Using an epilator (ugly photo included!)

[TenGinBottles]

I do this every year. Get annoyed having to shave after the winter and decide to use the epilator. Four days later and I wonder why I bothered. It itches and looks horrible. Am I doing something wrong? Do I have weird hair/skin? Is there a way of stopping it growing back under the skin? I use one of those fake sponge shower things every day whilst washing but doesn't help. I really hate having to shave every other day.

For me it took time to adjust to wax/epilator from shaving. I would give it time - next time you use it you might notice there isn't so much of what I think of as 'stubble' under the skin from shaving.

I usually shave over winter and crack out the epilator in spring..and the first few times I use it my legs look just like that! So...I epilate..then shave a few days later, then epilate and gradually my legs adjust and get less lumpy and the ingrown hairs/stubble stops.

Have you tried waxing first?

I tend to get a wax at the start of the summer and then epilate after that, go back to waxing once a month in winter.

I always get this sort of result, so have given up. I think waxing seems to pull the hairs more evenly maybe? Possibly gentle exfoliation may help.

OP yes. That’s EXACTLY what mine look like. With some longer hairs that I’ve missed. I just shave now. Need to do them every day my legs are out, so give them a couple of days off when I’m at work (uniform).

Mine settles down after a day or so and I find epilating lasts well - but having to go over and over for missed hairs drives me crazy.

Cheaper than razors though isn’t it?

I get this too, sooo frustrating.
I decided that it was my fault for not exfoliating and moisturising enough. So last summer I gave it my all. Moisturised (sp? ) every day, scrubbed alternate days, did dry brushing. Everything I could think of and still my legs were manky. I was disgusted. To add to my frustration the hairs also started breaking off at the skin too so the were stubbley as well.
Luckily the summer wasn't great so there wasn't too many missed opportunities for getting my legs out.
This year I'm sticking to immac or shaving.

It looks like your epilator is breaking the hairs, which is annoying as it is also pulling them - hard enough to irritate your skin - and presumably hurting, but not actually removing them. The ends of the broken hairs are growing under the skin.

Is the epilator the kind with the little tweezers? I've been through a number of different brands over the years and I like the kind with the little discs. The kind like little tweezers just break the hairs and take ages. If yours is already the disc kind you might want to try another brand.

This can also happen when the hair is too long to epilate. Did you shave first or go straight to the epilator?

A tiny bit of cortisone cream will sort out the itchy rash, you can mix it with some bland unscented cream or coconut oil. Paracetamol also seems to help and if you take it before epilating it makes the whole thing less painful.

Mine looked exactly like this until I bought a lumea 3 years ago, it's actually been life changing. I used to wax before a 2 week holiday but have horrible bumpy regrowth after 8/10 days. Really needs pale skin and dark hair to work, I paid around £300 and it's been more than worth it, have a look into them.

It's definitely pulling out rather than breaking hairs - that's the re-growth. I checked on the other leg today! Never tried waxing because I'm sure I'd get in a mess! Will keep going for a while then, maybe look out for another type.

Op forgot to say you can alternate shaving with epilating. It's a good exfoliator so that might help (although I understand it might not be ideal if the idea is to stop shaving). It will also make epilating less painful. Also glycolic is great for allowing the hairs to grow through the skin. Good luck!

Glycolic what?

An exfoliating mitt will sort it.

There's a few anti-ingrown hair products on the market. Have a look in Boots.

Am I the only one who enjoys squeezing out ingrown hairs after epilating?

An exfoliating product that contains glycolic acid: www.superdrug.com/Glycolic-Acid/c/glycolic-acid

Loofahs, scrubbing mitts etc never helped me, and salicylic products were equally useless, but glycolic sorted it. Someone mentioned Skin Doctors here and apparently it has both glycolic and salicylic acids so might be a good one to try: www.feelunique.com/p/Skin-Doctors-InGrow-Go-125ml

I am a regular eplilator user. I find using a good body brush works well. I use mine most days just a quick brush before a shower.
I also sauna regularly.