With results that last up to six weeks, waxing has distinct advantages over more temporary methods of hair removal, such as shaving and depilatories, which last only a few days at the most. Unfortunately, waxing and other forms of epilation, such as sugaring, plucking and use of electric epilators, is likely to result in ingrown hairs. Taking measures to prevent ingrown hairs after waxing may well be a lost cause. Your best bet is to find another way to get rid of body hair.
About Ingrown Hairs
Ingrown hairs are another word for pseudofolliculitis and razor bumps, explains Cornell Medical School dermatologist Harvey Jay, M.D. An ingrown hair is a shortened hair that doesn't grow out straight when it emerges from the opening of the follicle. Instead, it grows back into the follicle, sometimes piercing the follicle wall and resulting in inflammation and infection. Ingrown hairs often resemble small pus-capped pimples, but can also present in the form of deep cysts.
Waxing Dangers
Anytime you use a form of hair removal that leaves the hair follicle with a blunt, sharp tip--specifically, shaving, waxing and plucking--your risk of ingrown hairs increases, Jay says. Beauty Brains cosmetic scientists explain that waxing, which yanks out hair at the root bulb, is particularly irritating to the hair follicle. Dead skin cells in the follicle clog the opening, and small pustules form. Another risk factor is having hair that's curly and dense. The hair along the bikini line, by sheer virtue of the curvature in the hair's inner structure, makes you more susceptible to ingrown hairs after this part of the body is waxed.
Prevention
Preventing ingrown hairs after waxing is near to impossible, although there are some consumer products that may help relieve irritation and inflammation. Two aspirin-based anti-inflammatories recommended by the Beauty Brain and cosmetics experts are Tend Skin and Paula's Choice Skin Relief Treatment. If an aspirin-based product doesn't work, Begoun advises applying cortisone cream to get rid of more stubborn irritation. If the bumps become infected, she recommends using a topical antibiotic (for example, Neosporin, Polysporin or Bacitracin). Cortisone creams and topical antibiotics, which are also recommended by Mayo Clinic experts, can be purchased without a prescription at drugstores and pharmacies.
Other Treatments
Once a crop of unsightly red bumps emerge on your waxed skin, you won't be able to get rid of them overnight. Beauty Brains cosmetic scientists indicate that resolution occurs by simply giving stressed follicles a break. Whatever you do, don't take to the infected area with a loofah and scrub at it vigorously; Mayo Clinic experts indicate that washing the skin twice daily is helpful. A washcloth or soft-bristled toothbrush can be gently rubbed over the ingrown hairs using small circular motions to release the trapped follicles. To prevent ingrown hairs in the future, you may want to contemplate other ways to get rid of hair that don't involve waxing or another form of epilation.
Remedies
Rather than waxing, you might first try shaving to see if this results in fewer ingrown hairs. But remember: this method of hair removal still leaves the tip of your hair follicle with a sharp point. Jay notes that using cream depilatories leave hairs with rounded tips, which are less likely to grow inward. Perhaps the most fail-safe way to tackle the problem of ingrown hairs, especially those along the bikini line, is to choose a semi-permanent or permanent method to reduce hair density, such as laser hair removal or electrolysis. To read more about these hair removal techniques, see Resources.
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