Ingrown Hairs
Many people, both men and women, suffer from ingrown hairs. They occur when the hair curls back on itself and continues to grow back into the follicle or skin and this can also happen before the hair has even grown out of the skin in the first place, leaving the whole hair under the surface of your skin.
At best, ingrown hairs can be unsightly with slight irritation. At worse, ingrown hairs can become quite painful and infected.
The essential oil, Tea Tree Oil, is a great product for treating ingrown hairs as it is soothing and antiseptic. We use Australian Bodycare Professional range (containing Tea Tree Oil) in the salon for our waxing treatments. It's healing ability relieves and soothes most symptoms related to skin infections and irritations.
Treating and Preventing Ingrown Hairs
Regular exfoliation will help remove the top layer of skin (dead cells) and help free the ingrown hair or prevent them from growing in the first place. Also, regularly moisturising will help keep the skin soft and supple, prevent bacterial skin conditions and help balance the moisture level. For removing your ingrown hairs, try the following regime:
- Exfoliate the area around your ingrown hair twice a day, scrubbing the hair gently. This will help to remove dead skin cells, dirt and oils that might be trapping the ingrown hair.
- Ingrown hairs are similar to spots. Use concentrated tea tree oil on the ingrown hair. Combined with exfoliation, this may be enough to remove the hair.
- Use sterile tweezers to gently tease the ingrown hair out, keeping your skin warm and moist using a hot flannel.
- After you have removed the ingrown hair, remember to clean the area with an antibacterial skin wash.
See here for more detailed information on how to remove an ingrown hair.
