Leggings Season and Ingrown Hairs: 5 Reasons They Keep Coming Back

Fall in Oregon means leggings, fleece-lined tights, and jeans you haven't worn since March. It also means a lot of people suddenly have bumps in the bikini line they didn't have all summer. That's not a coincidence.

An ingrown hair happens when a hair curls back or grows sideways under the skin instead of coming out of the follicle. Here are the five things I see causing them most this time of year.

1. Friction from tight clothes

Leggings and tights rub against the skin all day, which pushes hairs flat and irritates follicles. Add a workout and sweat, and the follicle gets even more inflamed.

The fix: Wear looser, breathable cotton underwear for the first 48 hours after a wax, and change out of sweaty workout clothes as soon as you can.

2. Dry winter skin

When skin is dry, dead cells build up into a thicker layer on the surface. A new hair has a harder time breaking through, so it turns sideways.

The fix: Moisturize your bikini area and legs daily, the same way you would your face. My go-to is the Bushbalm Ingrown Hair Oil. It softens the skin so new hairs can break through, and a few drops after your shower is all it takes.

3. Exfoliating at the wrong time (or not at all)

Exfoliating too soon after a wax irritates freshly treated skin. Not exfoliating at all lets that dead skin layer build up.

The fix: Wait 48 hours after your wax, then gently exfoliate two or three times a week. I keep two options in the studio: the Bushbalm Ingrown Hair Scrub if you like a gentle physical exfoliant in the shower, or the Bushbalm Radiant Reset Pads if you'd rather swipe on a chemical exfoliant and be done.

4. Shaving between waxes

I understand the temptation before a last-minute pool day or trip. But shaving cuts hair at a sharp angle and resets your growth cycle, and that sharp tip is more likely to curl back in.

The fix: If you need a quick tidy-up, trim instead of shaving.

5. Spreading out your waxes in winter

Lots of people stop waxing regularly once swimsuit season ends. When you come back in spring, your hair is in different growth stages again, and the first few waxes are more likely to cause ingrowns.

The fix: Keep a regular schedule, every 4 to 5 weeks, all year. It makes every wax easier.

What not to do

• Don't dig with tweezers or a needle. You can push bacteria deeper and leave a dark mark that lasts months.
• Don't put rubbing alcohol on it. It dries the skin and makes the problem worse.
• Don't ignore a bump that's hot, swollen, or getting more painful. That can be an infection, and it's time to call your doctor.

Pick them up at your next visit

The Bushbalm oil, scrub, and Radiant Reset Pads are all in the studio. Grab them at your next appointment, or email me at oregonglowcs@gmail.com and I'll set them aside for you.

If ingrowns and the dark marks they leave are a regular thing for you, the Vajacial Brazilian was made for this. And the memberships page has ways to keep you on schedule through winter.