The appearance of ingrown hair on any exposed body part is not only embarrassing, but also unappealing. Some women suffering from this would rather just cover up by wearing long pants to hide their legs or wear dark stockings when wearing dresses. They also find it embarrassing to wear swimsuits in public, and they therefore shun gatherings held by the pool or beach just so they do not have to deal with the situation. There are certain procedures to remove ingrown hairs; some methods offer temporary relief while others provide solutions that are more permanent.
Tweezer Method
Step 1
Wash your legs thoroughly with lukewarm water and mild soap. Pat your legs dry with a clean towel. You can also do this after taking a warm bath or shower.
Step 2
Get a piece of clean cotton ball and dip it in alcohol.
Step 3
Rub the cotton ball over the areas where there are ingrown hairs.
Step 4
Get another piece of clean cotton ball and dip it in alcohol. This time, use this cotton ball to sterilize the tweezers. Wipe the tweezers’ tips with the cotton ball to remove any dirt or germs that can cause infection.
Step 5
Use the tweezers to pluck out each ingrown hair. Avoid breaking the hair by pulling firmly, but gently, as close to the skin as possible. You should be able to see the root or follicle of the ingrown hair after plucking, which is an indication that it did not break.
Step 6
Apply antibiotic cream or lotion on the affected areas after plucking off all ingrown hairs to prevent any infection.
Step 7
Perform this method every 6 to 12 weeks, or until new growth of ingrown hair starts to appear. This method can be a little painful although very effective in pulling the roots. This is also the preferred method when there are only a few handful of ingrown hairs to remove to limit the pain.
Waxing Method
Step 1
Repeat step one of section one.
Step 2
Melt wax in a saucepan, microwave or hotplate.
Step 3
Apply melted wax on areas where there are ingrown hairs. Apply the wax in a smooth downward motion, which is the same as the direction of hair growth (away from you).
Step 4
Get a strip of muslin cloth, and then press firmly on top of the affected area. Rub your fingers to ensure that the muslin cloth sticks to the wax.
Step 5
Remove the wax cloth with a quick action against the growth of the hair (towards you). Do not pull the muslin cloth slowly to avoid breaking the hair or pulling your skin.
Step 6
Repeat the process on each area with ingrown hair.
Step 7
Check your legs for any leftover ingrown hairs. Use tweezers to remove remaining hairs instead of re-waxing to prevent skin irritation.
Step 8
Remove excess wax using baby oil or olive oil.
Step 9
Apply antiseptic cream to avoid infection and to help close the pores.
Depilatory Cream Method
Step 1
Repeat step one of section one.
Step 2
Test a small part of your skin for allergies. Apply a small amount of the hair removal cream and wait a few minutes. If you do not see any rash developing, you can proceed.
Step 3
Apply depilatory cream on top of the skin with ingrown hair using a wooden applicator or any applicator provided by the cream manufacturer. Nair is an example of a hair removal cream available in stores today. Apply in a downward motion (away from you).
Step 4
Wait for 5 minutes or until the hair softens.
Step 5
Remove the cream using the wooden applicator in an upward motion (towards you). Some manufacturers advise using a face towel dampened with lukewarm water to remove the cream. Removing the cream would also remove the ingrown hair.
Step 6
Apply an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) or BHA (beta hydroxy acid) cream over the newly shaved area to prevent any irritation and to help with the redness.
Warnings
- Depilatory creams contain strong chemicals; therefore, it is necessary to do the allergy test prior to application.
- Consult a doctor if redness persist for more than a day.
