Ingown hairs (warning: possible TMI)

mysteries1984

Hi All

Specifically in the bikini line - I get waxed, Hollywood, but afterwards I always seem to get these little bumps that look somewhat like spots...I'm assuming they're ingrown hairs, as once I did actually see a hair curl around barely underneath my skin that I managed to pluck out with a tweezers and haven't been scarred from, thankfully.

Today I have a massive red inflamed area that's actually really sore on my bikini line and I suspect it's another ingrown nightmare. It's never been this bad before. I have to be careful what way I sit in case my clothes rub against it, it's so sensitive right now. I never get them anywhere else, and don't have sensitive skin anywhere else either.

I know laser would be a good idea, but it's not financially viable at the moment (plus laser doesn't get rid of all the hair, does it? I like my Hollywood because it leaves me completely hairless ) so I'm looking for something else.

I've tried exfoliating, and am currently using Tend Skin too but neither appear to make much of a difference. I'm at my wits' end with this...aside from the pain (of which there usually isn't any, to be fair) it's so unsightly.

Anyone have any other suggestions? Other products that worked, etc? I use a roll on for the Tend Skin but as I said it doesn't seem to be doing anything.

Lia_lia

Hey! I can't afford any of that waxing malarky, so I shave. So you must imagine the kinda problems I've had with ingrown hairs! I used to use a great product that you could get in boots, they discontinued it though

I use this: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Skin-Doctors-InGrow-Go-125ml now. Works for me anyway! Only need to use it once after I shave. All grand then. I use to have to use it almost everyday but I think my skin has built up some kinda toughness after a few years or something!

mysteries1984

Lia_lia wrote: »

Hey! I can't afford any of that waxing malarky, so I shave. So you must imagine the kinda problems I've had with ingrown hairs! I used to use a great product that you could get in boots, they discontinued it though

I use this: http://www.feelunique.com/p/Skin-Doctors-InGrow-Go-125ml now. Works for me anyway! Only need to use it once after I shave. All grand then. I use to have to use it almost everyday but I think my skin has built up some kinda toughness after a few years or something!

Had a look at that link...'soothing the appearance of the rupture'. Now I feel twice as sore :eek: Thanks though, this sounds good, I have a few quid in my Paypal account I might use this for, if I can.

Hopefully my skin will build up the toughness...I don't get it done as often as I should because I can't afford it either

Storminateacup

The trouble with waxing is it can distort the hair follicles which will cause ingrown hairs, and when that happens nothing really helps with it.

Exfoliation and I find tea tree gel can help reduce them.
As for the painful ingrown hair you have right now, you could try roll it out (don't squeeze with your nails), just gently rock it and it should pop out. The good thing about ingrown hairs are that as soon as they're released, you're generally pain free

boomkatalog

I was in a similar situation not too long ago. Slap heaps of aloe vera on there to relieve the stinging and after a couple days, or as soon as its comfortable enough, exfoliate. You can also get something called 'ingrow go' from beauticians and pharmacies that is meant to help with them. I have it myself but haven't used it enough to give it a proper review

mysteries1984

Storminateacup wrote: »

.
As for the painful ingrown hair you have right now, you could try roll it out (don't squeeze with your nails), just gently rock it and it should pop out. The good thing about ingrown hairs are that as soon as they're released, you're generally pain free

True, and that's a good idea...ugh, these are my Friday night plans. Yuck.

boomkatalog wrote: »

I was in a similar situation not too long ago. Slap heaps of aloe vera on there to relieve the stinging and after a couple days, or as soon as its comfortable enough, exfoliate. You can also get something called 'ingrow go' from beauticians and pharmacies that is meant to help with them. I have it myself but haven't used it enough to give it a proper review

Ingrow go is what Lia_lia mentioned...and i've bought it now, based on the mention of it from the two of ye, so it'd better be worth it :P I'll see if I can get some aloe vera on the way home, too...there was buckets of it in the health food shop when I was there the other day. Oh, if only I'd known...

tatumkelly

This is a bit weird, but I sometimes get little ingrown hairs on my jawline, they look like spots and I end up digging the hair out with a tweezers. Can I use that cream on my jaw? Will laser therapy get rid of these? (I've a few hairs in that area from steroid treatment)

Pythia

mysteries1984 wrote: »

True, and that's a good idea...ugh, these are my Friday night plans. Yuck.



