How to Avoid Ingrown Hairs After Shaving

There's nothing worse than dealing with ingrown hairs. They cause unsightly blemishes on your skin and can lead to infection in the worst cases. People with curly hair have it especially bad, since the hair is more apt to turn back inward rather than grow straight out. Ingrown hairs are especially prevalent after shaving, when the freshly cut hairs can cause mischief. A few steps before, during and after your shave can keep ingrown hairs to a minimum.

Things You'll Need

• Loofah or gentle scrub brush
• Electric razor
• Skin lotion
• Tweezers
• Washcloth

Instructions

1. Gently scrub the area you intend to shave with a loofah or a soft scrub brush. Use warm water and soap. It clears dead skin away from the area as well as softening the skin for the shave itself. That helps the hairs grow straight out of the skin without turning back on themselves.

2. Shave with an electric razor or a straight razor with only one or two blades. If you shave too close, the cut hairs will snap back below the skin, which increases the chances of ingrown hairs. Don't stretch your skin when you shave either; it creates the same sort of conditions. If you go electric, your shave won't be quite as close -- and there may be more of a 5 o'clock shadow at the end of the day -- but it's worth it if ingrown hairs are a problem.

3. Apply a hot, wet washcloth to the shaved area when you're done. The skin will further soften and the pores will expand, helping the hair to escape the skin more readily.

4. If you spot an ingrown hair, use a pair of tweezers to gently and carefully coax it out. Do so as soon as possible after applying the washcloth in Step 3, but exercise patience. You don't want to pierce the skin or otherwise cause inflammation. Don't pluck the hair once it's free of the skin, but leave it in place and shave it as normal.

5. Use a skin lotion after shaving to keep your skin soft and supple. Not only does it help prevent ingrown hairs, but it soothes the irritation caused by ingrown hairs: cutting down on redness and swelling.

6. Grow a beard. It may not be an option depending upon your personal style and the dress code at work, but it does cut the Gordian knot of ingrown hairs. If you don't want (or can't) grow a beard, refrain from shaving for a day or so, or don't shave over the weekend. The additional growth will keep ingrown hairs to a minimum.

Tips & Warnings

• When shaving, try to shave in the same direction your hair grows. Shave down your cheeks and chin, down if you're shaving your legs and up if you're shaving your neck. It trains the hairs to grow directly outward instead of turning back into the skin.