Ingrown hair and skin bumps can be uncomfortable. These appear when your Hair grows back into your skin instead of emerging through the skin’s surface. This issue further leads to skin bumps, irritation, inflammation, etc.
Following, we will tell you everything about ingrown Hair, including different ingrown hair treatments. With this brief guide, you will understand the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for ingrown Hair and skin bumps to manage properly.
What is Ingrown Hair?
Ingrown Hair (also known as Shave Bumps, Barber Bumps, or Razor Bumps and the scientific name Pseudofolliculitis Barbae) is a strand of Hair that grows back into the skin instead of up to the surface once after you shave, wax, or tweeze Hair. These can become painful/itchy as the bumps get inflamed and sometimes lead to an infection, forming a pimple-like wound.
Ingrown Hair is common in people with coarse or curly Hair. Moreover, they are likely to form when your Hair is short and forms around the area that experiences lots of friction.
They usually develop around the beard area of the face (the neck, cheeks, and chin), pubic area (Inner thighs and bikini line) along with legs and armpits. These can appear on almost anybody, including the chest, back, scalp, abdomen, eyebrows, buttocks, and nostrils.
Symptoms
Ingrown hair symptoms are:
-
Small swollen bumps appear where you recently tweezed, waxed or shaved
-
Skin Irritation
-
Bumps can get filled with pus or look like a blister
-
Hyperpigmentation
-
Pain
-
Discoloration (purple, brown or red)
-
Itching
-
Hair in the shape of a loop as the tip of hair curves and grows into the skin
-
Small Bumps or Papule
As the ingrown Hair gets infected, the bump becomes more painful. Moreover, Pustules happen if pus gets around the hair follicle, and the infection may lead to scarring.
Causes What causes ingrown hairs?
Ingrown Hair develops when you remove a hair, it starts growing back, and instead of making it to the surface, it curves into the skin. This is very common after waxing, tweezing, and shaving. Hair structure and direction play a very valuable role; the curved hair follicle, or tightly curved Hair, reenters the skin as the Hair is cut and starts growing back.
When you shave a hair follicle, it sharpens the Hair’s edge and makes it easy for the Hair to pierce into the skin. It is also caused by:
-
Pulling your skin when you shave and draws back into the skin
-
Tweezing
The Hair penetrates your skin, and your skin reacts as it would to any foreign object, becoming irritated.
Here’s Treatment/Removal of Ingrown Hair
Dealing with ingrown Hair can be frustrating, but we share a brief guide for comfortably removing them without any issues.
1. Topical Treatments at home
Several topical treatments help fight off inflammation, soothe your skin, and help heal ingrown Hair, including:
Hydrocortisone Cream: This cream helps fight inflammation/itching and lets you remove ingrown Hair at home.
Antibacterial Ointments: These cream prevent infection and improves healing.
Antibacterial or Antiseptic Soaps: These soaps help clean and reduce the risk of infection.
Topical Exfoliates: This helps remove dead skin cells and unclogs hair follicles.
Warm Compress
This is one of the fasts ways to get rid of ingrown Hair; apply a warm compress on the affected area to soften skin, open up your pores, and reduce inflammation. Just soak a clean washcloth in warm water, remove excess water and apply it to ingrown Hair for minutes. Now, repeat it a few times a day.
Exfoliating Scrubs
Exfoliating regularly prevents and treats ingrown Hair; use a gentle exfoliation scrub or soft brush, gently remove dead skin cells, and unclog hair follicles. Just don’t scrub too harshly; it irritates your skin.
Over-The-Counter Creams
Several over-the-counter creams and serums contain ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide, which exfoliates the skin and prevents clogged Hair.
2. Medical treatments
If Home remedies don’t work, you may need a medical intervention. Get in touch with your doctor, and he may recommend one of the following treatments:
Retinoid Creams: Prescription-strength creams exfoliate skin and keep ingrown Hair from forming. This promotes cell turnover to make your skin healthier.
Steroids or Injections: Corticosteroid creams and injections can come in handy to fight off inflammation and promote healing against persistent or severe ingrown Hair.
Laser Hair Removal: If your skin is prone to ingrown Hair, you better consider laser hair removal treatment. If you can’t afford a clinical treatment, you might want to check at-home laser treatment, like Ulike’s IPL laser devices . These devices are easy to use, affordable and offers excellent result.
3. Home Remedies
Natural remedies can come in handy to fight off ingrown Hair. Remember, these solutions might not work for everyone, but they can provide some relief. These remedies include:
Aloe Vera: Use pure Aloe Vera gel on the affected area to soothe inflammation, fight off redness, and help it heal.
Tea Tree Oil: Dilute it with a carrier oil (coconut oil) and use it directly on ingrown Hair. Tea tree oil carries antibacterial properties, helps fight inflammation, and prevents infection.
Witch Hazel: Use witch hazel on the affected area and use a cotton pad or ball. Witch hazel carries astringent properties and helps reduce inflammation, soothe skin, and prevent infection.
4. Lifestyle Changes
Apart from the treatments mentioned above, you can make some lifestyle changes to prevent ingrown hairs and promote healthier skin:
Adopt a Healthy Skincare Routine: You better adopt a regular skincare routine that improves your skin’s health and fights off ingrown Hair. Gently cleanse and exfoliate your skin and moisturize it. Learn more about your skin and use products according to its type. Remember, you better avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive products as they can irritate your skin.