Ingrow go is what Lia_lia mentioned...and i've bought it now, based on the mention of it from the two of ye, so it'd better be worth it :P I'll see if I can get some aloe vera on the way home, too...there was buckets of it in the health food shop when I was there the other day. Oh, if only I'd known...

Pretty much any of these liquids you put on the bikini line for razor rash and ingrowns are just topical salicylic acid (which is basically liquid asprin). Wiki says:

It works as a keratolytic, bacteriocide and comedolytic agent by causing the cells of the epidermis to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylic_acid#Medicinal_and_cosmetic_uses

Ingredients of Tend Skin are: Isopropyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Acetylsalicylic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Polysorbate 80

Ingredients of Ingrow Go are: Isopropyl Alcohol, Water (aqua), Acetyl Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine

So alcohol, glycol, glycerine and acetyl salicylic acid, the same in both.

mysteries1984

Pythia wrote: »

Pretty much any of these liquids you put on the bikini line for razor rash and ingrowns are just topical salicylic acid (which is basically liquid asprin). Wiki says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salicylic_acid#Medicinal_and_cosmetic_uses

Ingredients of Tend Skin are: Isopropyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Acetylsalicylic Acid, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Polysorbate 80

Ingredients of Ingrow Go are: Isopropyl Alcohol, Water (aqua), Acetyl Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine

So alcohol, glycol, glycerine and acetyl salicylic acid, the same in both.

I've heard of the liquid aspirin thing before, yeah...but never thought to check the ingredients. Is it possible to 'make' these at home?

It's actually gotten worse tonight, I'm going to have retire to my room with a hot washcloth to steam it out and give it a try...and hopefully not have to go to the doctor with it.

Pythia

mysteries1984 wrote: »

It's actually gotten worse tonight, I'm going to have retire to my room with a hot washcloth to steam it out and give it a try...and hopefully not have to go to the doctor with it.

It does go away generally, sometimes particular ones can take longer. It's hard to advise without giving medical advice!

Pythia

tatumkelly wrote: »

This is a bit weird, but I sometimes get little ingrown hairs on my jawline, they look like spots and I end up digging the hair out with a tweezers. Can I use that cream on my jaw? Will laser therapy get rid of these? (I've a few hairs in that area from steroid treatment)

Yeah, absolutely, same principle. Men use them after shaving. But I would do a patch test first, just in case you have a reaction as those lotions can be quite 'stingy' and your face is delicate.

mysteries1984

I think it might come out with a little more work...I got some boiling water on a facecloth and lay it on top of the hair temporarily to try 'steam' it out a little. It definitely helped, so I'll try that again tonight (the glamour!) and see how I get on.

Taelated

I think sometimes it's inevitable that your gonna get them 'down there'. However, I've defiantly noticed I get less and less the more I wax.

I've tried loads of different products on them. I'd recommend investing in some tea tree oil, helps as an antiseptic and drawing the ingrown out. Other one I've used is Depileve Intimate Folisan (around €8-roll on that you put on ingrowns (contains salicylic acid). Regular exfoliation, which I know is easier said than done, i use Kiehls and make sure it's non-scented as well.

Last thing, is if I notice it's getting to be a spot, i usually try to get it out before I know it's gonna get too bad. Even just gently press on it and it might get things moving. Very gently!! I've done this and haven't had any scarring thank god.

mysteries1984

Taelated wrote: »

I think sometimes it's inevitable that your gonna get them 'down there'. However, I've defiantly noticed I get less and less the more I wax.

I've tried loads of different products on them. I'd recommend investing in some tea tree oil, helps as an antiseptic and drawing the ingrown out. Other one I've used is Depileve Intimate Folisan (around €8-roll on that you put on ingrowns (contains salicylic acid). Regular exfoliation, which I know is easier said than done, i use Kiehls and make sure it's non-scented as well.

Last thing, is if I notice it's getting to be a spot, i usually try to get it out before I know it's gonna get too bad. Even just gently press on it and it might get things moving. Very gently!! I've done this and haven't had any scarring thank god.

Thanks Where can I get this Depileve stuff? My Skin Doctor whatever-it's-called should be arriving in a few days but if that doesn't work...then it's straight onto this Depileve.

I need to get waxed again next week too, for a...special occasion next weekend I really hope it's calmed down by then!

