How to Recognize and Prevent Ingrown Hairs

Ingrown hairs aren’t a serious health concern, but they can be annoying and sometimes leave scars. In certain circumstances they can also become infected and you may need a doctor to remove the hair and prescribe antibiotics. In men, the most common area to develop ingrown hairs are the face and neck, due to constant shaving combined with the coarse hair growth. Women often experience problems in the bikini area and armpits. 

Often, ingrown hairs will look like irritated, red bumps. Sometimes you are able to see the actual hair under the skin’s surface, other times the hair may be deeper under the skin. If it has become infected, you will probably notice some pus in the bump and it may cause discomfort. They may appear as a single bump or as many tiny bumps in a small area. When you have many of these tiny bumps they can also be itchy and uncomfortable. 

The only true solution to ingrown hairs is permanent hair removal, such as electrolysis. However, there are steps, provided by webmd, that  you can take to prevent ingrown hairs: 

• Exfoliate prior to shaving. Removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin will prevent pores from clogging and leaving hairs trapped below the surface. 
• Shave with a sharp, single-blade razor. The additional blades on razors give a closer shave, but a closer shave promotes ingrown hair growth. 
• Use warm water and shaving cream when shaving. 
• Rinse the blade with water after every stroke. 
• Apply a cool washcloth to the area after shaving to reduce irritation and swelling.

We left out some of the tips that included leaving stubble and not shaving too closely because we know that people are often looking for that smooth shave. If ingrown hairs, particularly with infections, are a recurring problem for you, then we should set up a free consultation to discuss electrolysis as a treatment option for your problem areas.