How can you avoid getting ingrown hairs and how do you get rid of them?? And does anyone know of a good exfoliater or moisturizer to use after hair removable. Thanks in advance =)

When Shaving, use a good razor. Try not to go over the same spot with the razor multiple times. =( that's all I know lols

what are ingrown hairs? > <

The only way to get rid of ingrowns is to keep on exfoliating. I use a scrub by St. Ives it's an apricot scrub in a tub, real good stuff and not too expensive. you can get it at london drugs, saveonfoods, shoppers...etc. A lotion that's good to use after you wax or shave is called "Tend Skin" you can get that at some spas. I hope that helps =)

An ingrown hair is a hair that curls back on itself and starts growing back into the follicle, or a hair that fails to grow out of the follicle and stays embedded in the skin. Ingrown hairs are usually just minor irritations, but they can be painful and unsightly. What's more, if they are left untreated ingrown hairs can become infected. Unfortunately, most everybody will get one at some time, and if you shave regularly, you may have to deal with ingrown hairs quite frequently. Got one now? Follow these instructions to get rid of it and to keep that little pain in the neck (or face, or leg) from coming back.

Steps

1. Identify the ingrown hair. Not all bumps on the skin are caused by ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs, often called razor bumps, occur most frequently on the beard area or on other places, such as the legs, where you shave. They typically cause skin irritation that looks and feels like a small pimple or cyst (see picture below) and which may contain pus. You may also be able to see the hair just below the skin.
   
   
2. Apply a warm, moist compress to the area for a few minutes to soften the skin. Thoroughly wet a clean washcloth with very warm water and hold it against the affected area. When the washcloth cools down, run it under warm water again. If you can see the ingrown hair embedded in the skin, this treatment will soften the hair and bring it closer to the surface. If you can't initially see the hair, leave the warm compress on until it rises to the skin's surface. If you apply the compress for ten minutes and you still can't see any sign of hair, the problem is probably something else--see a dermatologist if the problem persists.
3. Use a sterile needle or tweezers to gently tease the hair out of the skin. The warm compress should have brought the hair to the surface--don't dig for the hair if you can't easily get at it. Don't pluck the hair out completely if you can avoid doing so; just make sure that the ingrown end is out of the skin. It may take a little time to coax the hair out: be patient, and do not cut the skin.
4. Wash the area around the (formerly) ingrown hair with warm water and a moisturizing soap. Gentle washing helps prevent infection, but soap that dries out the skin and the hair can make it easier for the hair to become ingrown again. The solution: use a moisturizing soap, or apply a separate moisturizer after you apply antiseptic.
5. Apply an antiseptic. An antiseptic, such as hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide or rubbing alcohol can be dabbed on the skin with a cotton ball or cotton swab to provide extra protection against infection.
6. Shave correctly to prevent recurrence. Since most ingrown hairs are caused by shaving, the easiest way to prevent them is to grow a beard. Even hairs that are initially ingrown will usually grow out in time. If shaving is a must, however, be sure to do it right. Check out the related wikiHows for complete information.
7. Use the right shaving implements. If you're shaving the right way but ingrown hairs persist, try switching up your shaving tools. The longer the hair, the less likely it is to curl back into the skin, so try shaving less closely by using a single-blade razor or electric shaver instead of a multi-blade razor. Also, be sure to moisturize after shaving. Using a moisture-rich aftershave or lotion will soften hairs so they won't easily be able to penetrate the skin.
8. Unclog your pores. If your ingrown hairs are stuck underneath the skin (as opposed to those which grow out and then grow back in), you probably have a blockage of the hair follicles. Use non-comedogenic shaving cream and aftershave (non-comedogenic products don't clog pores), and try using an exfoliating product or applying an acne cream containing salicylic acid.
9. Get help. If you have an ingrown hair you can't remove, or if you have a persistent problem with ingrown hairs, see a dermatologist.

