Ingrown hairs

Credit: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/257011/view Ingrown hairs can look like raised, itchy bumps on the skin. On white skin the bumps may look red. Redness may be harder to see on black or brown skin, but they may look a different colour to the surrounding skin. Credit: RICHARD USATINE MD / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1459321/view Sometimes you can see a hair trapped under the skin. You may be more likely to get ingrown hairs if you have coarse or curly hair. Credit: Ocskay Mark / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/close-up-picture-of-folliculitis-on-female-skin-hands-squeezing-the-infected-follicle-painful-image245715366.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=AFC254A6-771A-4A0D-A603-C2AE5A436D45&p=383112&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dT7N8CP%26qt_raw%3dT7N8CP%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d32846%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d1%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d Infected ingrown hairs can be painful. You may see pus in the bumps. You are more likely to get ingrown hairs in areas you shave, such as: face and neck legs armpits chest back your pubic area Waxing, plucking and threading hair can also lead to ingrown hairs.

The best way to prevent ingrown hairs is by not shaving. If you want to shave, or remove hair in another way, there are things you can do to prevent ingrown hairs and help them get better quicker. Do wet your skin with warm water and use shaving gel shave in the direction the hairs are growing use as few strokes of the razor as possible rinse the razor after every stroke hold a cool, wet cloth to your skin after shaving to reduce irritation use an exfoliating scrub to help release any trapped hairs try using an electric razor rather than wet shaving try a different hair removal method, such as hair removal cream try a long-term way of removing hair, such as laser treatment Don’t do not shave too close – leaving at least 1mm of stubble can help reduce ingrown hairs do not use a blunt razor do not shave every day, if possible do not scratch, pick or squeeze ingrown hairs as this can damage your skin and lead to infection A pharmacist can help with ingrown hairs You can ask a pharmacist about: creams and lotions to help itching shaving and hair removal products to help prevent irritation exfoliating products to help prevent ingrown hairs a mild antiseptic to help prevent infection Find a pharmacy

You usually do not need medical help for ingrown hairs, but see a GP if you have signs of an infection. Non-urgent advice: See a GP if: an ingrown hair or area around it is very painful, hot or swollen you have an ingrown hair and a high temperature, or you feel hot, cold or shivery or very unwell

A GP may be able to treat ingrown hairs by: removing the hair using a sterile needle or blade (scalpel) giving you a steroid cream to help swelling and irritation giving you antibiotic cream or tablets to treat an infection