How To Avoid and Treat Ingrown Hairs - from Shaving

Q: How do I avoid and get rid of ingrown hairs, they cover the area where I shave. I know this is a shaving related problem as I don't have ingrown hairs anywhere else expect on my face. I'm a white guy age 23, I shave with a Mach3 Razor and Gillette Classic Shaving Foam. Please advise a solution, this problem is causing me some embarrassment.

A: Ingrown hairs are mainly caused by the following:

Shaving with a blunt cartridge type blade

Shaving against the grain on a first pass in particular

Pressing too hard with the razor when shaving

A combination of all or some of the above 

Prevention is always better than cure, with that in mind here's what I recommend:

Get yourself a safety razor, the blades they use are very sharp so they cut the hair cleanly and don't push the hair back into the skin. The blades are cheap and a safety razor gives a very close, comfortable shave. The Muhle R89 is a recommended buy.

Use a shaving brush and cream, the brush will gently exfoliate your skin and soften and lift the hairs while the cream will give the razor lubrication to glide closely over the skin and not dig in. Here's a good value combo Shaving Brush and Cream Set.

When shaving with a Mach3 there is often a tendency to press too hard with the razor which forces the hair into the skin which is a major cause of ingrown hairs. Use a light touch with a safety razor, the blade will scythe through even the toughest stubble.

To treat existing ingrown hairs, apply Aloeclear (or any of the other lotions we sell for treating this condition) which is a roll-on liquid which is a highly effective treatment for ingrown hairs, razor burn and razor bump.