I haven't read this entire thread so forgive if I'm repeating...

Shaving with a razor can be the very cause of in grown hair. I learned this from an esthetician. I had been a razor user for shaving the face. For years I occasionally got pimples on my neck at the hair line. I asked her about it because as a teen I never had acne. She said "you're using a razor" and that's the cause of those sores. They're weren't pimples ...They were in grown hairs. She grabbed a pair of tweasers and augered in there (ouch!) and pulled out a hair!

You see, a razor can cause the hair to curl back against the skin just like curling the packing ribbon on a wrapped present with a knife.

So, don't shave it with a razor, Kiwi. Trim it with clippers, use an electric razor, wax it (ouch! too close to the short and curlies), or use nair (yuck!)

BTW, I have many friends from NZ that I've visited. Great white water rafting!