How does ingrown hair feel

Goldenberg says. To do this, the Mayo Clinic recommends moving a washcloth or clean, soft-bristled toothbrush over the area in a circular motion for several minutes. You can also use an over-the-counter lotion or cream with a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid, which speeds up skin cell turnover, Samantha B.

Conrad, M. This can help get rid of dead skin cells that would keep the ingrown hair submerged for a longer period of time. Conrad says. Depending on the severity of the infection, it might still clear up on its own. For instance, if you shave, make sure you always use some sort of lubrication like a shaving cream or gel and be sure to clean the blade after every stroke.

Basically, do whatever you can to minimize the need to pass over the hair more than once, because every time you pass over it you increase the chances of developing an ingrown hair, SELF explained previously. Also, remember that shaving is just one part of a healthy hair removal routine—ideally you should be gently exfoliating before shaving and moisturizing afterward to keep your skin hydrated and ingrown-free.

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Avoid hair removal procedures in the area until it heals. An ingrown hair occurs when a shaved or tweezed hair grows back into the skin. It can cause inflammation, pain and tiny bumps in the area where the hair was removed.

Ingrown hair is a common condition that results from hair removal. It's most prevalent in black men who shave facial hair. But ingrown hair can affect anyone who removes hair by shaving, tweezing or waxing. Often, an ingrown hair improves without treatment. You can avoid ingrown hair by not removing hair.

If that's not an option, you can use hair removal methods that lessen the risk of developing ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs most commonly appear in the beard area, including the chin and cheeks and, especially, the neck.

They can appear on the scalp in those who shave their heads. Finally, tight clothing can cause ingrown hairs, especially tight underwear. Skin is its healthiest when it's allowed to breathe. The elastic in tight underwear presses into the skin, trapping hair as it begins to grow back and giving way to bothersome ingrown hairs. Ingrown hairs will typically go away on their own if you leave them alone. Step one: Stop all hair removal attempts.

Don't try to pluck, pull, shave, wax, or cut hair in the area where ingrown hairs are. You'll only make your skin angrier and possibly introduce an infection. Step two: Apply a warm compress and gently exfoliate. Using a soft washcloth soaked in warm - not hot - water, gently press into the irritated area for minutes to soften skin. Then use slow, circular motions to very gently exfoliate for only seconds.

Skip exfoliating if it hurts or makes your skin more irritated. Step three: Remove the ingrown hair. This step only applies if you can see the looped hair growing into your skin. If you can't see the tip, skip to step four. If you can see the hair, use a clean, sharp tool like pointed tweezers to remove it. Free it from the skin first. If it comes out easily, gently pull the entire hair out. Make sure your tweezers are strong enough to get the whole hair so you don't have to repeat the process all over again.

If it doesn't come out easily, leave it be. It'll be ready soon. After the hair becomes free, the redness and swelling should subside quite quickly. Step four: Apply an exfoliating and anti-bacterial oil. Now that you've dealt with the hair itself, use a topical exfoliating oil to calm and soothe the skin while helping to prevent more irritation.

Other herbs that can help with inflammation include primrose oil, fenugreek, and turmeric, according to this Livestrong article. We personally just love the smell of lavender. This Healthline article claims that tea tree oil and lotions with oatmeal calm irritated skin as well.

Your ingrown hair will likely only become infected i f you continue to irritate it with hair removal or by picking at it. With an ingrown hair, the hair grows back into the skin instead of out of the pore. This can lead to redness, swelling, and sometimes pus , which can look a lot like a pimple. There are clues to look for that can help you determine whether a breakout is due to acne or ingrown hairs. The location is especially important. You have a chance of developing ingrown hairs in whatever areas you shave, wax, or tweeze.

Hair removal can leave hairs with sharp edges. This can make it easier for the hair to curl back into the skin, instead of growing out of the pore. Ingrown hairs are most commonly found on:. Just like pimples, ingrown hairs can hurt. You may even be able to see the hair just under the surface of the skin or in the swollen head of the blemish.

If you have breakouts where you don't shave, tweeze, or wax, it's likely acne. Pimples are common on the:. When checking the blemish, look carefully to make sure you don't see a hair trapped just beneath the surface of the skin. If you don't see a hair and it's not located on an area where you've removed hair, it's likely a pimple. Some ingrown hairs may heal themselves with time. Treatment options for ingrown hairs may include:. They may offer you prescription medications such as tretinoin or topical antibiotics to help your skin heal.

If your breakouts are minor, over-the-counter acne products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide may improve blemishes. Highly irritated or widespread breakouts should be treated by a skin, hair, and nails doctor known as a dermatologist.

They may offer you prescription medications depending on your specific needs. Ingrown hairs and pimples are caused by different factors. Ingrown hairs usually develop after hair removal, which can leave hair with sharp edges.

Hair then curls back into the skin instead of out of the pore. With pimples, oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria build up and block the pore. Both ingrown hairs and pimples may look like red bumps that are swollen and irritated. To tell the difference, it's best to pay attention to the location of the bump.

If it's in an area where you have removed hair and you notice a hair trapped just beneath the skin's surface, it's likely an ingrown hair.