Ingrown hairs are most common for those with darker skintones; especially within African American men’s skincare. Ingrown hairs appear as small, darken, and sometimes painful bumps on the skin. They occur from shaved hairs growing back into the skin. For this reason, it is most common for those with curly hair to suffer from these painful bumps. Ingrown hairs are most prevalent in shaved areas such as the beard, face, neck, armpits, and pubic region. There are a few steps you can take to prevent ingrown hairs. In a later article we’ll tell you how to treat them once you have one to prevent infection.
The first step in preventing ingrown hairs is a change in shaving habits. If you are prone to ingrown hairs it may be best to leave at least half an inch rather than shaving too closely. Close shaves leave hairs with a sharp tip, which allows them to pierce back into the skin. You may also want to switch to an electric razor as they prevent one from cutting underneath the hair follicles, which would create sharp tips under the skin.
Never shave dry! Water helps to lubricate the skin. Use Clear Essence Chimere Bump Control Shave Gel to soften the hairs before shaving. Make sure to use hot water as well to insure that the hairs are raised away from the skin. Always shave with the grain. This will mean that you won’t get as close of a shave but as mentioned previously, closer shaves mean more chance for ingrown hairs. Also, clean your blade regularly to eliminate a build up on your razor. After shaving, treat the skin with Chimere Bump Control After Shave to close your pores.
Another cause may be a build up of dead skin that blocks the hair follicle. This can cause hair to grown sideways into the skin. The best treatment for this cause of ingrown hairs is exfoliating the skin to remove dead skin cells and debris. Clear Essence’s Complexion Soap with AHA or Medicated Cleansing Bar will equally both aid in removing a build up of dirt, oil, bacteria and dead skin cells to reveal smoother skin.
You can also exfoliate the skin using a washcloth, sponge, body brush or soft bristle toothbrush before shaving to dislodge any hairs.
Although African American men’s skincare routines involve the care, prevention and treatment of ingrown hairs, there is still hope in eliminating the irritating bumps. Follow these shaving and skin tips and you should be seeing less ingrown hairs soon!