Woman to Woman

Outsmarting Ingrown Hairs

Stop painful, unsightly bumps at the source

-Paige Herman-Axel

We're in the home stretch of summer, so there's no doubt that the last few months of shaving and waxing have resulted in at least one ingrown hair - a hair that curls back on itself and starts growing beneath the skin. The redness (and occasional pus - yuck!) associated with ingrown hairs is a sign of inflammation caused by a minor infection.

One of the key ways to prevent and treat ingrown hairs is by eliminating the top layers of skin that can trap the hair, but manual exfoliation with a scrub or loofah can hurt - and make existing ingrowns worse. This is why chemical based exfoliation with glycolic or salicylic acid is a better choice.

There are plenty of products designed for ingrown hairs, and they come in many formulations such as pads, liquids and creams. Personally, I like a cream to prevent dripping and so I can control where the product is going. (Think of it this way, liquid tends to drip downward which can get a little scary in the bikini area.)

Right now I'm using Ingrown Relief Lotion, which I discovered at Shobha, the New York City spa known for its hair removal. Used nightly (wait 48 hours after waxing) it exfoliates with glycolic acid, kills bump-causing bacteria with tea tree oil and soothes irritated skin with chamomile - all without parabens or artificial color or fragrance. Just a bit of advice before showing off your beautiful bikini line at the beach this weekend: Glycolic acid causes sun sensitivity, so unless you want to replace those bumps with a burn, make sure to apply sunscreen. $22, myshobha.com