The 10 Best Ingrown Hair Treatments For Legs, Pubic Area, Face & More

This serum plays two roles: It's A+ for preventing ingrown hairs but also offers a gentle treatment for them once they've arrived. It contains two different exfoliators: Willow bark extract (a natural form of salicylic acid) and lactic acid, which will help brighten the skin as well. Witch hazel works to tighten pores and reduce redness, while aloe vera soothes irritated skin and offers a much-needed boost of hydration for skin that's just been shaved or waxed.

As we mentioned, scrubs are great for preventing ingrown hairs. While you wouldn't want to take a harsh scrub to the face, a gentle alternative can offer a physical exfoliation that can help prevent ingrown hairs. This one by SkinFix includes glycolic and lactic acid as well, serving as a chemical exfoliant too. This is a great option for the body and may be great for those with keratosis pilaris (commonly called KP or chicken skin) as well.

When it comes to facial exfoliation, you should be particularly careful to not use any exfoliants that are extra-strong, as the moisture barrier on your face could become compromised. For those who shave and worry about ingrown hairs on the face, this aftershave is a great follow-up. It's formulated with natural botanical oils including rosemary oil (which has been proven to increase hair growth). Vitamin A works to exfoliate the skin, vitamin C helps brighten the complexion, and vitamin E works alongside allantoin to smooth and hydrate. The result? A clean, hydrated finish, sans ingrown hairs and inflammation. 

This one is just as affordable as it is effective. The formula contains willow bark extract and lactic acid to exfoliate the skin and ease redness. Bisabolol helps reduce irritation, which is perfect for ingrown spots caused by shaving (aka razor bumps). You can use this treatment as spot prevention as well to get ahead of any frequently troublesome areas. It's a small tube, but that's because you only need a tiny amount to see a significant improvement in the visible appearance of your ingrown.

Dry brushing has tons of benefits for the skin. Not only does it increase circulation, but it also offers a gentle exfoliation for the body. As you know, this is key to preventing ingrown hairs. If your skin is sensitive to chemical exfoliants like AHAs and BHAs, a dry brush is a perfect alternative. You can use this on the entire body, bikini area included (avoid the face, though). Simply run the brush over your skin before stepping in the shower, and be sure not to press too hard—the bristles do the work for you.

When it comes to the bikini line, you'll want to avoid anything that could interrupt your pH. Although it shouldn't ever get close enough to reach your pH-sensitive skin, it's better to be safe than sorry. This one from Lady Suite is perfect for this. This spray can be used weekly to combat ingrown hairs, razor bumps, and even post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that may have come from past ingrown hairs. The formula is gentle yet effective and pH-friendly.

This one is phenomenal for shave prep because it hydrates the skin beautifully. In the shower, apply this stick formula liberally until you feel the soft serum-like texture on your skin. There won't be a big lather, just a smooth feeling. Then go ahead and shave as you normally would. You can use this as a moisturizer for sensitive areas as well. While this is great for preventing ingrown areas while you shave, you should double up with another option to exfoliate before the shave begins for best results.

Meet our holy-grail body product. You can apply this exfoliating serum to the whole body (aside from the pubic area) and follow up with a high-quality moisturizer to keep your moisture barrier balanced. Tested by mbg's own Hannah Frye, it's best used about two days before shaving, so you can be prepped and ready for your next hair removal session. Just avoid putting this serum on right after shaving, as it's unnecessary and may result in some painful tingling (as all exfoliating products will post-shave). Bonus: It's also a great product to use the day before you self tan. 

The armpits are sensitive, so you don't want to scrub that area too often. This roller stick contains salicylic and glycolic acid to penetrate pores and target bump-causing buildup—so you can skip the physical exfoliation. Plus, zinc PCA minimizes the appearance of skin irritation for an added boost of ingrown-fighting power. The reviews for this product are glowing with praise, especially for curly hair-induced ingrowns and easing skin texture. This formula can also be used as a dark spot treatment to help lighten any previous ingrown hair spots.

"AHA/BHA exfoliating pads from First Aid Beauty will do the trick," Marcus said. This is a dermatologist-backed tip, so if you're looking for something with ideal ingredients, this is it. These alcohol-free pads gently exfoliate the skin, while aloe vera soothes and replenishes hydration. These are free of drying alcohols and fragrance, so they're great for the bikini line. These pads were designed to be used 24 hours after hair removal on the face or the body. 

The cult-favorite peel pads from Dr. Dennis Gross make their way to the full body. These use larger towelettes and slightly stronger active concentrations to account for the skin on the body. The active ingredients are glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, and bakuchiol—yep, the gangs all here. But to help soothe skin it also contains aloe and squalane.

When part of the ingrown hair is visible, it is safe to remove it at home. (Read: Don’t pop under-the-skin ingrowns.) It’s important to use the right tools, like this option specifically designed to remove ingrown hairs and splitters! The extra fine prongs make it more exacting—so you can better extract and remove the hairs. 

As we’ve noted, scrubs can be a great tool to prevent ingrown hairs from forming in the first place. But for anyone dealing with stubborn dark marks from past ingrown hairs (called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation), you’ll want a brightening exfoliant. This body scrub is made with turmeric, an anti-inflammatory super antioxidant that helps even tone. The manual exfoliant is rosehip seed, which will gently polish the top layer of skin. This option’s for the body, but the brand also has a version for the face, which is actually the original formula that this one’s based off of: Kora Organics Turmeric BHA Pore & Brightening Treatment Mask.

For some high-powered exfoliation, turn to this scrub and serum combo. The duo are formulated to work together or separately. Start with the polish, which uses a combo of bamboo powder, lactic acid, squalane, and black pepper essential oil to slough off dull skin and boost circulation. Then follow up with the serum, which blends together AHAs, BHA, and PHA—as well as amino acids and kelp extract.

Retinol can improve skin cell renewal, encourage cell turnover, brighten dark spots, and unclog pores—all good things for ingrown hair prevention. This option uses retinol alongside squalane and coco butter, which help protect the skin barrier and support skin hydration. 

Pimple patches make excellent solutions for ingrown hairs on the face. Just place one of the star-shaped hydrocolloid patches over the ingrown, and let the patch do its thing. This one is infused with salicylic acid for a boost of exfoliation. Bonus: It’ll keep you from picking at painful or irritated ingrowns, which will only cause further damage.