Ingrown Hair Question

Q: Every time I shave, I get pimple-like bumps along the tops of my thighs and calves. Is this razor burn? I've tried switching shaving gels, but nothing seems to help. What can I do?

A: What you are experiencing is probably ingrown hair. This happens when the new growing hair becomes trapped under the surface of the skin after shaving.
Gently exfoliating your skin with a loofa or washcloth in the shower may release the trapped hairs, but be gentle or you may irritate the skin further. As always, be careful when you shave, and make sure your skin and razor are clean. Shaving a little less closely may sacrifice some smoothness, but save your skin in the long run. If the hair isn't shaved quite so short, it may be less likely to get stuck underneath the skin.
Waxing, sugaring, or epilating your legs may reduce the occurrence of ingrown hairs to begin with, because the hair is removed outright instead of lopped off at the surface of the skin, and has a more natural regrowth pattern.
Good luck, smooth healthy skin is right around the corner!