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Ingrown hairs are not out of the ordinary. Typically all men and women get rid of their body hair by either shaving or waxing. And why shouldn't they? Every body desires a smooth silky skin. No wonder they look wonderful. Yet, it is very common to see itchy bumps on the skin a few days after going through the hair removal routine. If you take a closer look at those, you'll see hair growing inside your skin instead of growing out.
What causes an ingrown hair to become infected?
One of the main causes of these ingrown hairs is that these hairs are cut too short, either with a blade, wax or any other method. When the hair starts to re-grow, it is trapped in the skin and grows inwards instead of growing straight outwards. These ingrown hairs can grow on any area you remove your hair from. Ingrown hair is not a very serious problem itself, and there are several remedies to treat this problem. However, carelessness can lead to infection and severe damage.
Signs of an infected ingrown hair
The ingrown hair can damage the skin which makes it prone to bacteria. These bacteria can form infections in the skin and lead to infected ingrown hair problem. The infection can be redness, itchiness, pain and even pus formations and blisters. An infected hair follicle is referred to as folliculitis in medical terms, while the chronic razor-bump condition is known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. Infected ingrown hairs are mainly caused by carelessness, thus proving that prevention is much better than cure. It is better to get rid of ingrown hairs before the problem becomes worse.
How to treat an infected ingrown hair
In case you were not so thoughtful and the ingrown hair you had becomes infected ingrown hair, your best option is to consult a physician. Normally physicians would prescribe a skin treatment cream or lotion.
If the infection hasn't gone too bad or hasn't yet started in the ingrown hair, rubbing and exfoliating the skin with a scrub can help in letting the hairs come out of the skin. Once noticed, don't let the infected ingrown hair stay in the skin. You can also use tweezers to pull the infected ingrown hair out of the skin. Hydrogen peroxide also helps in reducing the infection. However, a physician must be consulted before applying any kind of chemical or medication to the skin affected by the infected ingrown hair.
Can laser hair removal prevent infected ingrown hairs?
Although it is not a permanent problem, infected ingrown hair problems can make your skin look worse than it looked before hair removal. The best option is to totally avoid infected ingrown hair through better hair removal methods. Laser hair removal removes the hair without the risk of developing ingrown hair. Laser hair removal can also get rid of infected ingrown hairs as well. This treatment might take an hour or longer time depending upon the area you wish to be treated. Laser hair removal might require you to take multiple sessions. The number of sessions may also vary from patient to patient. Usually patients do experience slight pain and burns on the area of treatment. Yet, any severer affect must be discussed immediately with the physician. Your physician will also educate you about the after-treatment dos and don'ts.
Preventing infected ingrown hairs
Although curable, the cause of infected ingrown hair should essentially be prevented as earlier as possible. Always use a clean blade and soften your skin with warm water or shaving cream before any hair removal process. This would save you a lot of time, money and suffering.
Disclaimer Regarding Treatment Comparisons and AI-Generated Content
The opinions and comparisons expressed in this article are based on Dr. Simon Ourian's professionalexperience, clinical observations, aesthetic philosophy, and publicly available information at the timeof publication.
References to competing products, technologies, procedures, practitioners, or manufacturers are notintended to disparage any individual, company, or organization. Any comparisons reflect Dr. Ourian'sopinions and clinical experience and should not be construed as statements of fact regarding thesuperiority, inferiority, safety, efficacy, or performance of any competing product or treatment.Medical technologies, scientific research, treatment protocols, and regulatory guidance continue toevolve. Information presented in this article may become outdated over time and should not beconsidered comprehensive or definitive medical guidance.
Comparisons between products, procedures, technologies, treatment approaches, manufacturers, oraesthetic outcomes are provided for informational and educational purposes only. Individualpractitioners may have different experiences, preferences, treatment protocols, and opinionsregarding the products or procedures discussed.
No statement contained in this article should be interpreted as a guarantee, warranty, prediction, orpromise of any specific result. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on anatomy, age, skinquality, medical history, genetics, lifestyle factors, treatment technique, and adherence to pre- andpost-treatment instructions.
Portions of this article may have been generated, assisted, summarized, or edited using artificialintelligence (AI) tools. While reasonable efforts have been made to review and verify the content foraccuracy, completeness, and relevance, some information may be incomplete, outdated, inaccurate,or subject to interpretation. Readers should independently verify any information before relying uponit.
The content provided is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not intendedas medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Readers should consult with a qualified healthcareprofessional regarding their individual circumstances and treatment options before making anymedical or aesthetic decisions.
Results vary from patient to patient. No outcome is guaranteed. Some or all of this contentmay have been created, edited, or enhanced using artificial intelligence technology, anddespite review efforts, inaccuracies may exist.
