Completing the recent articles on ingrown hairs, I decided to end by recapping what exactly ingrown hairs are, how they can be treated, and how they can best be prevented. Think of this as the definitive guide from European Wax Center, giving you the expert knowledge.

So what is an ingrown hair? Technically, an ingrown hair is a hair that doesn’t grow straight out of the follicle opening, but instead curls into your skin. The tip of the hair penetrates the wall of the hair follicle, producing inflammation and an unsightly red bump.

So, what should you do once you get an ingrown hair? You’ll want to treat it and restore your skin to its smooth, blemish-free state, of course! Just follow these steps:

1. Remove the hair from the skin surface. If the end of the hair is visible, you will want to remove the hair from the skin’s surface. In order to do this, you will need to soften the skin with a warm compress for several minutes. Then carefully use tweezers to remove the hair. While you want to extract the end of the hair from the skin surface, so that it is growing in the right direction, you do not want to pluck the hair completely. If the end of the hair is not visible or easily removed, refrain from picking at the ingrown hair, as you may irritate it further and even create an infection.

2. Disinfect the area. To properly cleanse the area, apply a product containing alcohol. To avoid stinging, use a product with buffered fatty alcohol.

3. Apply an anti-inflammatory. To reduce swelling caused by the ingrown hair, apply a topical anti-inflammatory medicine.

4. Continue daily treatment. To prevent ingrown hairs, you should be using a daily treatment such as the European Wax Center Ingrown Hair Serum. With Vitamin E, Lavender Oil, Tea Tree Oil, and a Vitaberry Tropical Blend of Antioxidants, this serum will stave off ingrown hairs, bumps, and breakouts.

To purchase European Wax Center’s Ingrown Hair Serum and start avoiding those pesky blemishes, visit any European Wax Center location.