How To Remove An Ingrown Hair From Your Face

We all know how annoying ingrown hairs can be. I don't know about you, but when an ingrown hair pops up, I groan internally and prepare myself for the pain and annoyance of removing one. While ingrown hairs normally appear after shaving your legs or bikini line, they are known to show up anywhere. So, how do you safely remove an ingrown hair from your face in case one pops up?

If you choose to remove your facial hair, it's pretty much inevitable that you're going to get an ingrown hair at some point. It'll turn up in the form of an annoying red bump, and you may initially think it's a pimple if you've never had one before. If you're shaving or removing the hair from your face regularly, and if you're prone to ingrown hairs or have curly hair, you'll likely see one pop up at some point. Ripping a hair out of its follicle completely (either by plucking or waxing) makes it more likely to grow back as an ingrown hair, so if you wax your upper lip, eyebrows or another area of your face, read on to see what you need to do to remove an ingrown hair from your face.

1. Exfoliate The Area

St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $6, Amazon

If you have an ingrown hair, you need to gently exfoliate the area, clearing dead skin cells and enabling the hair to come to the surface of the skin.

2. Hold A Warm Compress On The Bump

SmartTemp Heat Pad and Cold Compress, $18, Amazon

This is one of my favorite tricks for getting a cystic pimple to come to the surface of the skin, and it's also a great way to help an ingrown hair come to the surface. The warm compress can also help soothe your irritated skin.

3. Use A Chemical Exfoliant

Ga-De Spot Treatment Gel, $23, Amazon

This is the number one thing you need to do to remove the ingrown hair. Using a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid, glycolic acid or even using benzoyl peroxide will help the swelling on the bump go down and bring the hair to the surface.

4. Use A Gentle Hair Remover

Olay Facial Removal Duo, $20, Amazon

If you find you're prone to ingrown hairs on your face, try to avoid using harsh methods like waxing or plucking the hairs. Instead, turn to a gentle depilatory.

Ingrown hairs can be annoying (especially on your face), but these tips will help you remove them quickly and easily.

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