Ingrown hair is a benign skin condition characterized by hair growing inwards as the hair follicle penetrates the skin when the hair is cut.
Thus, it happens after improper shaving and waxing when the tip of a hair sharpens and curls back into the skin. It can also grow sideways into the skin.
Plus, accumulation of dead skin cells, oils, and debris contribute in making the problem worse as it blocks the hair follicles. Furthermore, at times, ingrown hairs appear apparently for no reason at all.
It is believed that those with tightly curled hair and darker skin types are more susceptible to this problem. This common condition generally occurs on the face, neck, legs, underarms, and the pubic area.
Ingrown hairs appear as small red or tan bumps on the skin, often with small, dark pinpoints visible beneath the skin.
Apart from being unsightly, these bumps can also cause pain as they tend to become infected and lead to folliculitis.
The bumps can be accompanied by tenderness, itching, and inflammation. The hair trapped in the skin causes inflammation because the skin treats it as a foreign body.
Here are 6 ways to treat ingrown hair. Besides, at times the problem tends to go away on its own.
- Tweezers
- Acne Cream
- Rose Hip Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Vinegar
- Epsom Salt
- The most common way to get rid of ingrown hair is to use a pair of sterile, pointy-tipped tweezers to pull the tip of the hair away from skin. Do not pluck it out completely, though. To make this remedy more effective, take a clean washcloth, soak it in warm water, and place it on the affected area for about 10 minutes to soften the hair and open up the pores before using tweezers. Moreover, you can tease the hair out of your skin with a sharp scalpel, needle, or a rotable medical device. Besides, you may apply some topical cream to draw the ingrown hairs out.
- Apply some acne cream, body lotion, or post-shave product containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid. These ingredients exfoliate and moisturize the skin. In addition, they help clear the pores and prevent infection. Apply the product especially after shaving.
- When dealing with scars caused by ingrown hair, massage rose hip oil on the affected area to make the dark marks disappear.
- You can also apply tea tree oil or witch hazel on the ingrown hair bumps once a day to dry it out. These astringents shall reduce the swelling and redness associated with ingrown hairs before pulling them out. In case, there is an infection, apply a combination of tea tree oil and aloe vera gel.
- Soak a hot towel in vinegar and place it on the affected area for about 15-20 minutes to draw out the ingrown hair. Follow this treatment three to four times in a day.
- Add two tablespoons of Epsom salt in eight ounces of distilled water. Dip a cotton ball in the solution and leave it on the affected area for about 10 minutes to exfoliate dead skin cells and help remove ingrown hair. Ingrown hair in the bikini area can be reduced by soaking in a bath tub filled with warm water and two cups of Epsom salt.
- Tips to Prevent Ingrown Hair
- Adopt a proper technique while shaving your hair. For instance, it is usually advised to avoid close shaves. Prefer to use a straight razor with a single blade rather than a razor with multiple blades. Avoid using dull razor blades, too.
- Make sure you prepare your skin prior to shaving by applying a shaving cream or gel. In addition, soothe the hair follicles after shaving by placing a damp warm towel on skin. Plus, use a sharp blade to remove hair so that you do need to apply force to the razor to cut the hair.
- Loss of moisture also encourages the development of ingrown hair. So, keep your skin smooth and hair follicles moisturized by apply a noncomedogenic moisturizing lotion.
- Opt for procedures like electrolysis and laser hair removal for permanent hair removal.
Source : 1