Tips for Preventing Ingrown Hairs

Have you experienced skin irritation after hair removal? Methods like shaving, while convenient, easy, and painless (if done right), can unfortunately cause redness, rashes, or perhaps even ingrown hairs.

Looking for tips on preventing ingrown hairs? While there's no foolproof method to completely avoid ingrown hairs, we've gathered some helpful tips for you to keep in mind.

These tips can help prevent the likelihood of ingrown hairs and keep your skin feeling smooth and comfortable.

What are ingrown hairs and what causes them?

Ingrown hairs occur when there is a build up of dead or dry skin around the hair follicle[1], causing hair to curl around and grow back into the skin. It can cause inflammation, producing raised red bumps that can be painful and itchy.

Causes of ingrown hair, and things to keep in mind during hair removal, include:

Shaving

While shaving may be a tempting option for hair removal, as it’s quick and easy, it’s not a good tactic for preventing ingrown hairs. When a razor cuts hair off the surface of skin, it can leave the tip of the hair with sharp edges that could grow sideways and back into the skin. This is more common with curly or coarse hair, which is why you may notice these razor bumps more around the bikini line and other sensitive areas.

Depilatory Creams

Using depilatory creams or hair removal creams, can run the same risk as shaving as you are only removing hairs from the surface of the skin, but the risk of developing ingrown hairs from hair removal creams is less than shaving as the hairs are being dissolved rather than cut.

We recommend Veet® Professional™ Hair Removal Cream* that works on even tougher hairs and leaves skin feeling hydrated. The Veet® Professional™ Hair Removal Cream* starts working from 2 minutes, making this hair removal easy and faster!

Waxing

Waxing can be a good hair removal option when trying to avoid ingrown hairs, as this method involves removing hair straight from the root. Keep in mind, though, that rapidly removing hair from the root can disrupt the hair follicle, making it more difficult for the hair to grow in the right direction out of the skin.

Veet® PURE Cold Wax Strips* are made with 50% less chemicals compared to Veet® Easy-Gel™ Wax Strips and Veet® Professional™ Wax Strips, making it the perfect match for you if you have sensitive skin. It’s formulated to minimize the number of ingredients and the risk of allergic reactions.

Tips for preventing ingrown hairs

Although it's challenging to completely prevent ingrown hairs with any hair removal method, we've got some tips to help you achieve silky smooth skin while minimizing the chances of pesky ingrown hairs.

Exfoliate

Make exfoliation your number one friend! It’s a great addition to your at-home skin routine because it removes dead skin and built-up oils that can clog your hair follicles.

Treat yourself to a little bathtime cleanse, first brushing your skin with a loofah or exfoliating sponge before getting in the bath to loosen up dry skin. Then wet your entire body and use the loofah or sponge to make small circles on your skin, starting from your feet and working your way up. As you exfoliate, be mindful of sensitive skin areas like the bikini zone!

Aftercare

Keep in mind that your skin will be extra sensitive to heat and friction after hair removal. To help prevent ingrown hairs, try to avoid these factors and activities in the first 24 hours post hair removal:

Tight clothing, as the friction can lead to irritated hair follicles

1. Heavily fragranced lotions
2. Sunbathing
3. Working out
4. Exfoliating
5. Moisturizing

Keep ingrown hairs at bay by developing a regular exfoliation routine. We suggest that you exfoliate 24 hours before using Veet®. Most skin can be exfoliated once a week, but if your skin is sensitive, exfoliate every fifteen days.

For more aftercare tips, check out our Things to Do or Avoid After a Wax article!

You can feel confident that using Veet® will help you prevent ingrown hairs. Some Veet® creams are designed to minimize the occurrence of ingrown hairs vs. shaving. Whatever hair removal method you choose, be sure to always read the instructions and use as directed, as improper technique can be a factor in causing ingrown hairs.

^*Ensure this product is right for you. Always read and follow product label.