Table Of Content
As far as things that you can control, this is where your preferred method of hair removal comes into play. Shaving can be potentially more problematic than waxing—or even sugaring hair removal—particularly if you're trying to get a super close shave. "If the hairs are shaved too close to the skin, they tend to have a sharp edge which can reenter the skin and cause an ingrown," says Dr. Icecreamwala. Tweezing, especially along your bikini line, can lead to bumps too, since it can leave a fragment of hair under the skin surface and lead to inflammation, notes Dr. Frieling.
What does an infected ingrown hair cyst look like?
Whether you're a newbie or have been shaving your bikini line for a long time, you know it takes the right tools and steps to make it through the process unscathed. After all, the last thing you want is to be in pain or itching during your vacay or beach day. To prevent scarring or infection, don’t pick at, scratch or pop your ingrown hairs.
Gillette Venus Platinum Extra Smooth Razor
"This will help open up the pore, loosen debris trapped in the pore, and reduce inflammation," she says. It may feel embarrassing to visit a dermatologist or physician for an ingrown hair, especially if it's in a delicate place, but if you can't seem to get rid of the growth no matter what, you'll need professional help. They'll be able to provide topicals, extractions, or other options to help get rid of the ingrown. If red bumps do pop up after shaving, there are many way you can minimize the discomfort. So, a quick swipe of the razor may not actually be the quick and painless alternative that you imagined it to be.
Visit a Dermatologist for Prescription-Strength Treatment
What Is an Ingrown Hair Cyst? And How to Get Rid Of It - Parade Magazine
What Is an Ingrown Hair Cyst? And How to Get Rid Of It.
Posted: Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Pulling the skin taut during shaving can also cause ingrown hairs since this action permits the cut hair to draw back into the skin and re-enter the skin without first growing out. Other times, dead skin cells cause a hair follicle to become clogged, which leaves the hair no choice but to grow sideways beneath the skin’s surface. There are a few different things that cause ingrown hairs, some of which you can't control, some of which you can. If it seems like there are more ingrown hair bumps on your bikini line than anywhere else, that's not your imagination. Because pubic hair is more coarse and curly, you're more likely to develop ingrowns in this area, adds Dr. Icecreamwala. Your hair grows out of little pockets called follicles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).
Gillette Venus Daily Soothing Serum
But, there are safe ways to prevent and treat those pesky ingrown hairs, whether they're on your pubic area, face, or legs. Lotions or toners that contain certain gentle acids work as chemical exfoliators, which likewise remove dead skin so the hair stands a better chance of popping out from your skin. “You can also consider using salicylic acid creams.” Dr. Lolis says, adding that products containing glycolic acid or lactic acid can serve the same purpose. If an ingrown hair is really giving you grief with symptoms like pain and irritation, you’ll also want to make an appointment with a dermatologist if you’re able.
There are safer ways to tend to them that won't leave marks and scars (especially important for delicate areas like the jawline). And if you can afford it (and deal with the moderate pain), laser hair removal is perhaps the best option for the ingrown-prone. It’s not foolproof—the hair can still grow back—but it prevents your hair follicles from working properly, cutting back on your body hair and, therefore, annoying ingrown hairs.
When should you see a doctor to get rid of an ingrown hair?
Gently lift the hair loop until one end releases from your skin. If ingrown hairs won’t take a hike, you may need to forgo shaving, waxing or tweezing that area. Consider alternative hair removal options, like laser hair removal. This method targets the hair follicle, and it’s usually permanent. And because the hair doesn’t grow back after treatment, you won’t have to worry about ingrown hairs.
When to see a doctor
If your symptoms don’t improve, your healthcare provider may need to prescribe medications that decrease inflammation and improve infections. If you can't go that long without removing your hair and other self-care techniques aren't helping, your health care provider might recommend medications, laser-assisted hair removal or both. If these at-home remedies aren’t working, step away from the tweezers and call your doctor. A medical professional can treat ingrown hairs and help you prevent them in the future. What if you’ve tried home remedies, and the ingrown hair just won’t go away?
