I get a considerable ammount of ingrown hairs when I shave, with some being quite nasty (very inflamated and sensitive, laser is out of reach for now, I was considering waxing and epilation but still a out of reach now, I mostly want a way to help prevent ingrown hairs from appearing in the first place or making them go away faster
Are you sterilizing your razor? “ingrown hairs” might be razor burn for example, the follicle getting infected. Try using 70% isopropyl alcohol to sterilize your razor and see if that helps. Also, getting the skin nice and soft with really hot water helps as well, sometimes I wet a rag and put it in the microwave and then put the rag against my face and let it rest there until the skin is really warm. Using a proper shaving soap and knowing how to make a proper lather can also help.
Exfoliation is mostly to prevent ingrown hairs from developing AFAIK, I am not sure if it will actually help once you have them.
No I am not sterilizing my razor, I will give that a try