How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs on Your Bikini Line

Many women get their bikini line waxed monthly, and getting ingrown hairs comes with the territory. Ingrown hairs can be very painful, and noticeable, not only from the infected, swollen and blemish-like appearance they take, but also the red-purple marks they leave behind, similar to post-breakout scars.

What is an ingrown hair exactly? An ingrown hair occurs when a hair has been removed from waxing, and as it grows back, it curls back or grows sideways under the skin resulting in a sore, red, inflamed bump.

I’ll share a personal story that inspired me to write this blog post in the first place. Whenever I go to get my monthly bikini wax, my waxer always comments on how she can’t believe I never have any ingrown hairs. This girl is a full-time waxer, so I take her noticing as a big compliment. While I have always done certain things to help prevent them, until I heard it from her, I didn’t realize how many people have trouble in this area. Here’s what has worked well for me in preventing ingrown hairs and can help you too. (Note: Ingrown hairs occur more often in those with curly hair.)…

Day 1 – Day 6 Post Wax: For the first five days after getting waxed, the skin is fairly sensitive, so it’s important to not be aggressive with this area. I always apply a hydrating body lotion to the area to keep the skin cells moist.

Day 7 – Day 14: At this point, the hairs are not yet ready to come out the surface of the skin, but they are getting closer. This is where you need to start exfoliating the surface of the skin to ensure the hair can come cleanly out. Almost every day, I will apply a thin coat of Glycolic Serum 17%, followed by body lotion right after I get out of the shower. The acid serum will start to dissolve surface dead skin cells that can cause hairs to become trapped under the skin.

Day 15 – Day 30: Around two weeks out from your bikini wax, you may feel the skin starting to feel a bit prickly as some of the hairs, depending where they are in their life cycle, will start to want to come out. At the point you feel the skin feel prickly (and often itchy), you need to use physical exfoliants to scrub at the skin and loosen the hair from its surrounding skin to allow it come out easily. I use our Exfoliating Body Cloth with a mild shower gel, and I do this daily. I apply shower gel to the Exfoliating Body Cloth, and in light circular movements, I exfoliate the skin area. It is important to always follow with a body lotion or moisturizer to keep the skin cells moist. Because the skin can be a bit red after you’ve used the Exfoliating Body Cloth, I will use the Glycolic Serum 17% post-shower and before moisturizer, but I only use it every other day so not to sensitize my skin.

Usually, by a month out, most people need to get another bikini wax, so then you will start this recommended routine all over again.

This is what has worked well for me, and by following my step-by-step guide, ingrown hairs can be a thing of the past!

Readers, have you found something helpful to prevent ingrown hairs from a bikini wax? Share your comments below.

Read how to prevent ingrown hairs on your chin.

Need help with your skin? Be sure to check out Skin Source–Renée’s expert tips and tricks.

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