Ingrown Hair Treatment 

Ingrown hairs are unsightly and often painful. They involve incorrect hair growth, where the hair grows in the wrong direction and becomes trapped inside the follicle. The surrounding skin becomes inflamed as the immune system tries to clear this unwanted object. So what is the best prevention and treatment for ingrown hairs? 

Causes of Ingrown Hairs

Ingrown hairs appear after shaving using incorrect techniques, which change the shape of your body hair. These include: 

• Shaving against the direction of your hair 
• Pulling your skin too tight to shave, or using a double-blade. These cut your hair too short. 
• Shaving without any form of cream or gel to sufficiently lubricate your skin 
• Having thick, curly hair, which is more common in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and some South Asian ethnicities. 

Methods of Ingrown Hair Removal

Treatment for ingrown hair on any part of your body often involves laser hair removal, which can also prevent their recurrence. Here, a laser light frequency that matches the color of your body hair is used to selectively overheat and destroy it. Professional ingrown hair removal by an esthetician or dermatologist should not be painful or damage your skin, as a reputable clinic will have a range of lasers to suit different skin and hair colors. 

Over time, there will be a permanent reduction in hair thickness and growth. The most common course of treatment is six to eight sessions, but you may need more for particularly stubborn hair. 

Alternatives to laser ingrown hair removal include: 

• Regular exfoliation 
• Retinoids, which increase the clearance of dead skin cells 
• Regular use of astringents to calm inflammation and draw out unwanted substances
• Dermatologist treatment for ingrown hair, if severe, may require tiny forceps for extraction. 

How to Prevent Ingrown Hairs

Simple changes to your hygiene routine can prevent ingrown hairs from reappearing: 

• Never use blunt or dirty razor blades, which can reintroduce oil and bacteria
• Shave in the direction that your hair grows
• Choose a single-edge razor, as they won’t cut your hair so short that its tip is underneath your skin
• Use a shaving cream, or body wash if you’re shaving your legs, to prevent irritation
• Always remember to wash and cleanse your skin, to remove excess sebum and oil that may trap hair
• If all else fails, use a chemical hair removal cream.