I’m no stranger to ingrown hairs—they’ve plagued my bikini area even before I started hair removal. And whether I leave my bush be or decide to wax or shave it, I can always count on getting a few ingrowns a month—especially around my period, when occlusive period undies and pads cause friction and irritate my skin. So far I’ve tried tons of serums and oils to treat my ingrowns, but nothing really addresses the irritation from friction—that is until the new Ingrown Microdart Patch dots from Fur came around.
The Fur Ingrown Microdart Patch dots ($28) are hydrocolloid patches with microdarts that deliver inflammation-squashing ingredients that can help address ingrown hairs, razor burn (a type of folliculitis), and other forms of hair-follicle irritation. Think of them like pimple patches, but specifically designed to combat ingrown hairs.
“Ingrown hairs happen when the hairs…become bent or twisted so that they aren’t coming out of the skin properly, which can cause localized inflammation and tenderness,” says Ivy Lee, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Pasadena, California. “You can also get folliculitis, which is when you have inflammation. This happens either due to friction from wearing certain clothes that are rubbing in the area, or from a localized bacterial infection around the follicles.”
The main reason I love the Fur Ingrown Microdart Patches is that they provide a barrier against friction, which is known to aggravate body acne. This cuts down the pain I sometimes can feel from even just walking with an ingrown hair on my vulva. Plus, they help to drain any fluid from the ingrown. “The hydrocolloid sheet works by absorbing excess fluid, and this pulls oil and dirt away from the pimple,” says Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
The bonus is that the microdarts deliver active ingredients deep into the skin to help ingrowns heal faster. Salicylic acid is the hero, and gently exfoliates pores to clear out any buildup that’s trapping the hair beneath the skin. The darts also infuse skin with cica to soothe inflammation, hyaluronic acid to hydrate and offset any dryness caused by the salicylic acid, and licorice root to even out skin tone and prevent the dreaded post-acne dark spot, aka post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
How I use the Fur Ingrown Microdart Patches
Because these patches are creating a little barrier between your ingrown and the outside world, you want to use them on clean, dry skin. I start by cleansing and exfoliating the area in the shower with the Fig. 1 Exfoliating Body Polish ($24). It’s made with super-fine volcanic pumice to gently exfoliate the skin. I find that it’s so gentle I can use it on my vulva daily without irritation.
Once I’m all clean I pat dry with a towel and then let myself fully air dry while I apply body lotion. Typically, I’ll also apply an exfoliating serum to my vulva—rn I’m loving Oui the People Cheat Sheet ($42)—BUT you NEVER want to layer a hydrocolloid patch over harsh active ingredients. That’s because the occlusive nature of the patch makes these ingredients more potent, which can just lead to more irritation and inflammation. So I make sure to skip the areas where I’m applying the patch when I put on an exfoliating serum.
Once I’m ready for the patch, I peel it off the plastic backing and apply it straight on the ingrown, pressing it in for 10 seconds so the darts can penetrate. Then, I leave it be as I go about my day. After about six or so hours I remove the dot and notice that the area is significantly less irritated than it was pre-patch. If you’re also looking to tend to ingrowns on your body, the Fur Ingrown Microdart Patches are a must-have.