How to get Rid of Ingrown Hair on Legs, Inner & Back of Thighs Fast

For ladies, the clear visibility of ingrown hairs on legs and inner or back of thighs after shaving, epilating or waxing creates huge embarrassment while out at the bitch having fun. The scars make you lose your skin tone consistency while the small bumps and inflammation makes your appearance rough and unattractive.

For most men, on the other hand, it is not such a big deal since hair removal on their legs is not a common practice. It is natural or rather normal for men to look hairy. The few who suffer from leg or thigh ingrown hair are probably models, actors, weight lifters etc.

Backward growing hairs can be a serious health threat especially when they develop into an infection. In this article, discover what causes ingrown hair on your legs, symptoms and how they look like in pictures, how to get rid of them at home, and other remedies /treatment options.

Ingrown Hair on Legs Thighs Pictures, Symptoms & Causes

Symptoms & Causes

Owing to the fact that it is ladies who dislike excess hair on their legs, it is a bigger problem to them compared to men. As mentioned earlier, shaving hair on legs is neither a common practice nor a serious issue in men.

What usually happens is that the natural direction of the follicle is disrupted following the removal techniques. Sometimes, the skin gets keratinized rapidly, thus creating tight, raised patterns. The upper part of the skin appears extremely tight, covering the hair under it.

Symptoms include;

How do ingrown hair on inner thighs and back of legs feel and look like?

• They may be feel painful and itchy
• Small, solid, rounded bumps (papules) on legs
• Small, pus-filled, blister-like lesions (pustules) on thighs
• Skin on legs and thighs may look darkened (hyperpigmentation)
• Embedded hairs

The main cause of ingrown hair on your legs, inner and back of thighs is improper & temporary hair removal techniques including;

• Shaving hair on legs with both an electric or non-electric razor
• Waxing
• Plucking (the cave man technique)
• Epilation

Other factors that may contribute include;

Genes-individuals with naturally coarse and curly are prone to these conditions especially African Americans.

• Friction from tight pants, trousers or between your legs
• General hygiene
• Underlying health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome and hirsutism

Ingrown hair on thigh, between and back of legs pictures

Ingrown hair can occur in between the thighs or on the back of your legs. The thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. One of the main cause these stubborn inward growing hairs in this region is friction.

If your hygiene isn’t good, it is also to possible to attract a couple of these hairs. Below are pictures of ingrown hairs on both inner and back of thighs.

Normal ingrown zoomed picture

ingrown hair on inner thigh pictures

Ingrown hair on back of thigh

Ingrown hairs on thighs male

Men who opt to remove hair from their legs and thighs are likely to suffer from ingrown hairs. As mentioned earlier, this is so especially your hair naturally curly and coarse. Here is an image of ingrown hair on a man’s legs.

Lots of little ingrown hairs on legs

In cases of an underlying health especially conditions that lead excessive growth of hair on your body, you can in turn suffer from lots of both little large ingrown hair. Below is picture of an individual with lots of backward growing hair after shaving.

Ingrown hair inner thigh near groin between legs

One most vulnerable region to ingrown hairs is the inner thigh near the groin. This is as result of repeated hair removal. The skin around this region is also close to each other meaning plenty of rubbing.

Ingrown hair on thigh swollen-Infection(folliculitis)

Folliculitis is an infection in the hair follicles. A swelling is one most common sign of the this kind of infection. However, caution should be taken since the swelling may be something else. Ingrown hairs also appear to look like acne, eczema, boils or cysts.

Picture of swollen ingrown hair on thigh

It is recommended that you see your primary care doctor or dermatologist to confirm that the condition you are suffering from is actually just due to ingrown hairs. Clinical trials are required to differentiate their symptoms ingrown hairs form other conditions.

Can you have ingrown hair on leg for years?

The answer is yes! Some have had ingrown hairs on legs and thighs for years. According to The  Sun UK, one woman had ingrown hair  on her legs for 10 years.

The woman will not let even her boyfriend see her naked. She was so ashamed of her ingrown hairs. The shame made her dismiss going on holiday for 10 years…that is a whole decade! Luckily, body fixers helped her fix the infected hair follicle problem

How to get Rid of Ingrown Hair on Legs & Thighs Fast

As you may have learnt, there are different ways of removing your hair. Some measures taken to stop ingrown hairs on your legs and thighs may depend on the hair removal technique. Here’s a detailed overview depending on the kind of hair removal technique you choose.

