Ingrown hair is a pesky condition that occurs when a hair strand grows back into the skin instead of growing outwards. It commonly affects areas where hair removal methods like shaving, waxing, or plucking are performed. This can lead to discomfort, redness, inflammation, and even infection—ick! Dealing with ingrown hair can be frustrating, but with the right knowledge and the following ingrown hair solutions, you can effectively manage and prevent them.
Fortunately, there are several at-home treatments available that can help prevent and treat ingrown hair. One popular option is the use of serums specifically formulated to target this concern. These serums often contain ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or witch hazel, which work by exfoliating the skin and help remove dead skin cells, unclogging hair follicles in the process. By incorporating these serums into your skincare routine, you can reduce the likelihood of ingrown hairs and promote healthier, smoother skin.
Meet the Expert
Debra Jaliman, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in NYC and author of the book Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist.
Rianna Loving is an LA-based spa owner, licensed esthetician, and skincare brand founder.
1. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for All-Over Hydration:
FUR Fur Oil
This natural hair-and-body oil is a favorite for its luxe feel and chic packaging. Dr. Debra Jaliman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in NYC, is a fan of its ingredients, too. “It softens hair, moisturizes skin, and helps to prevent ingrown hair,” she says. “Jojoba and other oils protect the skin.” She notes that the formula also has antimicrobial tea tree oil, which helps to remove excess sebum and speed up healing.
2. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Dark Spots:
TOPICALS High Roller Ingrown Tonic
Those with more melanin in their skin are often more prone to ingrown hair and hyperpigmentation. Dr. Jaliman likes this lightweight, roll-on ingrown-hair serum for both prevention and to brighten skin as it heals. “[It also] contains salicylic acid, which helps clear pores and prevent buildup, and zinc PHA to help reduce skin irritation,” she says. “Glycolic acid is also great for exfoliation and preventing ingrown hairs and uneven texture.”
3. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Sensitive Skin:
EUROPEAN WAX CENTER Ingrown Hair Serum
All skin types will benefit from the gentle exfoliation in this serum, but Dr. Jaliman says it’s especially great for sensitive skin. “It’s safe for the bikini area, underarms, legs, and other areas prone to hair removal and ingrowns.” We love the formula’s lavender, vitamin E, and chamomile, which all help calm the skin, while glycolic acid decongests skin and prevents ingrown hair.
4. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Painful Bumps:
BLISS Ingrown Hair & Razor Bump Eliminating Solution
“It’s a solution that you apply and it helps to eliminate those painful bumps from ingrown hairs,” Dr. Jaliman says of this chemical exfoliant. “It contains salicylic and glycolic acids, which exfoliate the skin and help unclog pores.” The oat and green tea also help to calm irritated skin and razor burn.
5. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Daily Use:
FUR Ingrown Concentrate
If you’re prone to ingrown hair and hyperpigmentation, use our fave natural oil to soothe irritation and eradicate ingrowns in even the most sensitive skin. It even comes with a little finger mitt to aid in the gentle exfoliation!
6. Best Ingrown Hair Spot Treatment:
SPHYNX Spot Me - All-in-One Spot Treatment
Apply a thin layer of this must-have spot treatment a few times a day, and you’ll be shocked at how quickly bumps are cleared up. That’s thanks to ingredients such as allantoin to help calm redness and inflammation, as well as glycolic acid and salicylic acid to exfoliate the skin. It’s also formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, harsh chemicals, or palm oil.
7. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Quick Relief:
SHAVEWORKS The Cool Fix
When our skin is red and irritated, we want something that will calm it down fast. This soothing gel uses glycolic acid and salicylic acid, along with botanical extracts and caffeine, to help prevent ingrown hairs, minimize razor bumps, and soothe irritated skin stat.
8. Best Ingrown Hair Cream:
THE PERFECT V VV Cream - Very V Intensive
Redness and burning skin is not a cute look for summer. So, after shaving our bikini lines, we reach for this soothing lotion that hydrates, smooths, and repairs the skin post-shave. It contains BHAs (like salicylic acid) to gently exfoliate and alleviate ingrown hairs and red bumps. The addition of bilberry fruit extract acts as anti-inflammatory to reduce redness, while sea buckthorn oil soothes and calms delicate skin.
9. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Easy Use:
FUR Ingrown Eliminator
Rianna Loving, an LA-based spa owner, licensed esthetician, and skincare brand founder, is a fan of this serum-soaked finger mitt that soothes irritation and eradicates bumps. “The most recommended ingrown serums actually contain chemical exfoliants of beta hydroxy acid like salicylic (BHA) or alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic (AHA),” she explains. This serum has willow bark extract (a natural form of salicylic acid) to clear pores, lactic acid to exfoliate and brighten uneven skin tone, witch hazel to tighten pores and reduce oil production, as well as aloe for hydration.
10. Best-Smelling Body Scrub for Ingrown Hairs:
ORGANIC TO GREEN Rainforest Organic Coconut Oil Sugar Scrub
Loving recommends “rotating a serum one day and then using a gentle scrub without irritating fragrances” to avoid build-up and ingrown hairs. “You want to keep skin exfoliated and hydrated, and you might get irritations from only using actives,” she adds.
11. Best Ingrown Hair Pads:
EUROPEAN WAX CENTER Ingrown Hair Wipes
“Exfoliation is really the key to preventing ingrown hairs,” Loving says. “The key ingredients to prevent ingrown hairs will be very familiar to you from your skincare products and will focus on exfoliation.” We’re obsessed with the way these ingrown-hair pads exfoliate and keep skin bump-free—and blemish-free!—between waving.
12. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Post-Laser Hair Removal:
TEND SKIN Solution
Whether we just shaved, wax, or had a laser hair removal session, this ingrown hair solution is a must-have. But note: It’s not an alcohol-free option, so be sure to test a small area in case it stings. But when it works, it really works to relieve all sorts of razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
13. Best Exfoliating Cleanser for Ingrown Hairs:
GIGI No Bump Solution
Sometimes the best ingrown-hair treatment is actually a cleanser. We’re big fans of the way this one removes dead skin cells, impurities, and even helps prevent inflammation. It contains our fave ingredients like salicylic acid and sea buckthorn oil, but also panthenol and menthol for a cooling, soothing effect.
14. Best Ingrown Hair Serum for Dry Skin:
FIRST AID BEAUTY Ingrown Hair Pads with BHA & AHA
Not only do these ingrown hair pads slough away dead skin cells that trap hairs, prevent razor bumps and painful ingrown hairs, they also leave our dry skin hydrated with moisturizing aloe vera.
15. Best Nourishing Ingrown Hair Serum:
BUSHBALM Nude Ingrown Hair Oil
There are days we want to give our skin a break from both physical and chemical exfoliants. That’s when we reach for this ultra-nourishing oil that still helps prevent ingrown hairs with the use of natural oils like jojoba, tea tree oil, copaiba balsam oil, and grapeseed oil.
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