Taelated

mysteries1984 wrote: »

Thanks Where can I get this Depileve stuff? My Skin Doctor whatever-it's-called should be arriving in a few days but if that doesn't work...then it's straight onto this Depileve.

I need to get waxed again next week too, for a...special occasion next weekend I really hope it's calmed down by then!

I think you can get it on Amazon and eBAY, i go to get my wax done with a lady working from her home and she sells it too..so if you need details PM me..

Hope it all goes ok next weekend! Nothing worse than red marks.

i dont wax but i use this http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smooth-Care-Ingrowing-Hair-Minimiser-100ml_1189183/

seems to do the job

the search also returned this http://www.boots.com/en/Skin-Doctors-Ingrow-Go-Lotion-120ml_14578/ if you want to try it

mysteries1984

bluewolf wrote: »

i dont wax but i use this http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smooth-Care-Ingrowing-Hair-Minimiser-100ml_1189183/

seems to do the job

the search also returned this http://www.boots.com/en/Skin-Doctors-Ingrow-Go-Lotion-120ml_14578/ if you want to try it

Thanks - that second one is the one I've ordered, so hopefully that'll help. I might buy that first one too though to see what it's like...never saw it in any Boots here but I'll check it out.

Anyway, onward to the TMI continuance...

I thought it was on its way to healing, or at least being easier to take the hair out with a tweezers, but the skin underneath feels quite hard now. It looks a little purply and bruised, so I don't really know if that's a good or a bad thing. Hmmm. It's definitely not as sore but the harder skin might be a sign of a problem. And I need to book my next wax, but she might not go near me if I'm like this.

Woe is me. This is a first world problem

mysteries1984

mysteries1984 wrote: »

And I need to book my next wax, but she might not go near me if I'm like this.

Woe is me. This is a first world problem

i don't think you should go near her if you're like that, you dont want to do damage
let it heal and use a cream if you're stuck in the meantime maybe

are you getting it done in a proper place with that wax everyone recommends
if you are going to a proper place give them a ring and ask for advice as well

i got the first liquid one in a boots in town so should still be about

mysteries1984

bluewolf wrote: »

i don't think you should go near her if you're like that, you dont want to do damage
let it heal and use a cream if you're stuck in the meantime maybe

are you getting it done in a proper place with that wax everyone recommends
if you are going to a proper place give them a ring and ask for advice as well

i got the first liquid one in a boots in town so should still be about

You're right, I don't want to do damage...but I did want to be 'tidy' for the weekend. Fail.

As for a proper place...well, it's a woman that does it from home. I did hear good things about her and I've been to her before and was pleased. I've been to quite a few places for...'intimate' waxing over the past couple of years and I like to think I know a good one when I feel it, so to speak, and I was pleased with her. Maybe I should call her and ask later on, actually. Where the hair is is easily avoidable (I'm so sorry to everyone that reads all this for the TMI) so I'd settle for that if she'd be willing to do it on the rest of me.

Which Boots did you get the stuff in, if you don't mind me asking? Town is handy for me to get to.

maybe you should go to one of the places like brazilia instead
i duno, i went to a place where the lady was lovely and seemed fairly competent but it was a cheap local salon and it was pretty bad afterward so i was put off

i got it in the one in jervis centre

yeah give her a call i guess

mysteries1984

bluewolf wrote: »

maybe you should go to one of the places like brazilia instead
i duno, i went to a place where the lady was lovely and seemed fairly competent but it was a cheap local salon and it was pretty bad afterward so i was put off

i got it in the one in jervis centre

yeah give her a call i guess

Fair point...maybe I should try a fancy place while I'm in this 'condition'. She might refuse to go near me anyway.

I'll pop into Boots during the week (actually, maybe tonight after work) and pick up the stuff. See how it goes. Tbh though it's now more of a cure than a preventative measure I need, which is the wrong way round I will keep those of you who like knowing the intimate details of my life updated though. Thanks!

mysteries1984

I went and got waxed the evening before last, and showed the hair/bump to the girl, and she said they take ages to heal. Mine was looking very good considering the amount of time I'd had it, apparently. She told me to keep using the Tend Skin and it should get better over time.

It's barely sore at all now, only when I 'catch' myself in my jeans or something. I did pluck the hairs around the ingrown one, which she said is a bad idea as it can make the ingrown one worse. And my Ingrow Go arrived today, which is handy as I haven't had the chance to go near town.

Thanks again for all the help everyone, it's much appreciated