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6 Amazingly Easy Ways To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hairs

Whether they pop up on your legs, underarms, or vajayjay, ingrown hairs are the devil. Just when we finally get a certain body part the way we want it, here comes an ingrown hair like, "Ayyyee, where the party at?" They not only show up at the most inconvenient times, but they refuse to go away easily. Their superpower tendency to survive even the craziest attempts to make them go away has created this child-like fascination with how to overpower them and come out on top.

No matter where the hair rears its head, we've all had moments where we can't rest until we yank, pluck, and pull it out once and for all; only for it to leave a scar before another one shows up even stronger. But we got you, sis. Before you go any further, check out the best ways to get rid of those ingrown hairs. (And no, you don't have to stop shaving!).

6 Ways To Get Rid Of Ingrown Hairs

#GlycolicAcidGoals 

The Ordinary

For starters, to properly get rid of ingrown hairs, it's helpful to know what they actually are. While we are fully aware that they're confined under the skin's surface (which makes them seem impossible to get rid of), the ingrown hair is created when dead skin cells interfere with hair follicles, so that's the real enemy.

Glycolic acid does wonders in getting rid of those dead skin cells that lead to ingrown hairs. It might be known as a lightweight acid, but it plays zero games when breaking down those skin cells and bringing them to the surface to not only make ingrown hairs easier to get rid of, but also to help stop inflammation in the area. Because clearly, it's seen enough problems. For those who have an extra pop of melanin, using glycolic acid on the regular can also help cover those hyperpigmentation marks that ingrown hairs seem desperate to leave behind.

Exfoliate 

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Scrubbing the day away

Yes, even something as simple as exfoliation can help remove those ingrown hairs. Proper exfoliation keeps those hair follicles nice and open, letting them breathe and making room for healthy hair to grow, rather than ingrown hair that's trapped under the skin.

The most effective time to do this is just before hopping in the shower. You can use whatever type of exfoliation that you find works best for your skin. What's cool is that they really come in a variety of different packaging; from a scrubby mitt that lets you freehand your exfoliation process or a face scrub that's gentle enough for those ingrown hairs in sensitive body areas.

Scrub Boo, Scrub

Jade & Fox Co.

Look, we're all Busy Betties. So, I completely understand not having time to add a new to-do to your daily routine with the hopes of getting rid of ingrown hairs. Yes, they're mad inconvenient, but we don't always have time to indulge in yet another hassle in just trying to remove them. That's where a good old scrub comes in sis.

You can do this right in the shower before or after soap (depending on the directions of the actual product). A good body scrub's job is to help newer and softer skin cells come through the skin easily, lowering the number of ingrown hairs and positively impact your skin as a whole. The best ones have lots of sugar, as that caters to softer and more sensitive areas of the body like the thighs and bikini line, compared to pumice or microbeads.

The Body Brush Is Bae

Elle

The idea of body brushing is still making its rounds, thanks to its ability to make us feel like we just received treatment at the spa. But who knew it can help fight off those ingrown hairs too? This is just one of the reasons a good body brush is bae. The best way to use it for ingrown hair removal is to scrub your entire bawdy, with extra emphasis on the ingrown hair area, before you jump in the shower.

This will help reduce the number of clogged pores and help your hairs grow the way they are actually supposed to. This can even be helpful if you're thinking about going as far as getting laser hair removal to stop hair growth in certain areas altogether. In that case, body brushing will help get rid of dead hair follicles right from the root.

Watch The Blade

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If you are a faithful shaver, one of the key reasons that ingrown hairs show up is after you use a dull blade that should have been tossed out a long time ago. I think we're all guilty of this, even for those disposable razors that we often forget are actually disposable. They aren't designed for long-term use, so it won't take long for them to start getting dull, making room for ingrown hairs to show up to the party.

A good fix is to get those razor packets that provide multiple razors in one package, so you don't find yourself using one long after its "expiration date" because you don't have time to go grab another. You can also splurge on an electric shaver. It might not get as smooth of a shave, but the flip side is that it will pretty much make your ingrown hairs go away because it doesn't cut as close to the skin.

What’s In Your Lotion? 

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The key to removing ingrown hairs is finding the right products that take initiative to prevent them to begin with. You don't necessarily have to use shower products to get rid of ingrown hairs. Over-the-counter lotion that includes chemical exfoliants, such as salicylic acid, can quicken the time it takes for skin cells to turnover, lowering the chance of dead skin cells staying around for too long, or at all, and developing into those now infamous ingrown hairs.

If it's gotten to the point where your ingrown hair seems like it's infected, it might be best to go see a dermatologist who can pinpoint the root of the issue and recommend the best products for your specific skin type.

Feature image by Getty Images.

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