Ingrown hair is just the worst! You think you’re going to enjoy smooth skin after hair removal and *bam* you have a painful bump that is holding a hair follicle hostage. Whether you wax or shave, there’s no escaping these pesky bumps unless you take conscious measures to prevent them. Even then, your efforts might not entirely work because it’s an ongoing thing for those of us with thicker or frizzy hair.
Sure there are options like lasers to help with the situation, but if you really want to keep it simple and effective, these hacks are for you. They may not remove ingrowth in an instant, but they will definitely get rid of it sooner and safely. So say hello to smooth, bump-free skin with these essential tips.
Tips To Get Ingrown Hairs Out Of Your Life
Handle Hot
When you first notice a trapped hair follicle under your skin, do not try to pick it. Prepare a hot compress and apply it to the area. A hot compress will help open up the pores so that the trapped hair can grow out. Dip a clean cloth in hot water and use it as your hot compress. Dampen the cloth once again in case it goes cold and push in the direction of your hair growth to try and coax and detangle the hair out of the pore. Do not try to use your nails to pull it out as that will only cause damage and bleeding. You can even warm up hot water and add essential oils to it for extra care and wound healing.
Scrub Away
Physical exfoliators may be old news for your face but they still work damn well on your body. While it is said to always use a body scrub or loofah in the shower to keep the ingrowth situation away, scrubs also work on existing lesions. Although, the scrub still needs to be super gentle. Mix equal parts of rice powder and curd with a pinch of turmeric and exfoliate the area to help remove dead skin cells and loosen the ingrown hair. Rice powder acts as a microfoliant while turmeric has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Dissolve It
If the bump has gotten inflamed, you need to treat it carefully to prevent any further pain and damage. Do not attempt to use tweezers or a harsh scrub on the area. Simply use salicylic acid after a hot water shower. Dab your skin dry and apply a salicylic acid solution like a spot treatment. Salicylic acid will break down that ingrown hair effectively without causing irritation. Use it once in the day and once at night, and you will be free of your problem after three to five days.
Calm Down
For some more care to treat the ingrowth, dab a cortisone cream after applying salicylic acid. Cortisone creams shrink swollen skin and give relief from pain and redness instantly. This is why even celebs usually take cortisone shots whenever they want to get rid of any pimples quickly. You can get an OTC cortisone cream from a chemist and use it on the area after the salicylic acid is dried up. Use a thin layer of the cream daily until the bump heals entirely.
Ingrown hair can be quite painful to deal with. So, if you need to soothe the area while you treat it, we recommend:
Yes, going to the dermat to extract your ingrowth is also a great idea if you are in a hurry to do away with it. But, as an average day solution, these hacks are right on the money.
Featured Images: Pexels
