Awful legs- ingrown hairs. Please help

[Niknakpaddywhack]

I know this has been discussed before, but I am so fed up , I'm hoping someone has found a new miracle cure!

About 18 months ago I started using an epilator on my lower legs. It seemed to work quite well and I got a bit carried away and probably used it more often than I should leaving me with lots of ingrown hairs.

So I stopped using the epilator, started shaving again, but the ingrown hairs continue......and now my lower legs look absolutely awful. I mean truly awful- covered in spots and scars, so bad that I can't bear for anyone, even my dh, to see them .

We are going away next July on a holiday abroad and I would love to be able to wear shorts and skirts that aren't floor length. So I need a plan of action to get my legs clear by then.

I have tried a couple of products specifically for this problem- can't remember the names but recommended on here, and also exfoliating and moisturising, but don't see any real improvements. I admit I probably should persevere for longer as I am not very patient. I also have a bad habit of trying to tweezer the ingrown hairs out and I'm sure that doesn't help.

So, please, please can anyone help me with an action plan that has worked for you to clear up ingrown hairs- I will be eternally grateful.

Watching with interest NikNak, I could have written your post. I find a tan (fake or real) helps them look not quite so bad.

A bit extreme but I suffered with this when ideas younger, in the end I stopped dehairing at all for a few kmonths which broke the cycle and then was all fine when I restarted.

Not all that attractive but worked!

Have you tried that stuff called tendskin?

It's not a miracle cure, but the Palmers Cocoa Butter Body Moisturiser with AHAs (green bottle) is great for combatting ingrown hairs as it's slightly exfoliating. It's also doesn't cause my sensitive skin any problems. Regular use will definitely help, but I don't know what will give you that instant turn-around!

Tend skin. And gentle exfoliation.

I've used an epilator for about 20 years and had trouble with ingrowning hairs to start with. I use exfoliating gloves in the shower most mornings - it takes less than an minute - and I moisturise well. That stops it.

Shaving can give you ingrowing hairs as well; I'd be inclined to exfoliate as much as humanly possible and leave off the hair removal until you get it sorted out! It took a few weeks for me.

I used to suffer with terrible ingrown hairs and scarring on the lower parts of my legs. My saving grace was dry body brushing. I bought one from the body shop and use it everyday. Also, I use baby oil in the shower to keep my skin moisturised.

This has worked so well. I no longer have awful skin on my legs

Thank you all for your support and ideas- I am determined theladylovescupcakes so perhaps we can tackle this together and cheer each other on!!

bertandmarble,WipsGlitter I have tried tendskin and also exfoliating and moisturising but perhaps not for long enough periods?

I haven't tried dry body brushing thanks FabMum1 so will invest in a brush next time I'm in town.

Also, as part of my plan, I will leave off the hair removal, thanks PourquoiPas and SarahBeenysBumblingApprentice for as long as possible - should be easy over winter.

So, I'm thinking of doing a weekly photo on my phone (for my personal use!) to track my progress and start by: not de-fuzzing, dry body brushing, gentle exfoliation when in the shower and Palmers Cocoa Butter Body Moisturiser with AHAs (thanks Laquila) for daily use.

Fingers crossed!!

Thanks again for all your advice- I feel much better having a plan.

You can also make your own Tendskin substitute:

www.makeuptalk.com/t/1970/home-made-tendskin-recipe

Would never have thought to make my own Tendskin, so thanks for that JoanRanger, it's a great idea.

I have ordered a dry body brush and Palmers Cocoa butter with AHA's from Amazon as I'm not sure when I'll next get into town (impatient emoticon) and I shall put some Turmeric on my Tesco order, thanks TooTiredToBeWitty, so I am attacking from all angles!

Dermaflannel fucking miracle cloth. Got rid if any ingrown hairs I had and now DH uses one in his beard ones to stop ingrowing hairs!

Oww that sounds nasty PAsSweetOrangeLurve and possibly the nurse is your best option.

I shall look out for a Dermaflannel Madamecastafiore thank you, but as my Body brush and Palmers lotion has arrived from Amazon, I am about to start one Day 1 of my Action Plan.

I am quite excited (need to get out more obviously) and I am hoping to use this thread as a sort of diary and to report back any improvements (fingers crossed there are some).

I use flexitol (think its meant for hands and feet)but it gives me lovely blemish free legs. Also gets rid of Pilarus kerastasis on my arms and thighs

I second letting your hair grow for a while. We're coming up to winter now anyway, so opaque tights and trousers will help. Then I strongly recommend waxing thereafter. Best thing for ingrown hairs.

I get ingrown hairs so badly that my legs get too sore to shave regularly. The only thing that prevents it for me is waxing (at a salon, not something I can do myself). Worth it as it lasts for 5-6 weeks.

If you have pale skin and dark hair, get laser removal! Either that or stop hair removal all together. It is the only thing that has worked for me in the long run. Even the red marks are almost gone now.

It has definitely been worth the investment (I am fair with dark hair however)

"I get ingrown hairs so badly that my legs get too sore to shave regularly. The only thing that prevents it for me is waxing (at a salon, not something I can do myself). Worth it as it lasts for 5-6 weeks."

Waxing gives me more ingrown hairs than shaving. And as for it lasting 6 weeks, that is a myth. My leg hairs grow back within a couple of weeks of waxing, so I go back to shaving.

The beautician told me that epilators are the worst for causing ingrown hairs. She also said that dry body brushing was the best way of combatting ingrown hairs.

My legs were hideously scarred from ingrown hairs, but much better now. I tried religious exfoliating and moisturising, bio oil, tendskin - helped the scarring but didn't stop the ingrown hairs coming back. I had always waxed, but doing it less often helped. Also switching to hot wax rather than cold.

I eventually saw the GP as it was so pustulent, and was told I had a staph skin infection in the ingrown hairs which wasn't going away. I got antibiotics, skin wash and nose cream to clear it up. It seemed a bit extreme at the time, but did really work, and lots of the scarring had also cleared up. It's worth thinking about if it won't clear up a different way.

laser hair removal is great for ingrowing hairs

I have parissa Azulene Oil 'eliminates ingrown hair growth, inhibits hair growth'. I have never really had a lot of ingrown hairs, so am not the best test subject, but it makes that claim right there on the bottle.

Thanks for all these ideas- I have bought my own IPL machine ready for when I can start shaving again dragonslipperss and topsi (it states that you have to shave then laser and it kills the roots apparantly) but I'm trying to stop hair removal until my legs are clear.

Thanks for the advice to see GP if necessary Hopalongcassidy - something to bear in mind.

I've not heard of parissa Azulene Oil yeghoulsandlittledevils- always good to have new ideas, thanks.

Hopefully there are ideas here that will help someone.

So I'm on day 4 of my action plan, and I can definitely feel a difference- my lower legs feel much less bumpy, and I think I can see a difference in their appearance- scars slightly faded and spots less red. I have been using the Cocoa Butter lotion daily and dry brushing once or twice a day. So far, so good.