Waxing is definitely an effective method of hair removal, but it doesn’t come without its downfalls. In fact, a lot of people who choose to wax their legs are guilty of committing some pretty common post-wax mistakes that can contribute to ingrowns galore.
In this blog, we’ll explore how to prevent ingrown hairs after waxing and cover the basics like: causes of ingrown hairs, what they look like, and then round out this article with our go-to guide on how to prevent ingrown hairs on legs – including discussing how to use the best ingrown hair serum . Now, let’s get to the root of the problem and get rid of ingrown hairs once and for all!
We’ve written a couple of blogs that cover the basics of how to deal with an ingrown hair , but if you’re new here, let’s briefly cover the causes of ingrowns in order to fully understand how to prevent ingrown hairs on your legs in the future.
The truth is, some people are genetically pre-disposed to getting ingrown hairs—we’re talkin’ to you, curly-headed folks. People with curly hair types have hair that typically doesn’t grow straight up and out of the skin, meaning hairs can bend back into the skin or grow sideways causing ingrowns.
Yes, even your legs have pores and those pores could be clogged with dead skin cells, environmental debris, or skin products—some important facts to know when it comes to how to prevent ingrown hairs on legs. Every single day, your skin sheds thousands upon thousands of dead skin cells and some can get trapped in the pores, blocking the pathway for hair to grow out of your skin.
Yes, waxing can and often causes ingrown hairs and it’s because sometimes hairs break off just below the skin when they’re waxed. But don’t worry; preventing ingrown hair after waxing is possible. One of the most important steps you can take on how to prevent ingrown hairs on legs is to leave waxing up to the professionals. Sure, there’s plenty of “professional-grade” at-home waxing kits available on today’s market, but let an experienced waxing pro do the job for you for the best outcome.
We’ll spare you an actual photo of an ingrown hair. According to Healthline , here’s how to determine whether or not you have an infected ingrown hair:
How do you get rid of hair bumps? While some ingrown hairs can be remedied with at-home treatment, like our Whish Flawless Ingrown Hair Serum , it’s important to keep an eye on your skin’s progress. If your infection is not clearing up, see a doctor right away.
Let’s briefly talk about how to prevent ingrown hairs on legs before waxing.
Buff those legs to a flawless finish and prime them for your upcoming waxing sesh by using our sugar scrub or our exfoliating body wash . This special formulation is deeply moisturizing and renewing while promoting skin cell turnover, leading to healthier looking and feeling skin.
Make sure your last exfoliation is several days in advance of your waxing appointment for optimal results.
Moisturized skin is happy skin. In the days leading up to your waxing, be sure to keep skin hydrated with a nourishing body lotion. When skin is hydrated, it allows for your hair to be easily removed, since the follicles are softened thanks to a quenching body butter treatment.
Be sure to avoid applying any products to skin the day of your waxing service, so your hair removal process goes as smoothly as possible.
If you’re going the professional route, then it’s key to find a licensed and experienced esthetician to wax your legs. Do yourself a favor and make sure to do your research when looking for a pro. If you don't have a professional who is experienced with waxing, a variety of things can go wrong when it comes to your waxing (double dipping, lack of sanitization of tools, etc.).
A seasoned pro will most likely apply a hot wax to your legs since it’s much more effective in removing even the shortest leg hairs; followed by removing the wax in the opposite direction of hair growth or using strips to do so.
If you are not a licensed professional and opt to wax at home, then you’ll most likely be using an at-home waxing kit with cold waxing strips. These strips are not as effective at removing leg hair, which can result in ingrowns. Be sure to keep some ingrown hair product on-hand.
Expect skin to be slightly red after your leg wax—this is normal and can be remedied by applying our ingrown hair serum. This treatment for ingrown hair is formulated to clean out pores, replenish moisture, soothe, and prevent future ingrown hairs. In fact, after a four week double-blind clinical study, users saw a 34% decrease in the appearance of ingrown hairs! This stuff should be your first line of defense in the quest of how to prevent ingrown hairs on your legs.
After you’ve applied your serum, be sure to avoid restrictive clothing that can rub against freshly waxed skin and cause irritation and ingrowns. Trust us on this one, skip the spandex and go with loose clothing.
Next, keep legs nice and moisturized post-wax by continuing with a routine of using a hydrating body lotion. We’re in love with our Rice Milk + Rose Body Serum With Hair Inhibitor . Not only does this serum smooth and hydrate skin, it makes for the perfect skin refresher for days when you need a little pick-me-up. The best part of this product though is that it inhibits and slows hair growth, so your chances of ingrowns and hair growth in general will diminish with regular use.
We definitely don’t recommend exfoliating after waxing since skin can be a bit red and irritated. Give yourself about two days to recover, and then resume your buffing schedule. Exfoliating after waxing is an important part of how to prevent ingrown hairs on your legs and other parts of your body, as this helps with skin cell turnover, and prevents clogged pores.
Waxing doesn’t have to just be for special occasions or vacations! Once you get into a waxing routine, try sticking to waxing legs every two to three weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows.
Getting into a regular waxing schedule will help slow the hair growth cycle and the more times you experience waxing, the less painful it becomes.
Follow the above tips on how to prevent ingrown hairs on your legs and in no time you’ll be able to experience the satisfaction of a great waxing and see gorgeous results!
Now that you how to deal with an ingrown hair, shop our all-natural skin care products to keep your skin flawlessly finished, as featured on broadcast television and in publications such as People, Marie Claire, and US Weekly.