How to grow a beard without ingrown hairs? Ingrown hairs are also known razor bumps and they comprise of curled hair that grows back into your skin instead of growing out of it. Ingrown hairs do not pose a serious health threat but they can be unsightly and irritating. Razor bumps affect the appearance of your clean-shaven skin.
Therefore, if you want to learn about how to grow a beard without ingrown hairs, there are certain preventive measures that you should take. As such, this article gives you details about the causes of ingrown hairs, how to prevent as well as treat them.
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How to Grow a Beard Without Ingrown Hairs: Causes of Ingrown Hair
Anyone can get ingrown hairs but the problem is more pronounced on people who have coarse and curly hair. Ingrown hairs start to develop after shaving when new hair starts growing back into the skin instead of growing out. The recently cut hair often has sharp ends and these can turn back and easily pierce the skin and continue to grow underneath.
The other cause of ingrown hair is that hair can be trapped by new skin cells as they grow after shaving which causes some bumps to form. Ingrown hairs can cause skin irritation and they often lead to a raised bump that may look like a pimple. At times, the bump may be painful and uncomfortable.
The other cause of ingrown hairs is that dead skin can clog the hair follicles thereby blocking the hair to grow upward but will grow underneath the skin. Cutting curly hair closer to the skin can easily turn back to the skin and cause a bump when the hair starts to grow underneath the skin.
Razor bumps can be embarrassing but there are certain measures that you can take to prevent them. If you want to grow a beard without ingrown hairs, the following preventive measures can be helpful.
How to Grow a Beard Without Ingrown Hairs: Causes of Ingrown Hair: Prevent Ingrown Hairs
There are different measures that you can take to prevent ingrown hairs. These are simple and easy to follow steps that can help you grow a beard that is free of ingrown hairs.
Properly Prepare Your Skin
Before shaving your beard, make sure that you properly cleanse your skin with a product that contains glycolic or salicylic acid. These products help to clear the pores while at the same time helping to remove excessive skin cells that are on the surface which can block the hair from growing out.
You should also avoid dry shaving since it leads to skin irritation and ultimately ingrown hairs. You must only shave when your skin is wet either during a shower or immediately after showering. As a thumb rule, always make sure that you use shaving gel or cream that is suitable for your skin. For instance, if your skin is dry, always use shaving cream with moisturizer.
You must also avoid products that contain ingredients that can cause skin irritation. If you feel that the problem of skin irritation and ingrown hairs is persistent, you can try to avoid daily shaving until you are certain the skin is getting used to it.
Use Sharp Razor
Every time you shave your beard, make sure that you use a fresh and sharp razor blade to prevent razor burns. Shave in the direction of your beard and also try to avoid shaving too close to the skin. A few strokes on one area are recommendable to avoid exerting too much pressure on the skin.
A dull razor blade exerts more pressure on your skin which can result in razor bumps forming. To maintain your razor in good condition, always clean it with alcohol every time you use it to keep it free of bacteria. You must also keep the razor in a cool and dry place.
Alternatively, you can try other hair removal methods like electric current (electrolysis) or other creams that permanently remove hair and are less likely to cause razor burns. However, you must be careful when you use such particular methods of removing hair.
You can also try an electric razor which leaves the stubble a bit longer, thereby preventing it from turning back to the skin which leads to ingrown hairs. Close shaving can leave the hair pointing toward the skin which makes it easy for it to grow underneath the skin.
How to Treat Ingrown Hairs? Tips on Growing a Beard Without Ingrown Hairs
Picking or scratching the area with ingrown hairs can leave dark spots which can become unsightly in the long run. You can also try to use warm compress around the area with ingrown hairs to soften it so as to help the hair come closer to the surface of the skin.
Normally, ingrown hair can disappear on its own but if you realize that it is bothering you, then you can consult a doctor who can prescribe medication to treat it. The doctor can prescribe steroid medicine that you rub directly on the affected skin to reduce swelling and skin irritation.
Retinoids can also be applied on the skin to remove dead skin cells which clog the pores and block hair from growing. The other medical option includes the use of antibiotics that you can take orally or you can rub it onto the skin to treat ingrown hair infection.
Exfoliate the Skin
Exfoliating the skin is a viable method that can help release the hair trapped under the skin. You can use an exfoliating brush to gently scrub your face so that you remove dirt, oils as well as dead skin cells that may block the ingrown hair from stretching outside.
Conclusion
The problem of ingrown hair can affect anyone and it is mainly caused by curly hair that grows underneath the skin thereby cause bumps or irritation of the skin. Though this problem does not pose a severe health issue, it can be irritating and embarrassing at the same time since it affects your clean-shaven skin.
However, you can prevent this problem of ingrown hair by adopting good shaving practices that leave your skin clean and free of dead cells. It is also imperative to use a sharp razor blade every time you shave your beard.