Tips

• If you can't see the hair initially, leave the warm, moist compress in place for a while longer.
• You can sterilize your tools by boiling or by cleaning with alcohol.
• Try loosening your clothing. Next to shaving, tight clothing is the most frequent cause of ingrown hairs, particularly on the legs. Try wearing looser pants, skirts or shorts, and see if the problem goes away.
• If you have persistent or widespread ingrown hairs, consider either chemical or laser hair removal.
• Try exfoliating regularly. Take a loofah to your skin every time you shower, and you'll not only get rid of flaky dead skin, but also loosen up and prevent ingrown hairs.

Warnings

• To prevent infection, be sure your needle or tweezers are sterile before you extract the ingrown hair. Also, make sure the skin around the hair is clean.
• If the inflammation extends beyond the immediate area of the hair follicle or persists for more than a few days after the hair has been freed, consider visiting a dermatologist or your primary care physician.
• Discontinue use of any shaving product or skin care product if irritation occurs.

Things You'll Need

• Clean washcloth and warm water
• Sterile needle-nose tweezers or a small needle
• Topical antiseptic
• Moisturizer or moisturizing aftershave

Say Buh-Bye To Ingrowns


For those of you who shaves or waxes, ingrowns are probably your biggest nightmare. The only way to prevent ingrowns is regular exfoliation. There are also treatments out there to help with ingrowns - Sephora sells a product called Tend Skin ($20-35) that claims to improve the appearance of razor bumps, ingrown hairs, and redness caused by hair removal.

Here is a recipe of a homemade version of Tend Skin I found online. The major ingredients are aspirin, alcohol and witch hazel. I have tried it on myself and trust me it works - my bumps were gone overnight!

What you will need:

26 Uncoated Aspirin
5.5oz 70% Alcohol
2.5oz Witch Hazel
1 Measuring Cup/bottle
2 Bottles used to shake mixtures
1 8oz or more Spray Bottle/Container to keep finished product

What you need to do:

1. Pour the alcohol into one bottle.

2. Drop 18 uncoated aspirins into the alcohol. Cap bottle and shake.

3. Pour the witch hazel into the second bottle.

4. Drop 8 uncoated aspirins into the witch hazel. Cap bottle and shake.

5. Wait a while (30 minutes to a whole day) for the aspirins to dissolve in the liquids. Shake periodically to help dissolve aspirin and mix.
Note: Not all of the aspirin will dissolve but that is okay.

6. Now combine both the alcohol and witch hazel mixtures together into one bottle. Make sure you shake it up before you pour them out so you also get the aspirin residue into the new bottle.

Directions: Use 1-2 times a day. Reduce usage if you experience dryness or flaking or irritation. DO NOT USE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO ASPIRIN. Make sure you shake it well before each use.



stolen from:

really good blog guys
hope this helps :]

You can get a special tweezer from Tweezerman for ingrown hairs. I use Baxter's Anti Bump repair which I got at Momentum Grooming on Burrard. Its a men's product but really its gender neutral. Its a bit pricy but you dont use a lot. I put it on my ingrown spot and within a day its ready to be plucked out. It moisturizes, soothes and exfoliates. It has witch hazel, allantoin, BHA in it.
I like Tendskin but the alcohol part is too burning for me and it spills too much when I try to use it. I think that is a waste.

i agree, tendskin is the way to go. i know a lot of black (hate to be racial here but it serves a point) people that use tendskin for their ingrowns. it's a known that black people easily get keloids and this really helps.
main key, exfoliate exfoliate exfoliate

tendskin is very astringent and can burn/irritate sensitive skin (especially after waxing) or on facial areas. as others have said, exfoliation is the key. From working in a spa, a lot of waxing clients swear by Saje's Shaver Saver, you swipe it on like a deodorant stick. i've been using it on underarms & bikini for a couple months now and found it made a difference. it doesn't burn, uses natural ingredients & smells nice.

I was just at the Aveda store yesterday and they had a display full of small travel sized products and one of them was for ingrown hairs. I forgot the name of it but you might wanna go there and ask about it. It came in an aluminum container that was white colored.

So ... i just pour it on my legs? do i have to rinse it off or anything? cux it's not like lotion riote? it's watery.... so how do i use it? dab it on with a clothe?

i bought all the ingredients but i wanna know how to use it
thnx =]

where can u buy Bump Down?

Where can you buy bumpdown or tendskin? I need something for my underarms >_<