How to get rid of ingrown hairs on legs from shaving/waxing

Following a 5-step regime, to get rid of the hair after shaving or waxing.

1. Avoid waxing your legs frequently. Instead let the hairs grow for at least three weeks. Waxing too often results in small hairs that are ripped and broken. Sometimes these are too small to be removed and hence grow improperly backwards. Before waxing, make sure that the hair is easy to grab and pull.
2. Second is definitely exfoliation, which allows you to get rid of the dead skin and release trapped hairs that could be otherwise grow backwards. Scrubbing should be done for 30 seconds.
3. It’s important to pull the wax strips on a single strip. Going to the same spots over and over again creates irritation and leaves back ingrown hairs, going to a beauty salon near you is the best bet for this.
4. Do wear a lose-fitting cotton cloth immediately after you wax. Tight and synthetic clothes let the bacterial growth which also triggers any small hair that’s has been left behind to grow backwards.
5. Opt for smooth shaving with a razor and do not pull hairs roughly. While waxing, at times make hair follicle grow backwards, smooth shaving works even more effectively.

Further Reading:

• Best Ingrown Hair Extraction or Removal Tools
• Ingrown Hair Serums, Gel & Creams

How to get rid of ingrown hairs on legs after epilating

Epilation is one of the popular methods to get rid of hairs. However, before, during and after epilation, keep the following points in mind to prevent the growth of ingrown hairs.

1. Start with thorough exfoliation with exfoliating scrub such as a loofah. It removes the dead skins along with the debris that might block hair follicles. This will keep the skin soft and helps in epilation.
2. Start removing your hair with an epilator after exfoliation. Do not press the epilator roughly onto the skin.
3. You have to moisturize your skin deeply after each epilation. Consider moisturizers labeled as noncomedogenic. They are ideal for this purpose as they prevent pores from being clogged and thus restricts the bacterial effusions.
4. Along with the moisturization, you can also apply additional ointment to unclog hair follicles. You can grab an over-the-counter lotion with salicylic acid and apply it to your skin. You need to apply it once daily until the affected area is healed
5. Once you are done, apply tea-tree oil to avoid infections and any anti-bacterial growth.

Dealing with ingrown hair on legs during pregnancy

Many women have to deal with the issues of ingrown hair during the pregnancy. Though the hormonal imbalance during this phase is the root cause of growing ingrown hairs, these can be removed easily. Instead of waxing shaving with a smooth razor is the ideal way to get rid of it.

Treatment Options for Thigh/Leg Ingrown Hair Infection

As mentioned earlier, ingrown hair is often caused by bacterial infection. Leaving it untreated for a longtime, can lead to a serious ailment. Hence, if you notice any kind of infection, these are the treatment options for you.

1. Consume oral antibiotics or regularly apply antibiotic ointments as per the prescription of a dermatologist.
2. Use drying agents to reduce inflammation. They also help in clearing the infection. With the help of antiseptic lotions, you can treat folliculitis.
3. Placing a warm moist wash cloth helps in treating the infected area. It comforts the place and promotes drainage of the accumulated dirt by unclogging the pores.
4. Regularly wash the infected zone with antibacterial soap. Twice a day is usually recommended. Avoid using any scrub on the area that is already infected.
5. In case there are recurrent infections, avoid shaving for at least three months.
6. See a doctor if things turn worse.

Prevention Tips & other Home Remedies

Bearing in mind that the main cause of ingrown hair is shaving here are tips and home remedies that can help you shave better to avoid, stop or prevent ingrown hair on legs and inner thighs.

1. Maintain cleanliness
2. Always exfoliate first
3. Avoid shaving with soap and instead use a lubricating shave gel. Never should you dry-shave
4. Use a new and sharp, single-blade razor. Avoid old razors and sharing of razors
5. While shaving, rinse the blade between strokes
6. Shave in the direction of hair growth.
7. Don’t pull your skin taut while shaving.
8. Moisturize your skin after shaving.
9. Take your time.
10. Let a qualified individual deal with your unwanted hair.

Sources and References

1. http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/ingrown-hair-causes-symptoms-treatment
2. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ingrown-hairs/Pages/Introduction.aspx
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ingrown-hair/in-depth/health-tip/art-20049081