Ingrown hairs are one of the most common — and most frustrating — side effects of removing hair, no matter which method you use. The good news: most ingrown hairs are completely preventable with the right routine. Here's what actually causes them and how to stop them for good, whether you shave, wax, or get laser hair removal.
Quick Facts
Main cause: Dead skin cells trapping a hair, or a hair regrowing at an angle back into its own follicle
Most at risk: Curly or coarse hair textures, especially in the bikini, underarm, and beard areas
Best prevention tool: Gentle exfoliation 2–3x per week — daily exfoliating irritates skin and can make ingrowns worse
Long-term fix: Laser hair removal, since fewer regrowing hairs means fewer chances for one to become trapped
Never do this: Pick, pop, or dig at an ingrown hair — it raises the risk of scarring and infection
What Actually Causes an Ingrown Hair
An ingrown hair happens one of two ways: either a growing hair curls back and re-enters the skin instead of growing outward, or a perfectly straight hair gets physically blocked by a buildup of dead skin cells and is forced to grow sideways under the surface. Either way, your body treats it like a foreign object and the area often becomes red, raised, or mildly irritated. Curly and coily hair types are more prone to the first cause simply because of how the hair naturally grows.
Prevention Routine by Hair Removal Method
The right prevention habits depend partly on how you're removing hair in the first place:
After shaving: Always shave in the direction of hair growth, use a sharp single- or double-blade razor (not a dull multi-blade), and avoid pulling skin taut while shaving, which changes the angle hair grows back at.
After waxing: Wait about 48 hours before exfoliating — skin is sensitive right after waxing. Moisturize daily and avoid tight clothing over the area for 24–48 hours to reduce friction while follicles heal.
After laser hair removal: Laser reduces ingrowns over time simply because there's less hair regrowing overall. Between sessions, gentle exfoliation helps prevent any remaining stubble from becoming trapped under dead skin.
The 3-Step At-Home Prevention Routine
1. Exfoliate 2–3 times a week with a soft washcloth, gentle scrub, or chemical exfoliant — not daily, which can irritate skin and backfire.
2. Moisturize daily, especially right after showering. Hydrated skin lets hair push through the surface more easily instead of curling back under it.
3. Avoid friction from tight clothing, especially in the first 24–48 hours after shaving or waxing, when follicles are most irritated and prone to blockage.
How to Safely Treat an Ingrown Hair That's Already There
Apply a warm compress to the area for a few minutes to soften the skin, then gently exfoliate to help release the trapped hair on its own. Resist the urge to dig, squeeze, or pluck it out with tweezers — this is the single biggest cause of scarring and infected ingrowns. If an ingrown hair becomes increasingly swollen, painful, or doesn't resolve within a week or two, it's worth having an esthetician take a look rather than continuing to treat it at home.
When Laser Hair Removal Is the Long-Term Fix
If you deal with ingrown hairs regularly — especially in the bikini area, a common trouble spot — laser hair removal is the most effective long-term solution we offer. Because each session reduces the overall volume of hair that grows back, there's steadily less hair available to become trapped under the skin. Many clients who struggled with chronic ingrowns for years tell us it's the biggest quality-of-life improvement from treatment, beyond the smooth skin itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — over a full course, laser actually reduces ingrown hairs because there's simply less hair regrowing to become trapped. You may still see occasional ingrowns from stubble between early sessions, but this typically improves as treatment progresses.
Wait at least 24–48 hours, then stick to gentle exfoliation only. Treated skin is more sensitive immediately after a session, and harsh scrubs or acids can cause irritation.
A warm compress for a few minutes followed by gentle exfoliation is usually enough to help it release on its own. Never dig at it with tweezers or a needle — that raises the risk of scarring and infection.
Yes. Curly and coily hair is naturally more likely to curve back into the follicle as it grows, which is why curly-haired clients tend to deal with ingrowns more often, especially in the bikini and underarm areas.
Not necessarily — proper technique goes a long way. But if ingrown hairs are a chronic problem, switching to laser hair removal is the most effective long-term fix, since it steadily reduces the amount of hair that can become trapped in the first place.
Book a Free Consultation at American Laser Plus
Located at 24619 Ford Rd, Dearborn Heights MI. Women-only studio. All skin tones welcome.
