Ingrown hairs are hairs beneath the surface of the skin that curl back on themselves as they grow, resulting in a small bump on the skin. Ingrown hairs can be itchy and feel irritable, as well as look quite unsightly. Although everyone gets ingrown hairs, they can be due to bad shaving technique and/or a poor or non-existent skincare routine. So, here’s how you can avoid them:
Skincare Routine
If you don’t usually exfoliate your skin but you frequently find yourself with ingrown hairs then it is time to add exfoliation to your skincare routine (to be fair, it should be part of your routine anyway!) Find a mechanical exfoliator (that is an exfoliator with ‘bits’ in) and use it once a week to help keep your ingrown hairs at bay. Exfoliators work by gently removing a layer of dead skin from the surface of your skin, this not only helps to prevent hairs from ingrowing (as they will find it a lot easier to penetrate through the fresh layer of skin and therefore more unlikely to curl back in on themselves), but will also help to ‘release’ hairs that are already ingrown. Always make sure you are using an exfoliator that is intended to be used on the face – step away from sea salt scrubs!
Increase the Heat
Heat allows the pores in your skin to open, so next time you take a shave make sure you have a hot shower first, or alternatively hold a hot towel over your face pre-shave to avoid ingrown hairs. Tip – this will also help you to achieve a closer shave.
Technique
It’s all about the technique! If you shave with a blade then always ensure it is sharp and clean before using, and always use the blade in the direction of hair growth if possible. Avoid shave gel as they dry out your skin and use the Dear Barber Shave Cream instead.