Hate to break it to you, but whether you wax or shave down there, you’re not safe from those dreaded and gnarly ingrown hairs. (AFAIK, laser hair removal is the only way you’ll never have to deal with them again.) Since pubic hair tends to be curlier and coarser, no matter what you do, if they’re going to grow back, you’ll probs get a few. Lucky for those of us with vaginas, there are tried-and-tested products to prevent ingrowns.
But what about when they’re already there? Can you get rid of them at all? There’s always a way, girl! Keep scrolling for all our recommendations to treat ingrown hair on your vagina.
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Assess the ingrown hair
First things first, check the severity of the ingrown hair. Is the hair trapped below a thin layer of skin, and is semi-poking out? Or is the area red and swollen? We ask because if it’s the former, you can keep reading for our tips on how to get rid of it! But if it’s the latter, we advise you to seek a dermatologist’s help to prevent infections—in case you didn’t know, ingrown hairs can turn into large cysts if the hair has curled back deeper into the skin.
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Cleanse the area with alcohol
You’re basically going to open your skin to get the hair out, so it’s best to be extra *clean* to avoid getting an infection and subjecting yourself to more pain.
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Make sure to clean your tweezers
Speaking of cleanliness, you’ll want to apply the same vigilance to your tools. Even if you haven’t used your old pair of tweezers in a while, it could still harbor bacteria you won’t want to be transferred to open skin. Oh, and don’t just use any old pair of tweezers! Make sure you get the pointed ones for maximum efficiency when removing an ingrown. The small point of the tweezers will make it easier for you to grab onto the hair and pull it out.
CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓watch nowChic Bobbie Nails Nail Expert Series Pointed Tip Tweezer, P60, Watsons
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Draw the hair out and pull
Now that your ingrown area and tweezers are sanitized, it’s time to pull that bad girl out! Before you do, make sure the layer of skin is removed. You can do this by softly rubbing the tweezers over the area or getting a warm wash cloth and wiping it. If the ingrown is already poking out, then start pulling! BUT, and that’s a big “but,” if you notice you’re pulling a piece of skin instead of the hair, stop immediately and schedule an appointment with a professional.
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Clean the area again
Congratulations, your ingrown is finally out! While you enjoy the relief of not having a swollen bump, it’s vital you clean the area once again. Since it’s technically an open pore, it’s susceptible to bacteria. Avoid causing further problems for your vag by cleaning the area with warm water and soap.
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Apply an AHA or BHA product
You thought you were done cleaning the open pore, huh? Surprise, it’s not over! To ensure all the dead skin, oil, and bacteria are removed from the open pore, use an AHA or BHA serum or toner. And there’s no need to go for the clinical strength formulas. Lower percentage formulas are just as effective and gentler on the skin down there.
ADVERTISMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓Pixi Glow Tonic, P390/15ml, Shopee
Oxecure Blackhead Clearing BHA PHA Toner, P499, Lazada
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Prevent future ingrown by exfoliating
You don’t want to go through that whole process again, right? Next time, before you shave or wax your pubic hair, exfoliate the skin with a chemical exfoliant (AHA, BHA, or PHA) or a physical scrub. While you can definitely use the acid exfoliators mentioned above, if you love the gritty feeling of physical scrubs more, we recommend a hydrating formula to nourish your skin while removing dead skin cells.
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Luxe Organix Niacinamide + Alpha Arbutin Velvet Shower Salt Scrub, P149, Watsons
