Ingrown hairs occur when hair follicles of the skin become clogged by dead skin cells.
This forces the hair to grow sideways inside and is more likely to occur when the hair is curly and thick or has just been shaved.
Sometimes the hair comes out of the skin, but bends and re-enters at another point (laterally).
Sometimes dead skin can block a hair follicle. As a result, the hair inside is forced to grow laterally under the skin instead of upwards or outwards.
Ingrown hairs are not a serious problem, but they can be uncomfortable and disturbing.
Contents
What does an ingrown hair look like?
An ingrown hair irritates the skin and causes the appearance of a small red blister resembling a pimple. However, it can sometimes cause a painful bump similar to a blister.
Ingrown hairs can occur anywhere, but they are more common in men after shaving as a group of blisters on the chin, cheeks and neck.
In women, ingrown hairs occur more often on the legs, in the pubic area or under the armpits. These pimples can also be found in the buttocks area.
Cause of ingrown hairs
Ingrown hairs develop mainly in skin areas that are shaved: in men in the beard area and on the testicles; in women on the legs, abdomen, armpits and pubic area, less often on the chest, navel or arms.
After shaving, the regrowing hairs have a sharp tip and can more easily re-enter the skin.
Depilatory wax is more suitable because it prevents hair from growing ingrowth, while shaving with a silk epilator head more easily causes such a problem.
When this happens, pimples appear, and sometimes you can see the hidden hair under the skin.
The blisters may be filled with pus.
Symptoms of ingrown hairs
In men, ingrown hairs appear much more often in the beard area, including the chin and cheeks, and especially on the neck.
They can occur on the scalp in men when they shave their scalp hair.
In women, the affected areas are usually the armpits, the pubic legs, the thighs and the legs. Among the symptoms we find:
- Small isolated and round vesicles (papules)
- Small bubble-like structures filled with pus (pustules)
- Dark spots on the skin (hyperpigmentation)
- Pain on the skin
- Itching on the skin or in the affected areas (legs, groin, etc.)
- Hair inclusions under the skin
Complications
Chronic ingrown hairs can be the cause of:
- bacterial infections (by scratching)
- Spots on the skin (hyperpigmentation)
- permanent scars
And if there are many pus-filled blisters?
The hair follicles of ingrown hairs can become infected, inflamed and filled with pus, thereby causing folliculitis (although pus does not necessarily mean infection).
Often, mild cases of folliculitis heal on their own. It may be enough to refrain from shaving for a few days and wait for an improvement to occur. Alternatively, you can also dab a mild antiseptic such as tea tree oil on the affected area.
Cysts caused by ingrown hairs
A cyst caused by ingrown hairs is known in medical jargon as a pilonidal cyst and can cause considerable discomfort. At first glance, it is a small, solitary cyst that contains fluid, but is not necessarily infected. It appears as a small spot or as a red dot under the skin. Sometimes you can discover the tip of the hair under the skin.
In other cases, this site may be infected and filled with pus. This form is called a pilonidal abscess. If the course is severe, the infection can spread, causing several abscesses. This can also lead to hole formation in the skin.
Diagnosis for ingrown hairs
The doctor responsible for this is the dermatologist.
There are many diseases of the skin that are easily confused with ingrown hairs. Among them are:
- Keratosis pilaris: a common and harmless disease in which the skin appears rough and irregular, as if covered by constant goose bumps
- Acne
- Cyst or abscess
- Eczema
- Impetigo, a highly contagious skin infection that occurs primarily in children
- Inflammation (heat pimples)
- Pustular psoriasis
- Molluscum contagiosum, a highly contagious viral infection of the skin
10 Natural Remedies for Ingrown Hairs
Breed direction It is important to shave in the direction
of hair growth. Beard hairs grow on the cheeks downwards, outwards on the chin, downwards under the jaw, along the lower neck and under the Adam’s apple to each other.
Do not shave for a day or two
If the blades of the razor are infected, they are more damaging to the skin. One can relieve the inflammation by not shaving for a few days and washing the affected skin areas with an antibacterial soap.
Frequent shaving Frequent shaving
with only very light pressure can prevent the appearance of ingrown hairs. This is especially true for young people whose beard is just beginning to grow.
Remove
ingrown hairs on the legs Before shading, straighten any ingrown hairs with a needle or tweezers. Do not go into depth or insist on a distance. This could cause additional damage to the skin and increase the risk of infection.
An old home remedy recommends removing ingrown hairs with a sterile needle and then treating them with alcohol or a disinfectant.
First warm the area with hot water, then press the “pimple” with your fingers and try to remove the ingrown hair with the needle without causing injury.
