Ingrown hairs can be painful and a nuisance. They typically affect people with thick, curly hair, and can become infected if left untreated. But, how should they be treated and can they be prevented?
Preventing It can often be managed at home, though there are times when a visit to the doctor may be appropriate.
This article explores ways to treat and prevent ingrown hairs, to reduce discomfort for people who experience them.
What are ingrown hairs?
An ingrown hair is a hair that has curled back into the skin instead of growing out of the skin’s surface. It is most common in people with thick, coarse, or curly hair types. Medically an ingrown hair is known as “pseudofolliculitis barbae.”
It can occur anywhere on the body. Ingrown hairs commonly occur in areas where the skin is shaved or subject to a lot of friction, including:
- beard
- legs
- underarms
- chest
- pubic area
Signs and symptoms of ingrown hair are:
- itching skin or irritation surrounding the hair
- rashes
- razor burn
The site of the ingrown hair will form into a raised bump on the skin that may begin to look like a pimple. The bump will often turn reddish, become irritated and sensitive, and may fill with pus.
What causes ingrown hair?
Anything that does not let the hair grow normally can cause ingrown hairs, and it is usually for one of the following reasons:
Improper hair removal
The most common cause of ingrown hair is an improper shaving technique. Cutting hair very close to the skin creates a very sharp tip on the end of each of the hairs.
Most of these hairs will grow back out without a problem. 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 ingrown hair.
Shaving is not the only way ingrown hairs occur. Waxing and plucking hairs out also commonly cause ingrown hairs.
Plucked hair grows back through the follicle. As such, it may not make it all the way to the surface of the skin before turning and clogging the follicle.
Read the Complete Article at medicalnewstoday.com
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Also read: Treating and Preventing Ingrown Hairs
