Reader question: I suffer from ingrown facial hair that has left dark spots. What can l use for both problems? - Clare John Since my first razor in middle school, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with shaving. One minute you have smooth, hairless skin, and the next you’re looking at red, raised bumps ruining the landscape of your otherwise flawless complexion. Aesthetically displeasing, painful, and weirdly defiant of the laws of gravity, ingrown hairs are what happens when hair starts growing outward (like hair normally would), but then curls under itself and begins to grow inward. This inward growth creates a pimple-like bump. So, why do ingrown hairs happen? This is going to go against everything you were taught by society, but your body hair isn’t actually meant to be shaved. (Shocker, right?) It’s there for an evolutionary reason, so when you do shave, it makes your hair follicle angry (read: inflamed) as a defense mechanism. To prevent ingrown hairs, make sure to shave in the direction of the hair with a fresh blade; the duller the blade, the more you’re scraping the skin, upping the likelihood of irritation and ingrowns. And whatever you do, avoid popping or tweezing an ingrown hair bump, as this increases the chance of infection—and isn’t a guaranteed way to remove the hair. Patience is a virtue when it comes to ingrown hair removal, but the right products can expedite the process. Here are the best (and most indulgent) oils, exfoliators, and elixirs for all your ingrown hair needs.
