicle and instead of growing upwards and outwards, it curls back onto itself. Not ideal. Ingrown hairs can be uncomfortable and sometimes even painful, and they certainly put a dampener on an otherwise immaculate shave. The good news is that effectively preventing and treating ingrowns just takes a tiny bit of extra time and attention. Below, discover the right way to get rid of ingrowns so that your next shave is your best shave.
EXFOLIATE OFTEN
Using a gentle body exfoliator is crucial in both preventing AND treating ingrown hairs. Exfoliating deeply clears out the pores in a way that cleansing can’t. It effectively removes dirt, debris and dead skin from the pores, ensuring that hairs can grow in the way they’re supposed to. Kind of like how a primer prepares your face for makeup, exfoliating creates the perfect canvas for your razor. If you’ve already got ingrowns, exfoliator is once more your best friend. Work a small amount in a circular motion over the ingrown using warm water. This will delicately loosen up the trapped hair, allowing it to come to the surface. Our BODY POLISH has been formulated with a mix of PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL exfoliators, along with hydrating ingredients like shea butter and soybean oil.
USE A FRESH RAZOR
We cannot emphasise this enough! Shaving with a dull and blunt razor is the fastest way to get ingrowns. It drags across the skin, resulting in unnecessary friction. Plus, a blunt razor can be home to bacteria that can infect the skin. We recommend replacing your REFILL BLADE after every 6-8 shaves for best results. This will ensure you're protecting yourself from irritation and and ingrowns, and that the skin feels velvety and sleek to the touch after shaving. While we’re on the topic, please use a shave cream (and no, shampoo or soap does not count). Shave cream creates a barrier between your RAZOR and skin, protecting it from aggravation. OURS is made with naturally active plant-based oils that rehydrate and nourish.
STAY HYDRATED
Applying moisturiser after each shower or bath supports your skin’s NATURAL BARRIER FUNCTION. Also known as an ‘acid mantle’ or MICROBIOME, your skin’s barrier plays an important role in skin health. It keeps bad stuff (like environmental aggressors and pollution) out and good stuff (like hydration) in. A weakened or damaged skin barrier results in drier and more SENSITISED skin that’s prone to ingrowns. A healthy and fortified barrier, on the other hand, effectively retains water content in the skin cells, which makes the skin feel soft and supple. This helps hairs to properly grow out of their follicles, preventing them from curling back into the pores. Our BODY MOISTURISER is PH-BALANCED and formulated to support the skin’s barrier.
TREAT THE AREA
If this article found you too late and you already have ingrowns, there’s a few things you can do to help treat the area. Applying a compress using warm water and a clean face washer a few times a day can gradually coax the hair out of the follicle. Once it arises and becomes visible, you can use sterile tweezers to carefully lift the hair loop. Avoid picking, popping or squeezing the area. This can result in further inflammation and also lead to scarring. Be patient, avoid shaving over that area again until it heals, and in the meantime wear loose-fitting clothing that doesn’t rub or chafe.