You’re not the only one!! Present company included, ingrown hairs are extremely common no matter your hair removal method.

They’re nothing to be ashamed about, and in fact, extracting my clients’ ingrowns is my favorite part of the job!

Some people, myself included, are more ingrown-prone than others, and often will still have a few ingrowns despite the best aftercare attempts. Others, (the lucky ones!) may not have a single issue despite breaking every aftercare rule.

There is always advice and never any judgement no matter the case ─ coming from a girl who is hairy, ingrown-prone, and, often neglects her own aftercare!

Since we are removing hair from the root, your skin has more time to grow (and die) on top of your follicles.

Dead skin prevents your hair from exiting your skin, causing ingrown hairs, which is why exfoliating is so important.

Other factors include: bacteria, irritation, coarse hair, and thicker skin (such as scarring)

Avoid swimming, saunas, and hot baths for 24-48 hours after a wax a it can introduce bacteria to your sensitized skin!

Come to your appointment wearing loose, cotton-based clothing & underwear to prevent friction-based ingrowns.

Finding the right exfoliant for you is SO important - some can get by using whatever smells the best and looks the cutest, but us ingrown-prone girlies have to be a little pickier.

Dry Brush - used in small circles to gently remove dead skin, use on dry skin before a shower, replace every 2-3 months and clean after every use.

First Aid Beauty KP Scrub - still gentle enough for sensitive skin, but tougher on ingrowns, this is my favorite phsycical+chemical exfoliant on the market! A little goes a long way, use 2-3 times a week. (Pro-tip, cut open the bottle when it’s done to get every last bit!)

AmLactin 15% Lactic Acid Lotion, or
Alpha 12% Glycolic Acid Lotion - for clients with the toughest ingrowns, or Keratosis Pilaris, this will work wonders! If you have any intolerance to Lactose, I recommend the Glycolic Acid.

Often forgotten, especially in the Brazilian area, Moisturizing helps to soften your hair and skin, preventing ingrowns from forming as easily.

Any gentle, unscented moisturizer works well, one of my favorites being the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream!

I know this is a hard one for a lot of people - but the ingrown hairs are my favorite part of the job!! So long as time allows, I will always end our service by removing ingrowns.

Picking at ingrowns yourself is often much more aggressive and unsanitary than my trained techniques. I use sterilized, pointed tweezers to minimize damage and scarring, and prevent bacteria from entering under the skin.