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

Stop dry shaving
Throw away those disposable razors

If I shave I just wet my legs and lather soap (yes, soap, not shaving foam or anything else that comes in a container that has to be disposed of), then shave using my Venus razor. I just hook my leg over the sink while doing this. After doing both legs I get in the shower and have my normal shower. Our shower is slightly bigger than standard ones so I can actually move the shwer head out of the way for shaving purposes.
Once dried I put loads of moisturiser on.

Nowadays I epilate and use Ameliorate products.

I do my legs before I get in the shower properly...so shower on, waft leg about under water, lather up and have at it with a razor, repeat for other leg. It's also easier cos I can keep my specs on while I stand outside the shower with the leg in the shower and see how well I have done with the deforestation!

then scrubbing/buffing after.

I would definitely leave your legs be until they have healed, just a really plain moisturiser

orry i feel i havent explained properly. ive been shaving since i was 13 or so, i never had any problem, i used an electric razor all of that time, my skin was perfect.

i bought a Gillette disposable blue razor and wet shaved my legs, my legs turned into that mess. i've thrown the disposable razors away, i dont have any any more.

the electric razor i've used for years with zero problems, would that really just start causing a problem now? it isnt a close shave at all and ive used it for years on end which is why im confused by the concept of it suddenly causing a problem now.

i have no issue with not shaving at all for a few weeks if that will solve it.

i think that may be for the best.

all of those red things were places where i pulled hairs out of.

I swear by Venus with olay moisture bars. So much quicker and easier than shave gel. They're not cheap but I won't use anything else at all. They leave my skin soft and smooth, and make shaving very easy.

My legs used to be like this OP, and I was embarrassed to wear skirts or dresses in the summer. I've solved it by doing the following:

1. Shave legs after washing hair etc. It's the last thing I do in the shower.
2. I use decent razors, either gilette Venus or men's razors. I only use each razor a few times before binning.
3. I use coconut oil on legs for shaving. It's amazing, and cheap as chips from Aldi.
4. I dry body brush before I shower every day.
5. I only shave every 2nd/3rd day.
6. I exfoliate legs every other day. Thus is really important. I use to only shave my legs once a week as they were so sore, but I used to scratch them when the hair was growing in around the 3rd day. This then made then red and sore. I don't leave them so long that they get itchy, so I never scratch them now.
7. Moisturise after every bath/shower. I use e45 everywhere and Ameliorate on my kp on upper arms.
8. Let them air! If you don't want to walk around yet with bare legs, sit in the garden for a bit, let the sun at them.

I would let then heal the try the above. Good luck!

thank you so much. it is gettin me down a bit now.

Honestly, I would just completely leave them alone. No lotions, no acid, no scrubbing. They are inflamed and screaming out for some tenderness. Let them be for a couple of weeks and when they are healed, go back to your electric razor

ok, i'm going to do that. i'll completely leave them alone apart from washing in the shower and see what happens. thank you all for the advice.

Looks like folliculitis to me, probably caused by too close a shave. Leave your legs alone for a while, wash with unscented soaps and if they're sore or itchy apply aloe Vera gel, maybe even some otc hydrocortisone cream.

After they've healed, stick to a battery shaver if you want to shave. A not totally smooth leg that only you can feel is better than soreness and itching.

Maybe you've got a fungal infection. Get some Canesten anti fungal cream With hydrocortisone in it. Apply it thinly for max 7 days.

And as others have said give them tlc not acid peels, scrubs or any other crap. Just wash them and apply some Canesten ointment (as suggested up thread).

La Roche posay cicaplast balm will help heal them - it is really fantastic!
You can get a smallish tube from Amazon- about £6 l think?

Speak to your pharmacist. They may recommend something or suggest a trip to GP.

I've got Canesten which I've used in my armpits as I've had a rash from either the heat or shaving, it's cleared them up and now I'm giving them TLC with a crystal (PitROCK) deodorant. I think sometimes your skin screams out for something gentle and nurturing.

I have a Philips Lumea. It is life changing. I only have to shave every 2 weeks now and all areas are smooth.

I use a men's razor (not disposable but with changeable heads) in the shower. Womens razors are inferior. I apply hair conditioner to the areas I'm shaving first, to soften the hair. Works better than shave gel.

My Lumea cost £150 in the Tesco sale. I used to shave every day but now I get very slow, fine regrowth. It's fab.