What are Ingrown Hairs and How Can We Treat It?

There is nothing more unsightly or irritating to the skin than ingrown hairs. Lesions that look like pimples or acne on your skin… yuck! These ingrown hairs may develop from waxing or shaving regularly. Many men get ingrown hairs on their face particularly on their necks after shaving. Ingrown hairs can be quite painful if they become infected because a germ has entered the pore. This is why it’s important not to scratch or pick at an ingrown hairs unless you have equipment that is sterile and sanitized. So… What can you do? First let’s look at what an ingrown hair truly is and why it happens. An ingrown is a follicle that is trapped under the skin and for whatever reason, has grown thick causing the skin to push upward creating a bump. You can see the hair trapped inside, it’s obvious yet it doesn’t come to the surface. Most often the hairs can’t surface because your skin is too dry and it can’t break through. This is where regular exfoliation, such as a body scrub (salt or sugar) comes in handy. A luffa is not sufficient. A good body scrub with a granular consistency can help to break down the dry skin layer allowing those trapped hairs to surface. This should be done twice a week if you have dry skin. Daily hydrating with a moisturizer is important too. After your shower, if you apply a moisturizer to your skin, this will help to keep skin soft. Over time the effects will allow hairs to surface smoothly and you should notice less ingrown hairs. Most ingrown hairs will eventually come to the surface on their own but when it’s out of hand and you have what looks like acne developing on your shoulders, chest or your groin such as a brazilian waxing, you may benefit by getting an ingrown hair treatment by a licensed esthetician. Here at Simply Mia’s we have an ingrown hair treatment. The treatment consists of cleansing, exfoliating and extractions. Perhaps a chemical peel is added, such as salicylic acid, to help kill the bacteria and to open up the pores so the hairs can be extracted easier. Ingrown hairs can be lessened but sometimes not totally eradicated. Simply Mia’s has a product called PFB. It contains salicylic acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid. The combination of these ingredients help to keep the deepest layers of the skin soft on a regular basis so the hairs will surface. Most of these type of products must be used daily for any effects to take place. Simply Mia’s has clients who are using PFB on a regular basis and are achieving good results with less ingrown hairs developing. Remember too that with regular waxings, your hairs will become less resistive and you will have less breakouts or ingrown hairs. Shaving is another thing altogether since most people shave against the hairs and that alone can cause the hair follicle to become trapped under the surface. Men are now noticing that shaving with the growth actually has better results for ingrown hairs. Book your appointment with Mia today at her Seattle Spa and discover how healthy your skin can be. Mia sells Lira Clinical products… designed to make a difference in your skin and keep it looking great.