By BR Kellie
The start of proper summer (as in it's above 21 degrees and not likely to see a southerly wind swoop through) sees me do something I steer clear of for months.
I shave.
Yes, I'm one of those feral beasts who like to let things grow during the colder months. I feel the cold and as far as I'm concerned a thicket of hair on my legs and in other areas decreases the chances of me accidentally freezing to death.
But with the sun poking its head through the clouds and warming up the air, the shorts come out, the woolly jumpers are removed to reveal a tank top, and before long e the togs make their way onto my bod. Hence, the shaving.
As much as I love the slip and slide of freshly shaved skin, I must admit there's one thing I don't look forward to... the inevitable ingrown hair. Unfortunately the odd papule and pustule are a part of that hair removal life, BUT there are things we can do to help stop the little lumps and bumps appearing here, there and everywhere.
First things first... Get your exfoliate on. Grab a pair of exfoliating mitts or your favourite scrub and regularly remove your dead skin cells. Make it so there's next to no way a hair can decide to grow to the side, get stuck, then curl its way under.
Next? Double down. We don't just cleanse our face and call it good in the battle against the pimple-type bumps. Nope. We pop on an acid of some type - something we also ought to do if we want to avoid an ingrown hair. Grab a product that contains an acid like salicylic or AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid), then apply it to the areas where you shave. (Be sure to read and follow the instructions, and cease use if irritation occurs.)
As for the actual shaving part? Do not go in for a dry run. You want some moisture on those leggy loos, pretty pits and downstairs bits. Soften your skin up with warm water in the shower or, better yet, work some shaving gel or foam into the areas before going in with the razor.
Lastly? Don't be slow - be sure to throw! Don't stretch out the time between freshening up your blade. The sharper the better. The blunter your razor is the bumpier you're going to get.
I have been fortunate enough not to have had ingrown hairs on my legs. I love body scrubs and use them a couple of times a week.