My latest new arrival in the armory required to help keep me looking young, beautiful and as fresh as a daisy (no laughing please—one can but try!) was a personal waxing pot. I love it; in fact, I think I might be a little bit addicted!
There I was, giving it the first test run, and it was all going so well; I’d applied the wax, removed it—it wasn’t very painful at all—but when I look at the patch on my leg, a few hairs still remained.
What the heck…??
On closer inspection I found the little critters were ingrown, so thankfully not the fault of my waxing technique, but there was no way that wax was going to get them out!
Resisting, as we should, the urge to run for the tweezers and start digging them out, my next thought was exfoliation. But what’s the best way?
The perfect time, then, to review some different products and find out once and for all which is the best exfoliator for ingrown hair!
What Are Ingrown Hairs?
Each hair grown out of a single follicle, a tiny crater in the skin. Each hair is formed by protein cells, and receives nutrients from the blood supplied to the hair follicle.
Hairs grow by adding more protein cells in a chain-like structure, with the newly formed cells pushing the older cells out of the follicle towards the surface of the skin. Hair continue to grow in a cycle, dying off resulting in the hair falling out and being replaced by a new one. The rate at which the hair progresses through the growth cycle determines the length of the hair, and this is different for different areas of the body and for various people.
Sometimes a hair doesn’t grow straight and true out of the hair follicle, and becomes trapped in the layers of the skin. New cells are still being added to the base of the hair, however, so the hair keeps growing underneath the skin.
This is what’s known as an ingrown hair, as shown in this video:
What Causes Ingrown Hairs?
There are a few different reasons why ingrown hairs occur. People with thicker, coarser hair are more prone to be affected; people with fine hair less so. Curly hair is more prone to be ingrown than straight hair because it curves as it grows out of the hair follicle.
Hair removal by waxing, plucking or shaving is also associated with ingrown hairs. Waxing and plucking can damage the hair follicle, affecting the direction of hair growth.
When shaving, we use a very sharp blade which is scraped against taut skin. This creates a sharp edge to the hair cut to minimum height. When the skin is released after shaving, the hairs can draw back into the skin slightly, where the sharp edge can easily penetrate the skin layers
Skin which isn’t regularly cleansed of worn out skin cells and the dust and debris which naturally collect on our skin through daily life is also at increased risk of hairs becoming ingrown.
What Does Exfoliation Do?
The principle behind exfoliation is to stimulate the skin in some way to remove the oldest, very top layer of skin cells, leaving the skin clear, fresh and glowing with health.
According to skincare experts, regular exfoliation also removes dead hairs along with the skin cells. This removes all of the debris from the surface of the skin, healing to unblock pores and hair follicles, keeping the skin clear and healthy, encouraging the hair to grow straight.
What Is the Best Exfoliator for Ingrown Hair?
After a thorough search through many different exfoliating options, here are five different products to help you banish those ingrown hairs. They’re all great ways to exfoliate, and they have other benefits too!
Our Choice
Of all the different exfoliation products, the overall favorite and best exfoliator for ingrown hairs is the Ozziko Exfoliating Brush. It was gentle enough for most users, with high-quality boar bristles which dramatically improved skin condition for many.
People liked the option of using this brush wet or dry, and found the removable handle great for hard to reach areas. People also commented on the great value for money; in fact, nobody had anything negative to say about this brush, which is always a good thing!
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