Gross question, sorry!!

lemonade_lifestyle

Ok, not sure if this is right place or even if this construes medical advice, but here goes.

How are ingrowing hairs caused?? And what can be used/what should/shouldn't be done to stop them?

Sorry, hope no ones eating!!!:D

whatatwit

My personal opinion is that when the hair is removed, it can't break through the skin again and continues to grow under the skin.
I suffer from them when I've had a bikini wax usually, I either gently break the skin or just use an exfoliator to scrub at the skin.
I do find the exfoliator works best on my legs though.

Tea tree creams have been recommended to stop ingrowing hairs (by a beauty therapist)

fluffynit

wiki is great....

Ingrown hair is a condition where the hair curls back or grows sideways into the skin. It may or may not be accompanied by an infection of the hair follicle (folliculitis) or "razor bumps" (Pseudofolliculitis barbae), which vary in size. While ingrown hair most commonly appears in areas where the skin is shaved (beard, legs, pubic region), it can appear anywhere.
Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hair. Shaving is the leading cause, followed by tight clothing. The embedded hair causes a localized inflammation (sometimes painful) response in the skin with prostanoid involvement. Sometimes ingrown hair occurs naturally without shaving.
Symptoms include rash, itching skin, hair which remains in spite of shaving, and infection and pus collecting under skin. Treatments for ingrown hairs include putting a warm washcloth over the ingrown hair, shaving in a different direction, exfoliating with facial scrubs, sponges, towels, or creams containing acids, treatment with Ibuprofen or other NSAIDs, and prophylaxis with twice daily topical application of diluted Glycolic acid. Ingrown hair will often fall out after a couple of weeks.

merlinormartin

I suffered from ingrowing hairs after using an epilator on my legs .... i found exfoliating at least once per week and using tweezers to "free" any ingrowing hairs helps.

Good Luck!

whatatwit

merlinormartin wrote: »

using tweezers to "free" any ingrowing hairs helps.

Good Luck!

Glad I'm not the only one

RoseFairy

merlinormartin wrote: »

I suffered from ingrowing hairs after using an epilator on my legs .... i found exfoliating at least once per week and using tweezers to "free" any ingrowing hairs helps.

Good Luck!

i find this too! and i too use a body scrub regularly and moisturise/body lotion too to keep skin soft enough so regrowing hairs can ease out when growing

JELLYBABY_2

For a cheap way to banish ingrowing hairs pick up a pair of those exfoliating gloves you can see all over the place now. Use these in the shower (or bath) and you will see a result instantly plus fresh glowing skin.

Course the lotions etc are great but its the actual scrubbing action that does the job so if its a MSE option (:D ) then the gloves win hands down.
:rotfl:

I love how your normal body washes etc froth up when you use these gloves- wouldnt be without them now.

suki1964

Second the gloves - I use two pairs - one wet in the shower every day and another pair I use dry instead of a loofah to really work on the back of my thighs where I suffer the most with ingrowers.

Tweezerman pointy tweezers also a must have bit of kit

And a sugar scrub helps to blitz stubborn areas

lemonade_lifestyle

Thanks everyone, I definately get them when doing a quick shave(if you know what I mean!!:cool: ) but I also get them really bad around my eyebrows and there the hairs are plucked not shaved?? I must be doing something wrong.

I seem to be really prone to them..

suki1964

lemonade_lifestyle wrote: »

Thanks everyone, I definately get them when doing a quick shave(if you know what I mean!!:cool: ) but I also get them really bad around my eyebrows and there the hairs are plucked not shaved?? I must be doing something wrong.

I seem to be really prone to them..

Do you have really dark eyebrows?

I do - thick and black and so when the hair starts to grow back it looks like wee black dots along my eyebrow. They arent ingrowing as such, just thick black blunt hair that I can see cos my glasses are great and I use a super magnifying mirror. I use tweezermans pointy tweezers to pick them out. Doubt actually if they are visible to the normal eye but I can see them

whatatwit

I've never actually had ingrowing eyebrows, but like Suki, I can see the dots before they break through the skin.
If anything, once they break through, the hairs aren't too thick