How to Treat Ingrown Bikini Hairs

Question: "How should I treat the irritating ingrown hairs on my bikini line?"

Answer: Wouldn't it figure -- you've worked and worked to look amazing in your bikini and then those little red bumps kill your confidence. Try this quick fix: Exfoliate the area with a salicylic or glycolic acid-packed cleanser while in the shower, then dab a lactic acid-containing cream right on the spots, which will help soften the skin so that hair can emerge, says Ava Shamban, MD, a dermatologist in Santa Monica, California. (However, if hairs don't surface on their own, avoid picking and head to your dermatologist; overzealous removal on your own may lead to an infection.) If you're seriously prone to ingrowns, you may want to consider permanent hair reduction. A new procedure called Intense Pulsed Light (or IPL) can reduce ingrown hairs by 90 percent, says Cindy Barshop, owner of New York's Completely Bare spas. FYI, the best time of year to start any nonablative laser treatment such as IPL is during the winter months, when skin is a uniform color.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, January 2006.