ingrown hairs are the worst. Getting rid of ingrown hairs, aka razor burn, is a very quick, easy, and painless process. Always use a clean razor, exfoliate before shaving, move the razor in the direction of the hair growth, etc.

"Technically, our hair is not there to shave; it grows for evolutionary reasons," says dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D., associate professor at Yale University. So when we shave, we anger the hair follicle and cause inflammation as a defense mechanism."

To make the inevitable a little more tolerable, and to get your skin in shape for summer, Dr. Gohara offers the best ways to get rid of ingrown hairs.

Exfoliating dead skin cells and keeping the skin smooth are the most important steps in preventing and removing ingrown hairs. Says Dr. Gohara, "By keeping the follicle open, you clear a path for the hair to grow." The first step in that process is a physical exfoliant."

Each time you shower, she says, use a scrubby mitt or gentle face scrub to gently remove dead skin cells so the hairs don't grow inward or get caught in the follicle. Body scrubs are OK for most of the skin, but be sure to use something gentle for the sensitive skin around the bikini line.

"Once hairs have grown in, they can become inflamed and aggravated if not cleaned out," Dr. Gohara explains. After a gentle massage with a mitt or scrub in the shower, towel dry and apply a salicylic acid-based spot treatment morning and night. If you have hair growth on your face or beard, do it once a day. She says, "Salicylic acid is really effective at breaking down and dissolving excess skin cells, and it's usually non-irritating." It usually needs to be used continuously for three to five days to break up ingrown hairs.

Once the salicylic acid has dried, "a little dab of over-the-counter cortisone cream (open with new tab) on the bump will help calm the irritation and relieve razor burn," says Dr. Gohara. Cortisone cream shrinks the swollen skin by constricting blood vessels, thus relieving pain and redness all at once." Apply a thin layer once a day until the bumps heal.

These three steps can help, but if the ingrown hairs do not heal, are extra painful, or seem to be getting worse, be sure to consult a dermatologist.