Dealing with ingrown hairs near the vagina can be painful and physically, unattractive but they happen! Commonly caused by hair removal methods such as waxing, shaving and even tweezing.
What is an ingrown hair? It is when a single hair grows back into the skin resulting in an inflamed red bump. Although ingrown hairs are annoying and unpleasant, they are quite common and generally, nothing at all to worry about. Check out our following guide for helpful tips and prevention of these pesky bumps.
Pre and Post Skincare For Treating Ingrown Hairs
Generally, ingrown hairs will eventually go away on its own. But with the proper pre and post care, you can easily prevent or reduce bumps from popping up.
Exfoliate: Gently exfoliating before and a couple days after your hair removal can make a difference in the way your hairs grow back. Either using a chemical or physical exfoliant, exfoliating rejects dead skin cells from forming ingrown hairs and helps the hairs grow back properly.
Serums
If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, consider using a serum specifically formulated to prevent ingrown hairs. Some serums even have soothing, antibacterial ingredients while preventing this type of infection.
Moisturize
In addition to keeping your skin lubricated before hair removal, it’s also important to keep your skin nourished and hydrated afterwards. Not only does it replenish the skin’s protective barrier but it can also reduce irritation. Consider a natural, non-scented product if you have a sensitive skin type.
Tools
Shaving: There’s a lot to consider when it comes to using a razor for hair removal in the vaginal area. Along with the common sense of not using other people’s razors, make sure you are using a sharp razor! A single-bladed, sharp razor works best and reduces your risk of ingrown hairs. You should also remember to rinse your blade after every stroke.
Tweezers: Try to eliminate this method as much as possible! Though it can be very tempting to reach for those tweezing, plucking can actually leave parts of the hair behind causing it to not grow directly upwards.
Waxing: Compared to shaving, the waxing method doesn’t leave harsh hair tips behind. These are most likely to curl and grow back into the skin resulting in an ingrown. If you are not comfortable with waxing at home, leave it to the professionals to take care of your skin before and after your waxing session.
Warm Compression
Do you see or feel a bump coming up? Compressing a hot to warm towel against the area for 3-4 minutes (repeat if needed). This method will soften your skin including the hair making it easier for you tweeze out before it becomes inflamed. This also helps soothe the pain.
Consider laser hair removal
When in doubt, investing in laser hair removal can come with many benefits. This method, performed by a professional esthetician or doctors, removes hair at a deeper level and prevents it from growing back over time.
See a Doctor When
If you have no luck in keeping your ingrown hair in control, you might want to see your doctor if you come across these symptoms:
Swelling
Bumps are full of pus
Intolerable pain
Bleeding
Sarah Nelson is a nurse with 15 years of experience working with a variety of patients. She has a Masters of Science in Nursing and has spent a large portion of her career working exclusively with women in an OB/GYN setting.
Nursing is a passion for Sarah but she also enjoys writing and sharing her expertise online with people who need helpful information. Treating patients well and helping them learn more about their own bodies is a key essential to a healthy lifestyle that Sarah truly believes in.