How to Remove & Treat Ingrown Hair

If finding ways to minimise bumps (RE: pimples) on the face isn’t a struggle enough, some of us also have to deal with ingrown hair. Wait, what is ingrown hair? When hair grows but curls inwards, back into the skin instead of outwards and away from the skin’s surface, an ingrown hair is said to be formed. Thus, hair gets trapped under the skin. Think of it as another bump in the way of smooth skin. Ugh.

Sure, ingrown hair springs up like nobody’s business, but there are ways to show it the way out. Lucky for you, we’re having the long-overdue talk on everything about ingrown hair. So, scroll ahead to know the causes and treatments for ingrown hair.

What Is Ingrown Hair?

Ingrown hairs are those pesky hair follicles that grow inward after a hair removal process. Sometimes the hair gets stuck inside the skin and grows within, causing the outer layer of the skin to become inflamed. If you remove through exfoliation, moisturisation, and nourishment, it can collect excess oil, sebum, and even bacterial growth, causing pus formation and boils. They sometimes get masked as pimples or razor burns, and can be removed through a thorough hair removal procedure. Let’s look at the causes and prevention methods of ingrown hair in detail.

What Causes Ingrown Hair

Ingrown hair generally pops up on the back, chest, legs, hands and underarms. They look like tiny, raised red bumps that may look like pimples or razor bumps.

• When you remove hair by waxing, shaving or tweezing, it can sometimes cause the new hair to grow in the wrong direction. As a result, the skin reacts by turning inflamed and curling back the newly grown hair, which results in ingrown hair. One way to avoid this is by ensuring you always pull out hair in the opposite direction of hair growth.
• Incorrect shaving technique might also result in the formation of ingrown hair. Avoid shaving too close to the skin’s surface.
• How familiar is your skin with exfoliation? Regular scrubbing clears skin pores by getting rid of trapped dirt, impurities, debris and dead skin cells. Clogged pores can otherwise cause the hair in the follicle to become stuck or to grow in the wrong direction, which paves the way for ingrown hair.
• Wearing tight clothes too often that don’t let your skin breathe can push the hair back into the follicle. This can then result in ingrown hair.

Common Ingrown Hair Symptoms

Before we learn how to remove ingrown hair, let’s look at some symptoms so we don’t accidentally break or pop acne or pimples.

• Raised Bumps: When hair strands grow inwards, there isn’t enough space, and thus inflames the skin to cause small, inflamed bumps to occur.
• Visibly Coiled Hair: Because our top-most layer of the skin is thin and translucent, you can more often than not, see the hair trapped inside the bump.
• Pain & Inflammation: Since our skin has to stretch when an ingrown hair appears, your skin experiences such as inflammation and related
• Dullness: Every time after the shaving routine, make sure to exfoliate and moisturise with a body moisturiser for dry skin.

Home Remedies To Treat Ingrown Hair

Here’s a lowdown on effective home remedies for ingrown hair and preventing ingrown hair after waxing.

1. Aspirin

Step 1: In a cup of water, add 1 tablespoon of Honey and 3 crushed Aspirin tablets. Mix it well.

Step 2: Dip a cotton ball in the solution and apply a layer of this paste on the affected area.

Step 3: After 10 minutes, rinse off with lukewarm water.

2. Coconut Oil

Step 1: In a bowl, add 1 cup of Sugar, 1/2 cup of Coconut Oil and 8 drops of Lavender Essential Oil. Stir it well.

Step 2: Now apply the mixture on the concerned area and let it sit for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Rinse off with lukewarm water and follow it up with your

3. Oatmeal

Step 1: In a bowl of water, add 1 tablespoon of Baking Soda and 1 tablespoon of Oatmeal. Stir it well to form a paste.

Step 2: Slather copious amounts of this mixture on the concerned area and leave it on for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Wash off with lukewarm water.

4. Tea Tree Oil

Step 1: In a bowl of water, add 20 drops of Tea Tree Oil. Mix it well to form a diluted mixture.

Step 2: Now, dip a cotton swab in the solution and gently pat it on the affected area.

Step 3: After leaving it on for 15 minutes, wash off with water.

5. Aloe Vera

Step 1: In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel and 1 tablespoon of Baking Soda.

Step 2: Gently dab this paste on the affected area and leave it on for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Wash off with lukewarm water and follow it up with your favourite moisturiser.

6. Orange Peel

Step 1: Grind 2 dried Orange Peels. Now, mix it with 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 1 tablespoon of Rose Water.

Step 2: Now, apply this mixture in circular motions on the affected area for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Rinse off with water and finish off with your favourite moisturiser.

7. Grounded Almond

Step 1: In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Grounded Almond and 1 tablespoon of fresh Yoghurt. Mix it well to form a paste.

Step 2: Now, massage the paste in circular motions on the affected area for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Wash off with cold water and finish off with your favourite moisturiser.

8. Sugar

Step 1: In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of Sugar and 2 tablespoons of Sunflower Oil. Whisk it well.

