Ingrown Hairs: How to Prevent and Treat Safely
Ingrown hairs may cause itching and pain—and are probably the most irritating thing ever existed. These are hairs that have curled inward and grown back within the skin, instead of growing out of the skin, often occurring after shaving or waxing rather than using a quality hair removal cream. Ingrown hairs lead to red, itchy patches, and also whiteheads.
Sometimes, dead skin can unknowingly clog up a hair follicle. Interfering with proper hair growth, dead skin forces the ingrown hair to grow sideways, under the surface of the skin. Ingrown hair causes discomfort for many, occurring everywhere, from legs, bikini line, underarms, and even the jawline.
If you suffer from ingrown hair, don't squeeze it or try to pinch it out of your skin, as it may end up deeper in the skin, triggering an infection.
We know that everyone has suffered from ingrown hair—you're fibbing if you claim that you have never had one—and to help you with them, we're going to discuss how you can treat and prevent ingrown hairs.
Ingrown Hair Treatment
Most times, an ingrown hair will disappear on its own. However, if it doesn't fade, ingrown hair can cause some serious issues. It may become infected, darken your skin, or leave behind a scar over a prolonged period of time (especially if you have been picking at it).
If an ingrown hair is bothering you or has become infected, make sure to seek medical treatment from your doctor. Proper treatment can be conducted by making an incision in your skin with a sterile needle or scalpel, to release or remove the ingrown hair.
Applying medicated steroids on the infected area to subside the irritation is an excellent alternative to professional treatment.
Ingrown Hair Prevention
The key to preventing ingrown hair is to exfoliate your skin frequently. By exfoliating, you prevent the build-up of dead skin cells on the surface of the skin, which clog up your pores. Whenever a hair follicle is clogged, the affected hair will not be able to grow straight out. Exfoliating once a week is sufficient to remove dead skin, so don't overdo it as it will make your skin dry and may damage your new healthy skin underneath.
Obviously, the best way to prevent the occurrence of ingrown hair is by not attempting to remove your body hair at all. But since this is clearly not an option for some (most) folks, removing hair from its roots is the second-best approach.
We recommended using the hair removal cream method instead of shaving to remove hair. When shaving, the hair follicles are cut in a sharp edge where it easily pokes back into the skin. Hair removal creams remove hair from its roots, creating a smoother skin surface. An alternative to hair removal cream is epilation. Epilators are reusable, and they do a pretty clean job removing the hair from its follicles, reducing the probability of an ingrown hair.
If shaving is still your top preference, make sure to use sharp, reliable blades. With sharp shaving blades, you will notice that you won't have rashes or bumpy skin. Disposable razors tend to dull quickly and rust due to moisture when placed in the bathroom. Make sure to use shaving cream when shaving. The lather from the cream helps the blades run smoothly along your skin, reducing friction. Look out for an alcohol-free, sensitive formula to prevent your skin from drying out. Also, remember to shave along with the flow of your hair's direction. Going against the grain will cut your hair at a sharper angle, causing ingrown hair.
After hair removal, it's a good idea to use an excellent post-removal product. Look for ones that contain anti-inflammatory ingredients and dissolvable solution to help remove any build-up of dead skin cells that will clog pores.
Resources— Cosmopolitan, WebMD
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