5 Ways to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

It is important to realize that hair ingrowth is not a disease looking for a cure; rather, it is a condition that can be prevented if we dutifully stick to natural DIY remedies in the cozy comfort of our bedroom or boudoir. Perhaps the glaring exceptions would be vaginal or scrotal ingrowths that need to be clinically checked and confirmed not to be sexually transmitted diseases.

1. Leveraging the antibacterial power of tea tree oil

It is widely acknowledged that skin infections usually follow incidences of ingrown hair and they exacerbate the symptoms, increasing the discomfort levels and pain.

• Relax in a hot tub bath or a warm shower that helps moisten and relax the skin, making it softer for the skincare routine to follow.
• Dilute tea tree oil with water in the ratio of 1:3 and apply gently to the affected skin leaving it on for ten to fifteen minutes. Cotton swabs may be used to apply the oil to prevent infection.
• Remove the oil with another shower.
• Follow up with a deep cleaning lotion and moisturizer to prevent the skin from flaking or drying up too quickly.

2. The soap and scrub routine

Mild baby soaps or herbal or non-allergenic soaps are best suited to skin prone to hair ingrowths.

• Locate the affected skin and gently lather the soap making sure that the entire area is covered by soap suds.
• Wet a loofah and gently rub the skin in circular motions ensuring that you are not stressing out the affected skin or creating too much of a burning sensation.
• Proceed to rub the affected area for at least ten to fifteen minutes preferably as you continue to stand under a steady drizzle of warm water.
• Pat dry and if coiled hairs stand exposed use tweezers and disinfectants to pull the hair gently away.

3. The soda that may not fizz but removes an ingrown zit effectively

Baking soda found abundantly in most kitchen shelves, scrapes away dead cells and exposes fresh tissue along with covered ingrown hair.

• Take a small clean bowl and mix water and baking soda into a thick paste
• Using sterilized cotton, dab the affected areas with a fine layer of the soda paste.
• Expose the skin to the soda water paste for at least fifteen minutes before thoroughly cleaning the area.
• Finish the routine with a deep pore cleansing routine and a good moisturizer.  

4. Avoiding the brush and using the loofah in the shower

One of the most effective ways of removing ingrowths and preventing skin from forming scale-like swaths is to substitute the scrubbing brush with the loofah. The latter absorbs water, lotions, and creams and presents a softer and more extensive surface area to scrub away the detritus of dead cells and diseased skin. This is a routine that works well when combined with warm showers. The warmth and moisture soften hardened skin leaving the follicles amenable to the gentle scrubbing action of the loofah. The scrubbing removes the upper transparent layer of the bump exposing hairs that may have curled and settled in the interior. 

5. The soothing power of apple cider vinegar

Inflammation and burning sensation are predominant symptoms of ingrown hair that can be minimized with apple cider vinegar. It diminishes irritation and soothes irritated skin that would otherwise emerge scarred and pockmarked.

• Prepare the skin with a comforting shower of warm water or a hot tub soak.
• Use smooth linen or cotton balls to apply apple cider vinegar selectively to irritated skin.
• Allow the vinegar at least fifteen to thirty minutes to soothe the irritation and remove inflammation.
• Program the routine to be repeated after hot showers preferably in early mornings and late evenings.
• Follow up the treatment with a gentle herbal exfoliator, skin cleaner and moisturizer.

 

Other popular methods involve :

Sugar is a great skin scrub that can help get rid of ingrown hair. It gently exfoliates the skin, removing dead cells and helping the ingrown hair come out of the skin.  This is not the only advantage; it will also make your skin silky smooth. Just carry out the following steps and you will be good to go:

Initially mixone cup of white sugar with one and a half cup of extra-virgin olive oil or jojoba oil.Stir in 10 drops each of tea tree oil and lavender essential oil. Apply a small amount of this homemade scrub on the affected area. Gently scrub the skin in circular motions for a few minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once or twice a week as needed.You can store the remaining scrub in an airtight container for future use.

 

Aspirin helps to reduce the symptoms of redness and inflammation, which are the two most common form of symptoms in ingrown hair. The anti-inflammatory property of aspirin reduces swelling, fights inflammation and treats mild infection. Plus, the salicylic acid present in aspirin scrubsaway deadskin to loosen the offending hair. There is a way to consume it. First, you take two aspirin tablets in one teaspoon of warm water until it forms a paste like consistency. Add a little, that is about one teaspoon of honey. Now, apply this paste to the effected area. Let the paste remain for about ten minutes. Now, wash it off with warm water and gently pat the skin dry.  Repeat this procedure for about two to three times a week.

Before shaving or waxing, you can use a pair of sterile tweezers and lift out the ingrown hair. Use a simple method, by just bringing them out to the surface of the skin. This is a very safe method, to just lift the hair, instead of plucking it from the root. Nevertheless, if you have sensitive skin it might be best to stay away from this method. Sensitive skin heals over a long period of time, so you might get somescars if you’re using the tweezer.

Seeing a doctor is also very crucial if the ingrown hairs are causing a lot distress, because they are the ones who can give you advices and help treat the problem efficiently.