Ingrown hair solution

[Assassin]

I've been hearing about the "aspirin technique" that solves/cures the ingrown hair trapped underneath the skin and I want to give it a whirl here. So, my questions are:

1. What kind of aspirin do I need? The cheap kind? Store brand, name brand, super expensive brand...what kind!?

2.) Do I need the coated or uncoated kind of aspirin? All I've been able to find are COATED aspirins..both generic and name brand.

Also, what kind of Thayers witch hazel do I need? Alcohol free or with Alcohol? Astringent or Toner?

Thanks for the help guys! I hope some can clear the air here...

 

[BCatl]

Here is a review I did on Mentos Ultra Facial conditioner. It would be a lot less messy than using aspirin. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=174187

Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid. The salicylic part is what works on your skin. The "acetyl" part is vinegar basically and that's why an expired bottle of aspirin begins to smell like vinegar. When you put water to aspirin you will very likely notice a vinegar smell as the aspirin breaks down.

I think there is also a product called Tend Skin or something like that you could check out. It's more expensive than Mentos by far. You can also buy/use Alpha Hydrox night cream instead, it comes in up to an 12% concentration which is pretty strong.

 

[pelicano]

+1 on Mentos.

 

[scottb]

Bump Patrol is another with ac. acid.....doesn't smell too great, but the scent fades and it does work.

Also, I don't know for a fact but I've read the aspirin technique is largely superstitious as the molecules of most OTC aspirin are too large to penetrate the epidermis. Hope this helps.

 

[sfactor23]

a simple, cheap and reliable solution is antibacterial soap wash the areas that are prone to ingrown hairs before and after shaving with the soap and you should be good to go - just make sure that the brand of soap you buy actually says "antibacterial" on the wrapper. I've used this method for years (after reading about it in GQ) and have had no problems with ingrown hairs since

 

[Geordon]

@sfactor23 I must remind you that an ingrown hair is not caused by bacteria, but rather by the physical act of the hair growing under the skin rather than through it. An antibacterial soap* will likely not have anything to do with how the hair grows.

That being said, proper skin care (not shaving too close, too) will probably have a lot to do as far as helping prevent ingrown hairs.

* In most cases, the antibacterial stuff is actually a detergent, not an actual soap. </pedant>

 

[Tripnastic]

I had an area on my neck that was ridiculously prone to ingrown hairs. Now, right after I shave, I swab that area (just that area) with an Oxy pad. The active ingredient is Salicylic Acid. They're cheap, quick and I haven't had one ingrown hair since.

 

[BCatl]

+1 on Mentos.

There is a new review of it by Augustiner. I agree with him, the new, improved version sounds even better.

 

[danparker77]

Use a "blackhead clearing scrub" I use the generic version and it works wonders. It has Salicylic acid (kinda like aspirin) it also had "beads" that "scrub" and really help lift the hair out or maybe it just exfoliates the top layer of skin. I dunno, but it works. Visible improvement for me within a few hours of using it.