Waxed last week and now you’ve got sore, itchy red bumps? That’s very likely an ingrown hair, and it’s one of the most common things clients ask me about.
An ingrown hair is a hair that grows back into the skin instead of out of it. They can be sore, itchy and unsightly, but they’re easy to prevent once you know how.
Before your appointment
Gently exfoliate a day or two before. It clears away the dead skin cells that can block the hair follicle, so the new hair has a clear way out.
The first 24 hours
Avoid tight clothing, hot baths and showers, and sweating a lot. Use a soothing lotion for a couple of days to calm any redness.
Daily exfoliation, once the redness has settled
Use a gentle sugar scrub or a dry skin brush on the area every day. Be gentle, because scrubbing hard causes irritation. Skip it if your skin is sore or broken.
If you get an ingrown hair
- Hold a warm compress on it to ease the swelling and help the hair come to the surface.
- If you can see the hair near the surface, lift it out gently with sterilised tweezers.
- Don’t pick, dig or squeeze, as that can cause infection or scarring.
When to see a pharmacist or GP
Get advice if the area is spreading red, hot or painful, if there’s pus, if you have a fever, or if you keep getting ingrown hairs.
Keep getting ingrown hairs after waxing?
I’m a hair removal specialist in Herne Bay, Maybe consider changing your current hair removal method. See also Sugaring vs Waxing for Intimate Areas.
P.S. Not sure if it’s an ingrown hair or something else? Don’t wait. A pharmacist or your GP can tell you.
(I don’t earn anything from this recommendation.
Updated Oct 2026
