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Staph is typically present in your skin flora, but it can’t cause an infection unless it enters a break in the skin. From your armpit to your bikini line, an ingrown hair can appear wherever you grow body hair. Most of those hairs grow back as expected, causing you to need another shave. But sometimes hairs aren’t able to make their way through the surface of the skin.
Here’s How To Get Rid Of Those Pesky Ingrown Hairs, According To Trusted Dermatologists
Most ingrown hair infections resolve in time with good hygiene, and over-the-counter creams may also help. Picking at the hair can increase the risk of an infection spreading or worsening. If the infection becomes severe, a doctor may recommend antibiotics or other treatment. For instance, if you shave your legs or other body hair in the shower (or bath), aim to shave toward the end of the shower so that the hair is softer and less likely to curve into your skin, Dr. Clay suggests. Make sure you always use some sort of lubrication (like a shaving cream or gel) too, which also softens hair and prevents irritation.
First, what causes ingrown hairs?
An ingrown hair looks like a raised, discolored spot on your skin. It’s a strand of hair that grows back into your skin after shaving, tweezing or waxing. Ingrown hairs can affect anyone, but they’re easy to treat and prevent with the right hair removal practices.
Products From Amazon That Reviewers Swear By For Ingrown Hairs
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. Most ingrown hairs will go away on their own without treatment after a few days; though, severe cases may take several weeks. To prevent scarring or infection, don’t pick at, scratch or pop your ingrown hairs.

Then, dab on an antibiotic ointment (like Neosporin) on the area and let it heal. Hair removal creams – remove hair just below the skin’s surface, leaving you hair-free slightly longer, and hair tends to grow back softer. Inside the box is a spatula for easy application, along with the 100ml tube of cream. Provitamin B5 and witch hazel are included to help with the skin healing process post-use, giving it a slightly cooling feeling too. Just be sure to take extra care when watching the clock, as it works so fast.
If shaving worsens your condition, you might want to try a chemical hair removal product (depilatory), such as Nair, Magic, others. If the deep ingrown hair is giving you a lot of trouble and lasts more than a couple of weeks, it's a good idea to see a doctor. "If an ingrown hair persists after about two weeks or begins to worsen in appearance, I recommend seeing a dermatologist for help," Engelman says.
Preventing ingrown hairs
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). 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. 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.

Ingrown hairs have all the makings of a pimple (painful, hideous) with the added bonus of a nagging hair buried underneath your skin. (YAY.) Which is why, like a pimple, it's tough to ignore an ingrown hair that's prime for the picking. The Hoosh cream works incredibly quickly, with results in as little as three minutes, making it great for those in a rush. It seems to be a little bit stronger than some other options too, when it comes to tackling thicker, darker, more stubborn hairs. So, if you’re someone who needs that extra push, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed. In this video, a man asks a friend to help him with a two-year-old ingrown hair.
In some cases, a dermatologist's advice and skills are necessary. See a doctor if the condition persists, pain is severe, or if you see any signs of an infection. After all, dermatologists are the best people to handle acne you can't reach. If your infection is mild or infrequent, you may be able to use home remedies. If infections recur or are severe, you may need medical treatment. Laser hair removal is a safe and effective method that can be performed on any area of the body (except around the eyes).
These products range from serums to lotions, toners and pads that are gentle exfoliants. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Stephanie (she/her) is the director of the Hearst Health Newsroom, where she writes, edits and oversees all health content for Good Housekeeping, Prevention and other Hearst titles. These products are top picks from the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab. You may be tempted to if you see a whitehead on top of the red bump, but you should sit on your hands.
This Ingrown Hair Removal Ends In a Remarkably Satisfying Pop - Yahoo Life
This Ingrown Hair Removal Ends In a Remarkably Satisfying Pop.
Posted: Sun, 09 Sep 2018 07:00:00 GMT [source]
If you’re prone to ingrown hairs, shave in the direction that your hair grows. Shaving in the opposite direction will cause the hairs to be cut at a sharper angle, and sharply cut hairs are more likely to become ingrown. To prevent ingrown hairs, you need to develop a smart and proactive skin care routine. If you remove your body hair, ingrown hairs can be a super annoying part of the experience, so we’re not surprised if you’ve been tempted to take ingrown-hair removal into your own hands.
Sometimes they get so wild that ordinary people decide to document the removal process and post it online — much to the delight of millions of viewers who love to watch the hairs get yanked out. For those with really sensitive skin, hair removal cream may fill you with dread as the pretty potent formulas certainly aren’t the gentlest. Luckily, Jolen was designed with that in mind, with a clever application process created for those who wouldn’t usually dare touch the stuff. Inside the kit is a skin-guarding balm, which looks a lot like a lip balm, and should be applied before coming to the removal cream. Ingrown hairs are painful and absolutely suck to get, but damn, they sure make for some disgustingly satisfying videos. We've got some tips on the fastest (and safest) way to deal with all your worst skin problems.
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). Curly hair also lends itself to becoming ingrown, which explains why the bikini area is particularly prone. “Most hairs when they grow back in the bikini areas are a little bit curly,” says Dr. Wechsler. Instead, a hair keeps growing, but under the skin, either in a curl, in a downward direction, or to the side under the surface of the skin. Usually an ingrown hair looks like a red bump, but sometimes you can see the hair through the skin, and it may have a white pus-filled head.
From razor bumps to ingrown hairs, there are a whole host of issues that come with being clean-shaven, so you may want to rid your hair with something other than a razor. If watching these videos is giving you some ideas on removing your own annoying ingrown hairs, just hold on a second. Not only is self-removal painful, but—as with self pimple-popping—it could lead to infections. Here's what you need to know about ingrown hairs, from safe removal to prevention. If your ingrown hairs aren’t going away with at-home treatments and a good skincare routine, or if you’re ingrown hairs become infected, call your healthcare provider.