Remove Hair the Proper Way: When you remove Hair, whether you shave, wax or tweeze, you better follow the right technique as it helps keep ingrown Hair from growing. Following, we will share how to do it:
Shave: Shave in the direction of hair growth, and ensure your razor is sharp and clean. Please don’t press it too hard or shave too close to your skin because it increases the chances of ingrown Hair growing in that area.
Wax: Make sure the wax is applied in the direction your Hair grows and is removed in the opposite direction. Pull your skin taut before you remove the wax, and minimize the chance of ingrown Hair.
Tweeze: Use clean and sterilized tweezers to pull Hair gently in the direction of growth; this helps you avoid breaking the hair follicle.
How to Prevent Ingrown Hair
What do to with ingrown Hair to keep it coming back? It’s hard always to prevent them, but you can follow these steps to cut off their chances of growing back:
Avoid Friction: Clothes that rub on your skin causes irritation and ingrown hear. So, you better wear loose-fitting clothes, especially for shaving areas.
Antiperspirant: If you are getting ingrown Hair in your underarm, you better stop using any strong antiperspirant. These deodorants can block pores, leading to such complications.
Never Pull While You Shave: Don’t shave too close to the skin; you only need to glide the razer gently over your skin and avoid pulling a taut. You can use a special razor called “bump fighter” if needed.
Mind Your Direction: Shave in the direction of hair growth. When you apply wax, apply in the direction of hair growth and remove or pull it off in the opposite direction.
Keep Yourself Clean: Try to get a shower once you exercise, get sweaty, waxed or shaved.
Longer Hair: If ingrown Hair is on your scalp, you better switch to a long hairstyle. If you want to trim your Hair, do it with a trimmer instead of scissors.
Moisturize Your Skin: Never shave on dry skin. Always use a gel or cream to help the razor glide over your skin. If you have sensitive skin, you better try something fragrance-free or hypoallergenic.
Sharp Razor: When you shave, make sure you use a fresh and sharp blade every time. Toss razors lose their sharpness or develop cracks and might nick your skin. So, get a fresh blade always.
Skin Bumps
Skin bump is a raised area on the skin’s surface; these vary in size, shape or even appearance. We will discuss their causes, symptoms and treatment for proper management and relief.
Symptoms
Symptoms can depend on the underlying cause, but some common signs of skin bumps are:
-
Raised and elevated area on your skin’s surface
-
Your skin gets itchy, irritated or red
-
There might be pus or other fluid-filled blisters
-
You might feel pain or tenderness
-
Skin starts to scale or flake
Causes
Skin bumps are caused by different factors, following we are discussing these causes in details:
Acne: This happens when hair follicles are blocked thanks to excess oil, dead skin cells or even bacteria.
Allergic Reactions: Your body’s responses to allergens such as pollen, certain foods, medications, etc.
Infections: Infections caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi can also lead to skin bumps.
Insect Bites: If you get bitten by an insect-like bee or mosquito, your body will react, probably leading to a skin bump.
Skin Conditions: You can get itchy or raised skin bumps if you have skin issues like hives, dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis.
Treatment
You can treat skin bumps based on their symptoms or causes in the following ways:
The Counter Creams/Ointments: Antihistamines, Acne Meds or Hydrocortisone creams can offer relief in mild cases
Warm Compresses: You can apply warm compresses to soothe inflammation and itching.
No Triggers: If the underlying cause is an allergic reaction, you better identify and avoid the trigger.
Medical Help: If the bumps get severe or persistent, you better talk to a professional about their recommended medicine or treatment.
What Is Ingrown Pubic Hair?
This refers to a condition where Hair grows back into your skin instead of emerging through the skin’s surface within the pubic area. It also happens right after you shave, wax or remove Hair from your pubic area.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Ingrown Pubic Hair include:
-
Small red bumps or pustules within the pubic area
-
Itching, tender or discomfort around the ingrown Hair
-
Inflame or swelling around the affected area
-
Forms a small dark spot once the ingrown hair returns to normal
Causes
Ingrown pubic Hair is caused by the following issues or triggers:
Bad Hair Removal: If you shave too closely or again the grain, or use dull blades or wax improperly, it will lead to the growth of ingrown pubic Hair.
Curly/Coarse Hair: Hair that is curled or coarse tightly has a higher chance of being ingrown. So, be careful.
Blocked Hair Follicles: Dead skin cells and debris clog your hair follicles, making the Hair grow sideways or back into your skin, causing ingrown pubic Hair.
Treatment
You can treat ingrown pubic Hair and get some relief in the following ways:
Warm Compresses: Apply warm compresses over the infected area for a week or so. Do it in routine and you will notice difference and relief after doing it a few days. Make sure you clean the compress regularly to avoid any further issues.
Exfoliation: Get a soft brush or an exfoliating scrub to remove dead skin cells and prevent further follicle blockage.
No Further Hair Removal: You better keep yourself from shaving, waxing, or plucking the area until the ingrown Hair heals properly.
No Picking and Squeezing: You better resist the temptation to squeeze or pick at ingrown Hair because there are higher chances of this leading to infection or even scarring.
Over-the-Counter Treatments: Topical creams like salicylic acid or retinoid can help exfoliate and fight off inflammation.
Conclusion
Dealing with ingrown Hair or skin bumps gets frustrating, but there are different treatment options, from topical to home remedies to even professional help and minor lifestyle changes. You can easily alleviate symptoms to prevent further complications and promote healthier skin.
You better seek professional help, adopt a proper skincare routine, minimize the chances of ingrown hair and skin bumps, and get smooth and healthy skin.
