Easy Ways to Spot Ingrown Hairs: 9 Steps with Pictures

what does an ingrown hair look like

An ingrown hair occurs when the hair grows downward instead of upward and becomes trapped under the skin. Treatment options for these cysts include home remedies and medical treatment. Ingrown hairs most characteristically involve areas that are shaved, like the beard, bikini area, and legs. Other common locations of ingrown hairs include the face, neck, thighs, and buttocks. Although possible, it is rare to have ingrown hairs all over the body. Ingrown hairs do not affect the mouth, palms, vagina, or soles of the feet, as there are no hair follicles in these locations.

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A dermatologist’s tips for ingrown hairs Dr Dray

Shaving against the grain can increase your chance of developing an ingrown hair since this can cause the sharp tip of the hair to retract into the skin. If you want to continue shaving, you should consider using a razor with a skin guard. Or, you can swap out razors entirely and use electric clippers or hair removal creams instead. Because they tend to have tightly curled hair, people of African descent are more likely to have ingrown hair. The tight curls can more easily curl back into the skin and also can become sharper after shaving because of the curl's angle. If the bumps or cysts become extremely bothersome — or if they aren’t fading — see a healthcare professional or dermatologist.

How to identify an ingrown hair or razor bump

Ingrown hairs can cause your pore or hair follicle to get infected. When this happens, the bump may swell up with yellow or green pus and become tender to the touch. An ingrown hair happens when the end of a hair curls down and starts growing back into the skin rather than growing up and out of it. The best way to prevent ingrown pubic hairs is not to shave or wax the area.

Shave With the Grain

Consulting a medical doctor who specializes in dermatology may be necessary for the optimal treatment of more severe cases. Although an ingrown hair can heal on its own and spontaneously dislodge, in some cases, it may be tough to get rid of it. Removing a hair can also cause the new hair that grows in its place to grow incorrectly.

Your new hair may grow sideways and eventually curl back down. There will be a painful bump and swelling, and you may notice pus. Doctors treat staph infections with antibiotics to prevent other serious complications, such as a blood infection. They often appear alone, but can also appear in clusters. You may also notice a dark or discolored spot in the middle where the hair’s trying to get out. You can help the process along with a simple home remedy.

Preventing ingrown hairs is the best way to keep cysts from developing around them. However, this type of cyst is usually harmless and will often go away without treatment. Trying to remove them can sometimes interfere with the healing process and cause them to last longer.

How to prevent ingrown hairs

Waxing, shaving, or plucking hair can increase your risk for developing ingrown hairs in your genital area, but some hairs just grow in unusual ways. A cyst from an ingrown hair can range from a small, painless lump to a large, infected growth. This problem is more prevalent in men of African ancestry than among Caucasian men. Ingrown hairs cause bumps, which are often itchy, where a hair has grown back into the skin. There are things you can do to treat and prevent them and in most cases you will not need to a see a GP for treatment. Make sure you are shaving in the direction the hair is growing.

African-American individuals with thicker, coarser tightly curling hairs tend to have the highest rate of problems with ingrown hairs. Don’t try to lift the hair out with tweezers like you might with typical ingrown hair. At this point, your hair is embedded far too deep underneath the bump or cyst for you to pull it out. Instead, gently scrub the area with warm water and soap.

what does an ingrown hair look like

If your cysts are hereditary, you may need ongoing treatments as they recur. If home remedies aren’t helping and the cyst does not appear to be healing, see a doctor. They can prescribe antibiotics to clear up the infection and/or determine if the cyst needs to be surgically removed.

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Apply rubbing alcohol to your surrounding skin to prevent an infection. Then, carefully thread the sterile needle, pin or tweezers through the exposed hair loop. Gently lift the hair loop until one end releases from your skin. 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.

If you inspect an ingrown hair closely, you may see a shadow or thin line in the center of the sore. Usually, cysts do not hurt unless an infection develops. An infected cyst may make the skin red or discolored, itchy, and tender. Eflornithine cream, intense pulse light therapy, and laser hair removal to prevent recurrences. Scarring is another potential complication of ingrown hairs. You may develop keloids which are thick, raised scars.

You may be more likely to get ingrown hairs if you have coarse or curly hair. Applying shaving cream five to 10 minutes before shaving can make the hair softer. This may reduce the sharp hair tips that can become embedded as ingrown hairs. Applying a warm compress prior to shaving can provide these benefits as well.

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