Ingrown Hair Prevention

Causes

What causes these unsightly, painful, pimple-like bumps? Ingrown hairs can happen when a hair curls back into the follicle at the skins surface or when it is pushed under the skin after shaving. This irritates the skin and clogs the follicle. Sebum oil produced within the follicle will begin to build up, increasing inflammation, leading to the raised red bump you see.

Several issues contribute to these unruly hairs; incorrect shaving techniques, poor quality products, and dull razors are all factors that may lead to ingrown hairs, but don’t worry… follow our advice and you’ll have control of your face before you know it.

Prevention

• Shaving in the shower or right after you get out helps tremendously. The steam from the shower opens your pores and allows for a closer shave.

• Use a badger hair brush to apply your shaving product. The brush helps lift the beard, allowing the hair to be cut at a better angle.

• Change blades weekly (every 3 to 5 shaves is recommended).

• RELAX!!! Tensing up while you shave can cause you to shave too close, shaving off skin instead of hair…also known as razor burn, which increases the likelihood of ingrown hairs.

• Pat or dab on (rubbing increases irritation an is more likely to push a hair back in) an antiseptic shave balm after shaving to disinfect and reduce inflammation.

Treatment

• In the unfortunate instance you do get an ingrown hair, you don’t want to nick it during shaving, squeeze or pluck it, any one of these actions may re-infect the area, prolonging healing.

• Ready yourself a good ingrown hair tweezer (very sharp and pointy; also good for splinters) or ingrown hair kit, and lift the end of the hair out from the skin (DO NOT PLUCK). Cleanse the area afterward.

• Apply a treatment specifically made for ingrown hairs. This will expedite the healing process and nourish the skin.

Ingrown hairs are one of life’s unfortunate discomforts, but if you arm yourself with some knowledge and quality products, you can fight back!

Foot Funk

Funk music (e.g. James Brown or Parliament-Funkadelic) can best be recognized by its syncopated rhythms, thick bass line, and razor-sharp rhythm guitars. Foot funk on the other hand can best be recognized by its pungent aroma, pinched noses, and comments like “Put your damn shoes back on!” We think you should enjoy a little good funk music from time to time, but by all means stay away from foot funk!

Why do feet stink?

The feet are densely covered with sweat glands (approx 250,000 each) that try to keep them cool. Sweat is essentially just water and salt, which does not smell bad on its own; however, your feet are also covered with natural bacteria. These bacteria live on dead skin cells and moisture. Therefore, when your feet sweat excessively the bacteria think it’s mealtime! As they consume, they in turn produce the waste material that causes the smell. Brevibacteria, are the leading cause of foot odor, which is the same bacteria that gives some cheeses such as Limburger and Muenster their characteristic pungency; thus, the term “cheesy feet”.

Prevention

The foot of an average male can exude half a pint of sweat a day! All that moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria, molds, toenail fungus, and viral infections, leading to smelly feet, rashes, or other more serious medical issues. Here are a few tips to keep you dogs funk-free:

• Wash your feet regularly

• Wear clean socks, preferably made of cotton or other absorbent materials that absorb a lot of the sweat so the bacteria can’t feed on it

• Wear well-ventilated shoes

• Don’t wear the same shoes everyday – give a pair of shoes 24 hours or more to air out before wearing them again

• If you sweat a lot or will be doing a lot of activity, apply an antiperspirant to your feet

• Sprinkle some talcum powder, cornstarch or potato starch onto the feet before putting on your socks or buy some absorbent Odor-Eater type shoe inserts

• There are also products available that will help safeguard by protecting the skin with a layer of glycerin

One nation under a foot-funk-free groove!

Why Does My Nose Itch?

Seriously guys… do we really have to say this? This little tip should go without saying, but some guys just aren’t taking care of the issue. We want to do our part to get the word out about nose hair.

Have you ever been driving down the road, or walking through town and found yourself wondering, “Why does my nose itch???” It’s because you have a stray hair hanging out of your nose saying to everyone you pass “Hey! Look at me!” That’s just not cool.

Now come on fellas, this is not a hard problem to solve. Get yourself a nose hair clipper… problem solved! Make sure you clip them because plucking those little suckers could leave you with ingrown hairs inside your nose… OUCH!

Nose hair clippers are easy to use, easy to clean (please clean your clipper), and inexpensive; so get a clipper and keep those hairs where they belong… INSIDE YOUR NOSE!

Is That a Caterpillar?

It might look like one, but we are here to tell you that the caterpillar on your forehead is never going to wrap itself in a cocoon and emerge as a beautiful butterfly. It will however repel potential love interests and add to a Neanderthal appearance (let it be known that Foreman is not an advocate of the Neanderthal look), so if that’s what you are going for, read no further… just kick back and wait for the next Ice Age. However, if you do not relish your caveman attributes, allow us to offer some advice on how to get rid of a unibrow:

A unibrow or monobrow is known in the medical community as a synophrys, an abundance of hair in between the eyebrows that gives the appearance of one long eyebrow. It is just natural that some genetic lines and ethnic heritages are just more inclined to have more body and facial hair than others, but with regular grooming and maintenance you don’t have to live with it.

Shaving & Depilatories

Shaving is not a recommended remediation because the maintenance is extremely high and one slip with the razor could leave you with a lopsided brow.

Also, stay away from using depilatories (i.e. Nair). Most depilatories remove hair by using a harsh chemical called calcium thioglycolate, which weakens the hair and causes it to break off where it emerges from the hair follicle. This substance will seriously irritate the sensitive skin on your face and should never be used near the eyes.

Tweezing

Tweezing is the simplest method of elimination. It will be a little more painful because you have to pull each hair one by one, but you can perform this yourself in the comfort of you own bathroom.

Start by getting yourself a nice pair of tweezers that will get a good grip on the hairs you’ll be plucking. Always pluck after a nice warm shower. The warm water will soften the hair and open the pores for easier removal. Before you start, make sure you have a plan for how much hair you will remove because once it’s gone it will take a few weeks to come back (in fact, you may want to seek the help of a professional for your first attempt because maintenance is much easier once you have the proper area defined). Start from the center and work your way outward until you have created the clear separation you wish to achieve.

Follow with cold water to close the pores and dab on some aftershave balm or other antiseptic to cleanse and soothe.

Waxing

Waxing is another popular method of removing unwanted follicles. This technique removes the hair and hair root and is generally longer lasting than plucking. It is also a bit painful, but many hairs can be removed at one time, providing shorter pain duration. We suggest you seek professional help on this one because you don’t want to take chances with your face and waxing is very easy to mess up if not performed correctly. If you do not wish to make regular visits for re-waxing you can always maintain the area with plucking after the initial mass removal.

Electrolysis and Laser Removal

Electrolysis and laser hair removal are two more solutions available that will rid you of unwanted hair permanently. They are more costly and may require repeated visits up front, but may be the answer if you’re looking for a maintenance-free solution. Consult your local Yellow Pages for a reputable practitioner in your area.

Two brows are better than one!