Now that the sun is finally out and temperatures are on the rise, we can once again show some flesh.
For some of us this means that it’s time to do some serious de-fuzzing to get rid of the hairs we’ve conveniently forgotten about during the winter months.
The desire for smooth silky legs and completely hair-free bikini line does require major upkeep and it often comes with a few pesky side effects as well.
Ingrown hairs is one of the biggest and probably the most irritating issue to deal with when shaving.
An ingrown hair occurs when a hair curls back and grows sideways into the skin, rather than upwards, away from the skin.
Here’s what you need to know about these pesky bumps.
They can occur anywhere
Ingrown hair can occur anywhere on the body, but they are most likely to appear in areas where the hair is curly or coarse, such as underarms, legs and facial hair.
Any type of hair removal can be problematic
They can be caused by various forms of hair removal, not just shaving. Hair removal in general is a major cause of ingrown hair, which is why it’s important to take caution every time you shave, wax or depilate, and also in between.
What you wearing can be the problem
Friction caused by skin-tight clothing may lead to ingrown hair. This rings true especially for synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester.
Dead skin cells
Sometimes, when dead skin cells are not removed from the skin by means of exfoliation, they can clog up a hair follicle, causing the hair inside to grow sideways. Regular exfoliation will help prevent the build-up of these dry and dead skin cells.
Dry skin
When you shave over very dry skin, it can encourage more dryness or thickening of the upper layers of skin in the shaved area. This means that more dead skin cells clog up pores, resulting in more ingrown hairs! Use moisturising products daily to ensure your skin stays soft and hydrated.
This article originally appeared on IOL.
