Problems and Solutions : Ingrown Hair

 Hi,

I am starting a series of problems and solutions. I have covered Dandruff problem before here. Now I am dealing with the problem of Ingrown Hair today which most of us face…even I do sometimes if I do not exfoliate skin well…or post waxing for few days..till hair completely grows out.

What is Ingrown hair?

 Ingrown hair, or razor bumps, occur when the shaved or waxed hair gets trapped inside the hair follicle and curls or  grows back sideways into the skin in the follicle or fails to grow outwards and stays embedded into the skin.

 What causes it?

 Anything which causes the hair to be broken off short with a sharp tip can cause ingrown hair. Shaving is the leading cause, followed by waxing and tight clothing.

Symptoms:

• Rashes
• Itching skin
• Bumps
• Sometimes pus and infection
• Inflammation

How to prevent it ?

The best way to  prevent it is by letting it grow..and not bothering it or cutting it in between. Exfoliate regularly so that the dead cells go away from the surface of the skin..and my dermat had recommended me to moisturise my skin well…as even dry skin can cause the in growth of hair. Wear loose clothes and give the skin some space.

 How to treat the already ingrown hair?

 1. Use a warm moist cloth and press it several times against the ingrown area…to soften the skin and let the hair come up on the surface…this is the most basic method. But if your ingrown hair does not come up you need to follow other methods as some grown inside are a little stubborn.

 2. Regular use of salt and sugar scrubs over that area..but if you have broken skin do not use salt scrub even anywhere  near that area.

 3.  Use of acne medication like salicylic acid benzoyl peroxide over the affected area…what you can do is make an aspirin mask..by dissolving it in little water and apply on the affected area.

 4. Last resort would be physically plucking it with tweezers..but be careful that you do not harm your skin or bleed in the process..though you do need to sanitize properly before doing it…stay away from alcohol based products as they would further dry the area making it worser.

 If you suffer from this problem too much..you can even go for permanent laser hair removal or electrolysis.