Ingrown hairs? :( :(

[flowerslemonade]

WTF is up with my legs? It looks so bad. I don't know if this is ingrown hairs or keratosis pilaris or something else?

Srry the pics are gross

Are you shaving with a blunt razor? Looks a bit like razor rash?

I had bought the blue gilette lady shave things and was using those, but it seemed to shave so incredibly close I've stopped and I might switch back to an electric razor which I had used for the past few years with no problems (but it isn't as close a shave and I would just dry shave them from my knee down)... maybe it's from that then?

Maybe! I wouldn't dry shave as it buuurns! I know they are a bit pricey but I love Gillette Venus. One blade (with the moisturiser blade attached) lasts me quite a while. But they are about £11 for 3! Best shaving I've found, and no rash!

Dry body brush your legs morning and night and if you can use a body scrub it will help open the pores up and stop the issue. If you can hold off don't shave epilators are good or wax.

I'm not sure if that's what I bought... oh, probably not because the ones I got are disposable, I think in a pack of four. I thought they'd create a better shave not this mess! Urgh. Do you reckon I should just leave it totally alone? I will have a look at Gillette Venus, sounds good. I put moisturiser on it but not sure if I made it worse.

Thanks mommybear, I do have a body brush somewhere and some Simple facial scrub, will try that too.

Dry shaving always makes my legs look like that. It looks bad and itches so much!

I remember seeing a program once (I know I'm boring) that said a 5 minute soak in water softens your body hair and is better for shaving.

I do mine in the bath now after a quick soak and they're fine. That's if you have the time/a bath though! If not wait until the end of your shower when the hair is softer.

Yeah, I'd leave it. Exfoliate and moisture until clear. Then either invest in a decent razor or epilate/wax like @mommybear1 said. Hopefully they will be recovered before the next bout of sunshine!

I started getting itchy ingrowing hairs and I've solved it by shaving downwards rather than upwards.

I'd say that was razor burn,that's how mine used to look if I dry shaved.

I'd leave it be for now and then use the tips PP's have given...I can't ever dry shave as I have sensitive skin and I also have terrible psoriasis on my legs so I have to take extreme care when shaving

Let it heal and then electric or wet shave in the bath or shower. Get some shave gel or the Venus ones with it built in (which cost a fortune but are great).

Update, so it seems like it's healing a bit, it is itchy :( but I'm trying to leave it alone, I didn't use the scrub or anything because it seemed inflamed, I washed it with normal shower gel and have just tried to leave it... hope it will be back to normal soon.

I'd maybe pop a bit of tea tree oil on them too or something soothing but not perfumed. Groecthe hair out a bit then shave with plenty of gel in the bath. I cannot shave in the shower, it really ruins my skin

Grow the hair!

That's interesting, why is the shower different? I always get goosebumps in the shower and then seem to shave the top off them.

I just hate shaving in the shower, how the fuck do you do it without the shave gel washing off? How can you wash you razor without the gel coming off of your legs? how do you not get goose bumps that you then shave of? And how do you get the hairs soft and ready to shave? It just ruins my skin completely, I couldn't live somewhere without a bath!

IDK lol that's part of why I always used to shave in the lounge! With the dry electric shaver. It was also I found it awkward trying to do it standing up and balancing, with the shower spraying everywhere. I have a shower above a bath so at least there is the choice. The goosebumps are horrible, it's not a cold room in fact very hot but I think it's the contrast with the water. I never use the bath actually but I might try it because my legs look such a mess right now.

You need to be exfoliating at least 3 times per week. A couple of product recommendations:

Waxperts wonderpads (Waxperts salon)
Magnesium sulphate (pharmacist)

Oh; and switch to waxing

Preferably with Waxperts

They are not any better it's both legs now and it looks just terrible. :(. I have bought and tried:

flannel
exfoliating gloves for the shower
different soaps instead of shower gel
shower creme with oils in it (two different ones)
shower gel with no oil and creme in it
picking them all out

It looks really bad like a rash.

All of this started off by using that stupid Gillette razor that shaved so close the hairs didn't grow back properly.

Try putting an acid on ‘em - Like the nip n tuck pads or pixi tonic, anything with a bit of glycolic acid or similar if you’ve got anything like that around, helps ingrowing hairs break the surface.

I wouldn't scrub as this could make it much worse but instead use Nip and Fab's glycolic body lotion twice a day until it clears.

This? www.amazon.co.uk/NIP-FAB-Glycolic-Body-Cream/dp/B00MOWO7VK?tag=mumsnetforum-21

my legs look similar to those pictures. they are bleeding now. fucking hell :/. i can get that tomorrow if that's the right thing.

Just leave them alone till they heal. You are just going to aggravate them even more by messing with them. Moisturise with a none scented cream and leave them till they heal. Its razor burn.

i am embarrassed to put this up but this is it:

Nope. That’s either , shaving with blunt , dry razor or just a reaction. Ingrown hair looks ingrown, you can literally see a hair follicle growing under the skin... which is not your case OP.