How to get rid of ingrown hairs because they’re literally the worst

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How to get rid of ingrown hairs because they’re literally the worst

Get rid of them once and for all

Ingrown hairs are the fucking worst and most of us have them somewhere. It can be tough to put on a dress, let alone a bikini when you're beyond self conscious about those pesky little dots. Babe chatted with Registered Nurse and Remedies for Me founder Rebecca Lee about why they happy and how to get rid of ingrown hairs for good.

Why they happen

Ingrown hairs tend to happen a lot around your public area, but they also frequently appear on the legs, chin, arms, armpits, and even your butt. Basically, after removing hair, the regrowth might not go straight through the skin.

The hair becomes trapped underneath and grows back into the skin. "Dead skin cells can hair follicles," Rebecca said. It ends up "preventing the hair inside to grow straight and outward."

Your body sees the ingrown hair as a "foreign invader." That's why you end up with the redness, swelling, and even pain from an ingrown hair.

How to get rid of them

Rebecca recommended three natural treatments for ingrown hairs. First up is aloe vera. It will help your skin with its "antibacterial, soothing, moisturizing and anti-inflammatory effect[s]." You should apply the gel from inside the plant leaves and let it dry for 30 minutes. You can wash it off or leave it on. Keep doing this for three to five days.

Tea tree oil is another great option. The oil "will open up the pores, loosen the ingrown hair and soothe the inflammation." You should drop between 10-15 drops into a bowl of warm water then soak a washcloth in it. Apply it over the affected area for about 30 minutes and repeat a few times a day.

If you're feeling like a DIY recipe is up your street. Rebecca shared a dynamite method to treat individual spots:

– First you want to exfoliate the area to clear away any dead skin cells that may be clogging up the pores. You can use a mild store exfoliator or you can mix sugar and olive oil together to form a paste.

– Rub the exfoliator around the area in a circular motion for at least 5 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

– Run a towel under hot water (be careful not to burn yourself), and leave the hot towel over the ingrown hairs for at least 10 minutes. This will help to open up the pores. You can switch out towels if it starts to cool too fast.

– Clean sharp tweezers with rubbing alcohol. With the pointy end, pluck out the ingrown hair, as long as it is close enough to the skin. If it is deep, leave it until the inflammation subsides and the hair has moved closer towards the outer layer of the skin.

– Make sure to clean the area with mild soap and water.. Rub a thin layer of Vaseline or coconut oil over it and cover with a bandaid.

You can also buy more serious treatments. We'd look at the reviews and shop only at reputable sites so you can get a sense if the product works.

How to keep them away

Sadly, ingrown hairs have a habit of coming back so you'll have to stay on top of preventing them. Exfoliation is definitely key. You have to make sure the dead skin cells aren't trapping debris in the follicles.

On the other side of things, you'll still need to moisturize. It will keep your skin balanced and hairs grow straight.