Some prescription medications can help prevent ingrown hairs. Retinoid creams are effective in removing dead skin cells that may contribute to ingrown hairs. You can remove ingrown hairs on your own, but it's typically best to leave this task to a dermatologist or your primary care physician. "It’s possible to remove visible ingrown hairs with the help of a sterile needle and tweezers," Palm says. "But unless you’re skilled enough and able to do this in a clean environment, I generally advise against removing deep ingrown hairs yourself, as there’s a risk for infection, scarring, and damage to the skin." After applying the warm compress, you can very gently exfoliate the skin that’s trapping the hair.
Swipe-on pads make daily exfoliation easier and faster than ever. Try SweetSpot Labs Buff & Brighten Body Exfoliating Pads ($30; ulta.com), which work well on the bikini area, legs, and underarms. The pesky little bumps typically show up on your legs after you shave or tweeze aggressively, forming hairs that grow inside your (now inflamed) skin rather than out of it. “When a hair becomes trapped in the skin, that can lead to inflammation, pustules, or inflamed cysts,” says dermatologist Dr. Caroline Robinson, MD.
The other areas we tend to get them more or are areas where the hair is coarser, be that the beard, bikini region, nape of the neck, or so one. This is because coarser hair can get trapped under the skin easier, as well as create more irritation (therefore, this causes a deeper, more inflamed ingrown that you're more likely to notice). If the hair loop isn’t visible, though, they have other options. “I use a sterile needle to [pierce] the overlying skin and splinter forceps to help the hair reach the skin surface,” Dr. Bailey says. “If the hair is still attached to the base of the follicle, I leave it so that the follicle can heal.” But if the hair isn’t still attached, your doctor can remove it “much like removing a splinter,” she says. Next, they might insert a sterile needle underneath a visible hair loop to free the strand.
If you’re someone who finds yourself getting ingrown hairs frequently, it may be worth considering a single-blade razor (we like the Oui the People Rose Gold Sensitive Skin Razor, $75, Oui the People). If you can actually see the hair loop above your skin—meaning the hair is poking out of the bump—that’s the only time you should attempt to do an ingrown-hair removal at home. “If you can’t see the hair, don’t go digging for it, because it could be another type of inflammatory cyst—like a pimple—that doesn’t actually have a hair. Either way, if you go picking, popping, or digging, you could cause an infection, scarring, or further irritation,” Dr. Clay points out.
A warm bath with Epsom salt can also help loosen the hair, she adds. In rare cases, your healthcare provider may use a sterile surgical knife with a thin blade (scalpel) to make a small cut in your affected areas. They’ll squeeze out any pus and use sterile tweezers to remove the ingrown hair. The beard area of your face (neck, cheeks and chin), legs, armpits and pubic area (bikini line and inner thigh) are most likely to develop ingrown hairs. However, they may also appear on other parts of your body, including your scalp, chest, back, abdomen, inside of your nose (nostril), eyebrows and buttocks (butt).
Serums that reduce inflammation and help gently remove skin cells around the blocked hair follicle (exfoliate) can help to release the trapped hair, explains Nathan. She recommends Vegamour's GRO Scalp Detoxifying Serum ($64), which contains zinc and hydrating ingredients to prevent further buildup-causing flakes. As hair grows, it's supposed to leave its follicle (the area that surrounds the root) and exit the skin, growing straight up and out. But in the case of an ingrown, the hair gets all turned around and grows back into the skin. "When a hair reenters or gets trapped under the skin, you end up with an ingrown," says Dr. Devika Icecreamwala, a dermatologist in Berkeley, CA. If you have particularly angry bumps, your doctor may also suggest a steroid cream to reduce inflammation, the Mayo Clinic says.
This helps remove dead skin cells so the hair is more likely to emerge, Dr. Goldenberg says. To do this, the Mayo Clinic recommends gently rubbing a clean washcloth over the area in a circular motion for a few minutes. Exfoliating your skin removes a dead layer of skin cells and helps release ingrown hairs. Use warm — not hot — water and small, circular motions to wash your affected areas with a washcloth, exfoliating brush or exfoliating gel or scrub.
Both of these steps also minimize the need to pass over the hair more than once, which is key because every time you swipe, you increase the chances of developing an ingrown hair, as SELF reported previously. It’s common to see ingrown hairs pop up wherever you wax, shave, or groom with tweezers, including your face, legs, bikini area, and underarms. When it comes to ingrown hairs, there are steps to take to keep your skin clean and clear. Ingrown hairs can look like raised, red, itchy spots on the skin.
