Ingrown hairs
Relatable: an irritating ingrown hair after shaving under your armpits, around your vulva, or somewhere on your face. An ingrown hair - or rather, a hair that grows back - is seen as foreign to the body, just like a splinter in your toe, causing an inflammatory reaction in the skin. This can cause scarring and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, aka discoloration of the skin. A hair growing back is not only annoying - it can also make you feel ugly.
Smooth like a baby
To get that silky smooth Venus skin, most people tighten their skin while shaving , for example, by holding up your arm to get your armpit just that little bit smoother. Due to the tension in the skin it’s possible to get a cleaner shave, but in doing so the ends of the just shaven hair strands are thinner and more pointy. If the hair springs back, it may pierce the wall of the hair follicle. The exit of the hair follicle is then blocked and the hair starts to grow through the skin. In the meantime, the sebaceous glands, where the hair is supposed to grow, keep producing sebum as usual. Because the sebaceous gland/hair follicle is now blocked, the ingrown hair has nowhere to go and pressure builds up. This is what causes the irritation.
Irritation
There are several skin conditions caused by ingrown hairs. People with skin type 5 or 6, thick hair growth or curly hair are most affected, but a large group of women with lighter skin suffer from conditions caused by ingrowns as well. One of these conditions is pseudofolliculitis barbae, an inflammatory reaction caused by the hair growing back. It often occurs in areas that are frequently shaved. When you suffer from pseudofolliculitis barbae, you feel a burning sensation on your skin along with red bumps and pimples. In most cases, it doesn’t progress along this point, but the pimples can turn into deep inflammation or cysts. The skin can then be infected with bacteria as a result. If you have darker skin the chronic inflammatory reaction is more likely to cause scarring and discoloration of the skin.
Of course it's best to never have ingrown hairs at all, but fortunately, there are several ways to get rid of these annoying bumps:
Shave with the flow
We know your skin feels smoother when you shave against the grain, but it doesn’t help reduce inflammation. In fact, shaving against the grain damages your skin, making it more prone to inflammation and you’ll be sporting those pesky red bumps in no time. Shave along the grain to avoid the bumps.
Razor sharp
Dull razor blades are a no-go. They cut the hairs at various lengths and even pull out hairs at times. A dull razor blade doesn’t properly cut the hair strands, making the ends of your hairs thin. As a result, the hair strands are unable to grow back, blocking the subcutaneous glands.
One will do the trick
Forget those 5-blade razors. Do you really suffer from frequent ingrown hairs? Choose a razor with one blade. The results might be a little less silky smooth, but the chance of ingrowns is greatly reduced.
In need of more tips to get that perfect bikini shave? Check out this article.
Cleanliness is key
The younger the skin cells, the smoother the skin. If you don't clean or exfoliate your skin often enough, dead skin cells clog your pores making it impossible for the hair strands to grow. In addition, if you’re hygienic, you reduce the growth of bacteria.
Stubborn as a mule
Did you follow all these tips, but the irritation remains? We advise you to visit your GP or beautician. Can’t wait that long? Remove your ingrown hairs with a disinfected needle or tweezers. It’s important to clean whatever instruments you are using to prevent the spread of (even more) bacteria. Don’t have any tweezers at hand, but you're more than eager to remove that pesky ingrown friend? Take two tissues or pieces of toilet paper and gently try to squeeze the hair out of the pore. Make sure to use splinter tweezers instead of regular tweezers as they can open up the skin too much and increase the risk of infection.
There are also various products on the market that prevent the annoying bumps and irritation or allow them to heal faster. These are often oils based on natural ingredients, such as the Fur Ingrown Concentrate. These are often used along the bikini line area or underneath the armpits. If you prefer a cream, look for the Fur Stubble Cream.
Suffering from excessive hair growth? This is how you get rid of it!