Step 2: Now, apply this paste on the concerned area and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Rinse with cold water and finish off with a moisturiser.

9. Rice Powder

Step 1: In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup of Rice Flour with 1/2 tablespoon of Turmeric and 3 tablespoons of Rose Water.

Step 2: Gently scrub this paste on the concerned area.

Step 3: After leaving it on for 10 minutes, wash off with water.

10. Epson Salt

Step 1: Add 3 tablespoons of Epsom Salt and 2 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil to your warm bath water.

Step 2: Soak in this solution for at least 10 minutes.

Step 3: After 10 minutes, rinse off with a mild cleanser and finish off with a moisturiser.

Products To Treat Ingrown Hair

Here’s a lowdown on products that will help treat ingrown hair on legs, arms and other parts of the body.

1. Dr.Jart+ Pore Remedy PHA Exfoliating Serum

Hair removal, however satisfying, can sometimes be the reason for the formation of ingrown hair. This is why it helps to invest in a serum like Dr.Jart+ Pore Remedy PHA Exfoliating Serum that prevents ingrown hair. Brimming with active ingredients like 7% polyhydroxy acid (PHA), this serum helps exfoliate the skin’s surface. Aside from that, it is loaded with hydrating Peppermint and soothing eucalyptus, which keep skin calm and supple. Simply apply this serum before you wax or shave.

2. Nykaa Wanderlust Body Scrub - Mediterranean Sea Salt

Regular exfoliation is key to happy skin. Nykaa Wanderlust Body Scrub - Mediterranean Sea Salt, packed with Aloe Vera and other active ingredients, gently buffs away the dead skin cells and other impurities blocking the hair follicles. This gives your skin a good wake-up while revealing smooth skin. Plus, the calming aroma of the cool waters of the Mediterranean Sea elevates your bathing experience.

3. MCaffeine Naked & Raw Coffee Body Polishing Oil

Sure, a body polishing oil at first may seem like an unnecessary splurge. But, wait till you know how it helps give you the skin of your dreams: Caffeine extracts team up with Rosehip Oil to tone skin, and relieve marks; Vitamin E heals sun damage; Almond Oil moisturizes skin to keep it supple and free of bumps. For better results, you can use it along with a body scrub twice a week and bid adieu to ingrown hair.

4. Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Coconut Sugar Body Scrub

Your grandma’s tried and tested recipe for smooth and even skin is now bottled in the Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Coconut Sugar Body Scrub. With raw Coconut Sugar and Coconut Oil as the hero ingredients, it also includes Tahitian Monoi Oil and Tiare Flower Petals which deliver rich moisture and pamper troubled skin. The addition of Peppermint Oil awakens dull skin. The best bit? It contains none of those questionable elements like

Parting Thoughts

There aren’t a lot of reasons that cause ingrown hair. Most of them have to do with hair removal tools and techniques. When you wax, tweeze, trim, or shave your body hair, sometimes, the whole hair follicle may not come off, and a tiny piece is left behind. Those hair strands, when growing unevenly on the surface of the skin, tend to coil within, instead of protruding out as a bump on the skin. These mimic razor bumps or pimples since they clog hair follicles and pores. This causes bacteria, oil, and sebum to accumulate, inflaming your skin, even when it comes to private part hair removal.

If you have curly hair, the chances of having an ingrown hair are higher, since the hair strand can turn and start growing inwards. Especially if you are using hair removal techniques such as shaving, epilating, and trimming, which only remove the hair from the surface of the skin. Another reason that causes ingrown hair is wearing really tight clothes that can push the hair inward, especially along the crease line.

A few techniques, such as exfoliation, moisturisation, and the right DIY scrub, can help you get rid of strawberry legs, ingrown hair, and bumps.

FAQs On Ingrown Hair

1. 1. How to avoid ingrown hair after waxing?

   Exfoliate your skin at least twice a week to avoid the accumulation of debris or dead skin cells. Regular scrubbing will keep the follicles unclogged, thereby preventing ingrown hair.

   If you’ve freshly waxed your skin, it is advisable to allow your skin to breathe by wearing loose clothes that cause minimal friction with the skin.

   It helps to hydrate your skin after the waxing session. Leaving your skin dry and parched will trigger ingrown hair.

2. What does ingrown hair on the face look like?

   Ingrown hair on the face appears like a small, inflamed red bump. The area might feel itchy and uncomfortable. However, if you give it some time, ingrown hair goes away on its own.

3. How do you treat ingrown pubic hair?

   Here are a few ways to treat ingrown pubic hair:

   Refrain from shaving or waxing pubic hair if there’s ingrown hair. This will only exacerbate the situation and result in more ingrown hair.

   Exfoliate regularly in circular motions to gently extract the ingrown hair.

   Consult with your doctor and use retinoids that can help speed up skin renewal and thus, eliminate ingrown hair. This medication can have side effects, and hence, it’s advisable to use it only when absolutely necessary and with doctor’s prescription.