The skin along your bikini line is usually sensitive and more prone to problems with shaving than the more resilient skin on your legs, for example. Small bumps along your bikini line are ingrown hairs or irritation that results from close shaving or bacteria from your razor, explains Nanette Silverberg, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at Columbia University. These bumps can be painful, but you can usually get rid of them without medical care.
Step 1
Moisten a clean washcloth in warm water and press it against the bikini area to encourage your pores to open and release discharge, recommends Good Housekeeping.
Step 2
Massage your bikini line in the shower with an exfoliating scrub twice a week to remove dead skin cells that trap hairs. Products that contain salicylic or glycolic acid work well in the bikini area, according to Ava Shamban, M.D., a dermatologist in Santa Monica, California.
Step 3
Apply a cream that contains lactic acid on the bumps to help soften your skin and encourage ingrown hairs to emerge, eliminating the bumps.
Tips and Warnings
- Use a moisturizing shave gel and shave in the direction of hair growth to minimize ingrown hairs, recommends TeensHealth. Make sure your razor is clean and sharp before shaving to prevent infection and minimize irritation. Permanent hair reduction treatments, such as Intense Pulsed Light, can help minimize hair around your bikini line and minimize ingrown hairs by up to 90 percent, according to Cindy Barshop, owner of Completely Bare spas in New York.
- See a dermatologist if you have persistent ingrown hairs that do not emerge with self-care or if the bumps are extremely painful or swollen.
Things You'll Need
- Washcloth
- Exfoliating scrub
- Lactic acid cream
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