For infected ingrown hair

So this is starting to get soooo frustrating for me. I’m so self conscious about my vagina... I keep getting ingrown hair bumps that get infected .... I use to NEVER get them.. it’s only been within the past year... so I shave using shaving cream w/ a 3-5 blade razor .. I shave in the direction my hair growth is (the same way I’ve always shaved)...

When I get these bumps I can usually see the ingrown hair & if I exfoliate it, it comes out & the bump typically goes away... but 50% of the time they get infected & the hair doesn’t come out for a week & it HURTS!!

Any recommendations or what do you ladies do?!