Ingrown Hairs and How to Avoid Them

Ingrown hairs are one of life’s beauty banes, like pimples, cold sores, and chapped lips. However, they can last longer, prove harder to get rid of, and be infinitely more painful and unsightly than these other conditions. Ingrown hairs occur when a strand of hair curls back and grows into the skin rather than out. They often result in infection and can cause discomfort, inflammation, itching, and acne break-outs. When they become infected, they are also likely to leave bruises and small scars on your skin after they eventually heal.

People with curly and coarse hair tend to be more likely to suffer from this irritating and uncomfortable condition as they are generally more easily trapped below the skin. This is because thicker and curlier hairs tend to wind around the hair follicle rather than grow straight out of the skin. To alleviate ingrown hairs, you need to understand what causes them and take the necessary steps to prevent them.

Causes of Ingrown Hairs

The most prevalent causes of ingrown hair are shaving, tweezing, and using low-quality depilatory wax that doesn’t effectively encase and remove the follicles. These practices are more likely to tear hairs off at or just below the skin’s surface. This makes strands more likely to grow back into the skin rather than out, even when they have no curl. Some factors that can cause or contribute to ingrown hair include a lack of exfoliation and hair that has been cut or torn off at the skin’s surface.

Shaving is the most common cause of ingrown hair because it cuts off the hair at the epidermis. This creates a sharp point on the remaining hair strand, making it easier to grow back into the skin. Tweezing and waxing with poor-quality wax that does not grip the hairs strongly also increase the chance of ingrown hairs. The reason is they can cause the hair to break off at the skin’s surface or just below it. Consequently, the strands can easily become trapped below the flesh as they begin to regenerate.

Symptoms of Ingrown Hairs

Ingrown hairs are usually red, pink, white, or yellow in color and appear as lumps or inflamed bumps on the skin that resemble pimples. Sometimes they lie flat and occur just below the skin’s surface, in which case you might not even notice them. These minor ingrown hairs can be tiny and almost unnoticeable unless you press down on the skin or pick at them with tweezers, in which case they are likely to hurt. However, more severe ingrown hairs can cause deep infections in the skin and be extremely painful and unattractive. Most people only experience them occasionally. However, suppose the skin is particularly sensitive to shaving or tweezing, or poor-quality wax has been used. In these cases, ingrown hairs are more likely to manifest across larger areas of skin.

How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

Waxing Over Shaving or Tweezing

The first and most critical step to avoiding ingrown hairs is to wax rather than shave or tweeze. Waxing regularly and consistently with a high-quality wax such as Harley Wax is the easiest way to prevent ingrown hairs. This is because it grips hairs properly, removes them from the root, and minimises the chance of tearing or breaking strands. It has the added benefit of removing body hair quickly and with minimal pain and achieving long-lasting results. Moreover, waxing regularly with good-quality wax will weaken the hair follicles over time, eventually acting as an inhibitor to further hair growth.

Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate

To avoid ingrown hairs and their associated problems, it is critical to exfoliate regularly with Harley Waxing’s Pomegranate Sugar Scrub. Exfoliation is essential to achieving optimal hair removal results because it keeps the hair follicle clear of dead skin cells. The dead cells can clog the hair follicle, making it difficult for your hair to grow out and causing ingrown hairs. Exfoliation also increases the effectiveness of waxing because you are removing any dead skin cells before treatments. This ensures the pores are not clogged, thereby trapping the hair follicles below the skin.

To achieve optimal waxing results, you should exfoliate at least three times a week with Harley Pomegranate Sugar Scrub. It is essential to exfoliate 48 hours before a waxing treatment to relieve the skin of dead cells. This will minimise the possibility of ingrown hairs afterwards. One should never exfoliate in the initial three days after waxing as the skin may be sensitive and prone to irritation during this time. However, you can only use the Harley Pomegranate Scrub 72 hours after the waxing treatment to avoid ingrown hairs and achieve the softest, silkiest-looking skin. To achieve the best results, you should apply the sugar scrub with gentle circular motions. You should also exfoliate more regularly if you are prone to ingrown hairs. If exfoliating three times a week is not enough, then consider exfoliating more often.

Use Harley Pre & Post Waxing Products

Harley Pre & Post Waxing products are designed to prepare the skin for waxing and ease discomfort and irritation afterwards. Harley Pre Waxing Products remove dirt or oily residue from the skin while rebalancing its PH level. The Harley Waxing After Care range focuses on soothing, calming, and conditioning the skin after waxing treatments. These products relieve irritation, inflammation, and redness. Harley Ingrown Hair Solution is a wonderful product to offer to your clients. It has been designed to ease irritation and prevent ingrown hairs.