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(Sorry to be a downer.) If you have pain, the bump gets bigger, and/or you notice other signs of infection (see below) and your symptoms don’t get better in a few days, you’ll want to get that sucker out. 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. If you continue having infected ingrown hairs in the same area, such as your face, you might consider other methods of hair removal, such as laser treatment. You may have a higher risk for ingrown hairs and related infections if your hair is naturally coarse or curly.
Practice good shaving techniques
Coming in a set with both a facial hair removal cream and a post-removal soothing cream, it was easy to use, didn’t have the overpowering hair removal cream smell and, when following the instructions, worked wonders. On finer, thinner hairs, five minutes was enough to leave the skin silky smooth, while coarser strands took nearer the 10-minute mark. No redness, itchiness or sore feeling occurred at any time, and the soothing cream was a great addition to help keep things hydrated. I use Billie’s Ultimate Skin Solution to both treat and prevent ingrowns. I usually spray it on my underarms or legs between shaves and on ingrown hairs when they pop up. The spray contains salicylic acid and aloe vera to dissolve built-up dead cells while calming the skin, according to the brand.
Over-the-counter (OTC) products for ingrown hairs
This happens when bacteria from the skin’s surface get into the follicle; it could be from an accidental tear in the skin or from poking at an ingrown hair with unclean hands or tweezers, Dr. Clay explains. An infected ingrown hair will likely be painful, red, swollen, and may have a yellowish green fluid draining from it, she adds. Sometimes an ingrown hair is not infected, but it is very persistent. Retinoids can help remove dead skin cells more quickly than just washing and exfoliating.
Ingrown Hair Treatment
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Once any part of the hair appears above the skin line, a sterile needle or tweezers can be used to pull the hair straight. Also, people should wear loose clothing on areas surrounding the hair to avoid friction. You might have small bumps with hairs in the middle of your face and neck or on other hairy places on your body. They can be small, swollen bumps where you shave, tweeze, or wax.
How to avoid getting ingrown hair while shaving
People who experience ingrown hair over large areas may require medical treatment as well. It's not common, but you can develop a staph infection from ingrown hairs if they're not treated. Symptoms include a pimple at your ingrown hair's follicle, warmth or swelling around your ingrown hair, fever, or a general feeling of illness. 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. If an ingrown hair becomes infected, you may notice the bumps getting bigger and more painful.
So, if you’re someone who needs that extra push, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. In the past, some dermatologists believed that single-blade razors reduced risk to the skin. However, a 2013 study showed no difference between single- and multiple-blade varieties. A good razor should glide gently across the skin, leaving behind no missed or half-shaven hairs.
Never pick or pop an infected ingrown hair, as this also increases the risk of complications. Not all ingrown hairs become infected, and they usually resolve on their own in a few days. Friction caused by wearing tight clothing for extended periods of time can also cause ingrown hairs. However, some hairs can curl back on themselves and grow into the skin. When this happens, the body responds to the hair as if it were an intruder, causing inflammation, which is the typical symptom of an ingrown hair.
When to see a doctor
In fact, if you are more on the sensitive side, you need to take even more caution before using these creams – if the skin is irritated, broken or damaged, best to avoid them altogether. But if you do still want to give them a go, this Nair option may be your best bet. With aloe vera extract, it soothes while smoothing away hair quickly, easily and without any pain.
NBC Select manager of editorial operations Shari Uyehara says the cucumber toner is her favorite to use on her face because it has a light, refreshing scent. This fragrance-free tonic is a salicylic acid spot treatment you can apply to ingrowns and it goes on clear, so it’s a great option to use during the day. You apply the product using the rollerball, allowing you to target the ingrown without touching skin and potentially transferring bacteria from your hands to the affected area.
If this does not work, rubbing a very soft toothbrush in a similar motion over the area may help unclog the follicle and release the trapped hair. 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. If the hair is already visible and sticking out of your skin, you can attempt to tweeze the hair out.
Warm compresses soften your skin and may help ease inflammation and discomfort by allowing your skin to open and drain if there’s any pus present. A hair becomes ingrown if it grows back into your skin while being outside of its hair follicle. The curlier the hair, the more likely it is to become ingrown. A hair can curve back into your skin as it grows out and become trapped under your skin. So, wearing tight clothing such as leggings and jeans can contribute.
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An ingrown hair is one that's grown back into your skin instead of rising up from it. Ingrown hairs are also known as razor bumps, shave bumps, ingrown hair bumps, or barber bumps. Hair removal is the root cause of ingrown hairs, since they occur when hair starts to grow back and curves to burrow into the skin. Shaving is a big culprit because pulling on your skin as the razor glides can draw hair back into the skin, and shaving also gives hair strands a sharp edge that makes piercing the skin easier.
Too much and you run the risk of no hair getting hit, too little and there’s no protection at all, so finding the sweet spot may take a bit of time, but once you get there, it’s hard to go back. After the balm, smooth on a layer of the removal cream as normal, and, after five to eight minutes, your brows, cheeks or chin should be silky smooth. 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.
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