Preparation for shaving To reduce the trauma caused by shaving, prepare your beard and skin before using the razor. Soften the skin with lukewarm water or a moistened towel and wet with water in the shower or tap. Never apply shaving cream or soap to dry skin.
Avoiding electric shavers Electric shavers
sometimes guide the whiskers in different directions (up and down, forward and backward). This is not helpful, especially if the person shaves in the direction of hair growth.
Align
mustache Shave daily and without much pressure on the skin in the direction of hair growth (follow the instructions in the first paragraph), so in a few weeks the mustache grows straight out.
Changing
blades Using a double or triple blade is harmful to the skin. For an irritating shave, it is better to use a single disposable blade or a traditional razor, where you can regulate the proximity to the skin.
Change
collar Wearing shirts with a collar that is too tight or too high, which rubs against the neck skin, should be avoided. Ingrown hairs form most frequently on the neck. This is also the area where it is easy to injure during shaving. This type of clothing often aggravates the problems.
Household remedies
For ingrown hairs that cannot be removed with the methods mentioned so far, some home remedies can be used to eliminate them.
Exfoliation
Exfoliation is extremely important for the prevention and elimination of ingrown hairs.
For this purpose, it is best to use exfoliation based on salt or Epsom salt. A good exfoliation is achieved with a mixture of granulated sugar and lime juice.
Apply this mixture to the skin with circular movements to prevent and eliminate ingrown hairs.
Exfoliation before wax treatment or shaving can prevent these complaints.
Rubbing pumice stone
with a pumice stone on the affected area where ingrown hairs are located can help remove dead skin cells and reduce redness, swelling, and pain.
Sugary face mask You can prepare a sugar-based face mask
as follows: a cup of icing sugar, 2/85 lemon, <>/<> teaspoon of cornstarch, <> teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and <> grams of honey. After that, apply this mask to the face and leave on for half an hour, then wash off with lukewarm water. This remedy is effective against the appearance of ingrown hairs on the face.
Aloe vera gel You can prevent and even cure ingrown hairs by generously applying aloe vera gel
to the affected areas twice a day without washing it off afterwards.
How to remove ingrown hairs in the groin area
When it comes to ingrown hairs in the pubic area, the possibilities are limited.
This area is extremely sensitive and a careless approach can only exacerbate the problems. Therefore, it is important not to use tweezers to remove ingrown hairs.
- Personal hygiene is important
Using an antibacterial skin cleanser is a good way to reduce bacterial infections. After the affected area has been washed, it must be dried with a clean towel and the pubic region must always be kept clean and cleaned regularly. - Applying warm compresses
Using hot and humid compresses is a simple and very effective way to reduce inflammation and keep the area where ingrown hairs are supple. - Wearing comfortable underwear and clothing Wearing
tight clothing and underwear favors the appearance of ingrown hairs in the pubic area. The situation can be aggravated by synthetic garments, as they do not absorb moisture effectively. If the skin is in contact with sweat, the chances of ingrown hairs becoming inflamed and infected are very high. - Using a Body Scrub Scrub
Another way to remove the ingrown hairs in the pubic region is to eliminate the dead skin cells that cover the hair follicles.
The dead skin favors the blockage of the skin pores and hair follicles, and over time pimples develop from it. - Application of a cream
If there are no satisfactory results after all these described methods, you can get over-the-counter drugs in the pharmacy to remove ingrown hairs in the pubic region.
The creams contain salicylic acid, glycolic acid and urea and help with pore cleaning and care for ingrown hairs.
In case of infection, one can use a cream with gentamicin (gentamycin).
Other therapeutic approaches
The permanent removal of ingrown pubic hairs can be done with laser hair removal (also with pulsed light) and electrolysis.
Treatment of ingrown hairs in the nose A cotton swab can help remove these ingrown hairs. To do this, it is necessary to disinfect the affected area with hydrogen peroxide, and then apply an antibacterial cream or an antiseptic cream on the inside of the nostrils with a cotton swab. The antiseptic cream reduces swelling and pain.
What to do with ingrown pubic hairs Do not shave for a few days.
First of all, you should not continue to shave the groin.
- Start
with exfoliation Carefully exfoliate the pubic region with a sponge or a product specifically for this area. - Make
the skin supple Sauna warmth or the warm water of a bath helps to open the pores.
This treatment is especially important when ingrown hairs in the genital area (vulva or anus) need to be removed. - Use
good tweezers You can also help yourself with pointed tweezers. It is important that the tweezers grip well to straighten the ingrown hairs without difficulty, without injuring themselves. - Using
creams Many people experience relief from the use of creams made for the care of ingrown pubic hair.
From the natural products you can apply almond oil.
How long does it take? Prognosis
In general, ingrown hairs resolve on their own, but in some cases they can cause infections or leave scars.